Some people hide their light under a bushel. Our western culture consistently tries to divide the spiritual from the secular. You may have heard someone say, 'Church is on Sunday and not for the work week.' This, however, is a mistake. The secular and spiritual cannot be divided because we are Ambassadors for Christ, wherever we may be.
Illustration - August 20, 2012 marked my 14th year in the Army. I've been on both Active Duty and Reserve status. Like anyone in the military, I've got stories to tell. I've made some great friends while in the Army. We would die for our country and each other. At any moment we're willing to pick up our gear, fight, and defend to the death. That's what the military does. Soldiers are Soldiers; 24/7/365. Soldiers don't just drop their gear and leave when they don't feel like being a Soldier; that's called being Absent Without Leave or 'going AWOL.'
Similarly, Christians are Christians; 24/7/365. We can't just flip a switch and be a Christian on the weekend. We rightly remember that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39). Are we the exception? Do we think we can seperate ourselves from God when we go to work or drive down the road?
There's more to being a Christian than showing up at church each week. We are Ambassadors for Christ; 24/7/365. There's no 'going AWOL' from God. Thankfully, when God accepted us through Jesus' death, we became Christians; 24/7/365/Eternally.
Everything we do, whether godly or ungodly, is still part of what others view as 'Christian.' We may cut someone off in traffic while proudly displaying a Christian fish on the back of our car. Christians, we are Ambassadors for Christ, whether we are Christlike or not. Paradoxical?
Christians are looked down on and even hated because of what other 'Christians' have done in the name of Jesus or Christianity. People understand who Jesus is through His followers, often times without regard for what the Bible actually says about Him. We represent Jesus to the world around us on a daily basis. What do they see? What is the Christian stereotype? Are we hypocritical, dishonest, fake, weak, etc.? How does the world define Christianity? Does the world around us truly see Jesus through us or do they see an anti-biblical 'Christianity?' Does our representation of Christ align with Scripture?
Consider this - God does everything through His holiness.; His love is holy, His anger is holy. For Christians, everything is through Christ; everything is through being a Christian. I'm a Christian dad, a Christian husband, a Christian driving a car, a Christian business owner, etc. Calling ourselves Christians is not a label, it's about Who we represent and present to the world. How do we present Jesus to the world around us? Again, what do they see?
Christians, we speak and act on His behalf, not our own. Don't let the world's attempts to divide the spiritual from the secular influence you on the job site or anywhere else. Just because the world doesn't want to hear the truth doesn't mean we have to be silent or not live it out. We are not only to hear God's word but we are to do it as well (James 1:22). Being Christlike and sharing the Gospel is truly loving your neighbor.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16
Respectfully,
Founder & CEO
"Connecting the Christian Community!"
(650) 308-4667
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