PLEASE DON’T CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM

“Don’t contribute to the problem.” Which problem, you might ask. It’s a problem that’s clearly stated in the Scriptures, and it is this: “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you” (Romans 2:24 NLT). In other words, unbelievers blaspheme the name of God because of believers. Ouch!

The apostle Paul challenged the Church in Rome to godly living. They had a reputation of knowing the law as Jews. So he said to them, “If you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? … You are so proud of knowing the Law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, ‘The Gentiles …’” (Romans 2:21-24).

So clearly, when we don’t practice what we claim, teach, and preach, we give occasion for non-believers to talk ill of our Lord and the Church He died for. In addition, we become stumbling blocks to them. It is not unusual to hear comments like, “If that’s what the Church is like, then I want no part of it.” This is a sad statement, because people for whom Christ died are turned away from the truth because of our inconsistencies in obeying the Word of God.

Aren’t we then partially responsible for the insults hurled upon our Lord and His bride? Of course we are! Let’s take a very serious look at this situation; just like Daniel determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine provided by the king (see Daniel 1:8), let us also make conscious efforts to hate sin and anything that looks like it. “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are his children” (1 john 2:9 NLT). Let us also learn to hold each other accountable for what we do and don’t do.

The way to not contribute to the problem, I believe, is to:

·        Fear God-not in a morbid sense, but a reverential one. Fearing Him that way means holding Him in such high esteem that we’ll hate to offend Him. And that will cause us to want to obey His Word.

·        Love God-Christians claim they love God, and we should, but how do we demonstrate that love? He demonstrated His love by dying for us while we were still sinners. The first epistle of John teaches us to demonstrate our love for Him by obeying Him.

·        Obeying God- “Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3 NLT). But how can we obey His Word if we don’t know it? So in addition to fear and love, we need to know His Word.

·        Know His Word. And of course the way to know it is to study it with diligence, and then apply it in obedience.      

When we live according to the Word of God, non-Christians will have very little reason to complain about us, or for which to blaspheme our Lord. On the other hand, if we continue to live in sin, we contribute to the problem of our God being blasphemed. So are you or are you not contributing to the problem? May this be the time that non-Christians will clutch on to the sleeve of a Christian, and say, “Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (Zechariah 8:23 NLT)!