Day 2705 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

Hebrews 12:1 NIV

Yesterday we discussed the fact that every single follower of Christ is more than just someone who shows up on Sunday and listens to some music and a message and then leaves only to return to hiding in the shadows the rest of the week trying to not rock the boat. We are called to share this Gospel, and honestly, if we truly believe in the saving power it holds, we should be desperate to share it. We should want everyone to know what we've come to believe because we are the ones who claim we've been changed by His grace.

But in our modern world, with all of this ongoing and ever-increasing pressure to conform to the wants and wishes of the wicked, that task is becoming harder, more challenging, and in some ways, even more terrifying. People on the other side of the coin aren't stopping at calling names and yelling anymore. There have been churches set on fire. There have been businesses that have been sued and lost income. There have been people attacked both online and in real life for their beliefs. And I've got news that I don't know that any of us are ready to hear:

It's not going to get better.

Things will get worse. People will become more violent and vicious against those who boldly proclaim their faith and dare to share a truth that confronts their wicked ideals. Those who deny Christ will grow more bold and brash in doing so, and we're seeing it all begin to unfold. We're seeing more people fall away from the faith. We're seeing many give in and make concessions that appease the violent mob that much of this society has become. We're seeing the love of many grow cold as true Biblical love doesn't seem to have a chance to make a difference anymore.

But the thing is that, while all of those are worthy examples that can and will be used as excuses, we can't allow fear of man to hinder us from doing what God has called us to do through the cross of Jesus. Like I said up top, we should know just how important this faith of ours really is. But if we're not willing to stand up for it and fight for those who can still be saved by hearing the Gospel, then what is our faith even worth?

You see, in calling ourselves Christians, we have taken upon ourselves a share of the name of the Man who literally came to this earth to give His life to offer us the chance at salvation. If we're gonna share His name and call ourselves Christians, then we ought to be willing to face the same things He faced in His time down here. We should be willing to be hated. We should be willing to be judged. We should be willing to be beaten and belittled and berated. We should be willing to lay down our lives if it means helping someone else find the path to the eternal lives that we claim to believe in.

But are we? Are we willing to lose? Are we willing to get rid of things? Are we willing to step out of the gray and face being hated and persecuted for standing in the gap between worldly darkness and His light trying to reach out to those who are still lost and hurting? Are we willing to endure changes the that come through His leading us through the refining fire of faith that strengthens us to uphold the task to which we've been called? Are we willing to lay down our lives for the sake of furthering the Gospel? And are we willing to rip away anything in us or around us that potentially hinders that undertaking?

Sadly, it would seem that some aren't. They're not interested in going against the grain of this world because it's uncomfortable to do so. They're not willing to speak out against the sin that's holding our brothers and sisters hostage. They're not willing to go on record and talk about things like gender identity and homosexuality and racism and human trafficking and pornography and gluttony and greed and all the other things that are ruining our world and controlling so many around us. They're not willing to stand up and say that there is a difference between right and wrong and that we humans are not the ones who decide it. They're not willing to face the backlash that comes with refusing to adopt the wicked narrative that many are selling these days.

In truth, many aren't even willing to address the issues they have in their own lives. They're more than happy to overlook the sins that they've grown fond of having around. They're not willing to walk away from things that they know deep down aren't good for them. They're not willing to cut lose the "friends" who are dragging them down and holding them back. They're not willing to "throw off everything that hinder and the sin that so easily entangles." Instead, they choose the same path of least resistance that the rest of humanity has found solace in travelling as it's simply easier and requires much less work while offering much less risk.

Friends, if you can't tell that we're entering a period stranger than any we've experienced before, then you need to wake up. If you can't tell that each day is one step closer to the return of our King, then you need to open your eyes. The fact of the matter is that sin is running at an all-time high, and sadly, society is making seem more enjoyable and more popular and more necessary than ever before. And if we don't stand up and speak this truth we've been entrusted with, then we're not only failing to help address the problem, we're contributing to the problem ourselves.

