Monday 9 April 2012

Worldly Christians?

Jesus said, "Love not the world nor the things of the world."  He said this for very good reason: the world is not only corrupt but is corrupting.  He also said, speaking of His disciples, that "You are not of this world."  They are in the world but not of the world. 

However, it appears that He has got it all wrong.  Many Christians today are world-lovers, and the things of the world are sought after with diligence and energy.  Worldly ways of thinking characterises many professing Christians who propose that the reason for doing things is for your personal advantage. 

Also, many Christians are of this world.  They live for it, cherish it, and organise their affairs according to it. They are of this world.  They do as the world does, only from an 'evangelical' point of view.  They are in the world as well as being of the world. 

But what about those Christians who are government employees?  Given the corruption of government and its policies, it is amazing that Christians can be so protective of the government and its doings. The government is always right - a clear worldly attitude.  Yet Christians can work happily within such a worldly institution, defending and promoting its policies. 

I find it so difficult to accept that Christians can be so aligned with government in their thinking that they will look down on all others who dare to criticise the state.  When the state closes down a church in Gospel Church in Norwich, the implied response from some reformed Christians is that the minister must have done something wrong.  The idea is that a 'good' church is so submissive to "the powers that be" that they will accept without challenge whatever the state throws at it, and therefore will never get on its wrong side.  Such churches are in reality the religion wings of the government. 

It is good that Christians can get civil service posts; but only if they act as Christians and witness as Christians and vocally oppose those policies that are contrary to the Christian ethos.  Sadly, their silence is deafening.  They've got their well-paid jobs with excellent pensions (in fact in the UK, government jobs are paid at 28% higher than in private sector jobs), so they will in no way jeopardise their lifestyle or their financial well-being. 

How they will answer to the great Judge of all the earth on the last day is another question. 

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