God doesn't call us to sit on the sidelines or live in fear of being hated and persecuted by the sinful. He calls us to step up and boldly go where He needs us to go and do what He calls us to do in sharing the truth that saves lives. He calls us to follow the example of our Good Shepherd who laid down His life for our sake, fully willing to endure the hatred and hardship that it meant along the way. He calls us to store up for ourselves treasure in Heaven, not those that bear the form of worldly praise or temporary comfort found only in appeasing the wicked desires of those who yell at those who try to warn them of the death those desires lead toward.

Folks, it's time. Time for us to get to work. Time for us to undertake the work required for sanctification in our own lives and our own hearts through seeking every evil that remains in us and ripping it out so that it no longer entangles us and holds us back from the mission at hand. Time for us to undertake the work of sharing the Gospel in a place that does not want to hear it. Time for us to lay down our comfort, our pride, our vanity, our worry, our fear, our good standing amongst the crowd, our very lives if that's what's required of us.

The fact of the matter is that we are surrounded by witnesses. It's on us to give them something to see. And they don't need to see people of weak faith who are terrified of rocking the boat or making people uncomfortable. They don't need to see a bunch of weekend Christians who don't care what happens six days of the week and live their lives as such. They don't need to see a bunch of religious nuts who speak a message that isn't seen in their actions. They need a people who are unafraid of hatred and persecution, because in this vile world, that kind of thing will truly stand out!

What's difficult is knowing that many will not listen to what we say because what we have to say doesn't tickle their ears or stroke their ego or agree with their brokenness. But some will. Some will listen. Some will take this truth of Christ to heart. Some will find humility and choose to give their lives to their Savior. Some will find eternal life and the peace it brings in this temporal one. We have to stop giving so much consideration to those many who will hate and deny and persecute, and spend our time focused on the ones that still have a chance.

Truth is that many have hardened their hearts and will never accept the salvation we tell them about. That's just the way it is. Sadly, sin is just that powerful, and they aren't interested in shaking free of the darkness they call home. But friends, there are still some who are willing to change, willing to try, willing to listen and learn and give Jesus a chance. They are the ones we're here for. The ones that already have a place in Heaven and just need to know that it's there for them.

We are shepherds. And shepherds don't have an easy job. They face vicious enemies and predators who try to attack and kill their sheep, and as much as they'd rather not, they are responsible to stand up and defend those placed in their care. We can't fail in this job, because failure means death to those we're here to try and help. Time for us to be strong, take heart, rise up, and stand upon the word of God and truth it holds. Sure, many will attack it and us, but if it wasn't so important, would they waste their time waging war against it?

The bottom line is that this faith of ours brings a whole lot of responsibility with it. Responsibility to walk the walk and live lives that prove we've been born again into a new kind of life spent following and serving Christ alone. Responsibility to never run from the dangers we'll face from a world that hates everything good and upright. Responsibility to defend the poor, the widow, the orphan, the homeless, the outcast. Responsibility to stand up and refuse to give in, no matter the cost.

Friends, it's time for us to the Christians we're called to be. People are watching, and whether they're watching with wicked intent or desperate curiosity, our mission is the same either way. Let's give them something to see through reflecting Christ in this place. Like it or not, this is on us. Christ left this place with a calling for those who had followed His steps on earth: keep following His example, keep doing the work He had started, keep reaching out to those who need help, keep the faith, keep sharing the truth, and go and make disciples.

That's something that each us can do, and if we're truly Christians, then it's something we'd better do with as much fervor and ferocity as those who stand in our way. It’s time for us to be true to the Name we now bear. Unhindered by sinful desires. Unafraid of worldly persecution. Fully invested to the service of sharing the Gospel of Christ. And unrelenting in our pursuit of His perfect example.

#LeaveNoSoulUntold