Friendship With the World

I recently wrote an article called “Crown of Thorns” that suggested following Christ could very well put believers in some thorny situations. If we use the life of the Apostle Paul as an example, it quickly becomes evident that trouble may be on the itinerary quite regularly. Church history confirms the unbroken chain of persecuted believers right up to the present day. Perhaps because America was founded in large part by people who were fleeing persecution for their faith, the founders designed a system that gave a measure of religious freedom. Except for a few sectarian squabbles, American Christians have not had to deal with harassment or oppression because of their religion.

Freedom from persecution may have inadvertently become the fertile soil that allowed the prosperity gospel to take such firm root in some American churches. Even churches that don’t subscribe to health and wealth preaching have fallen prey to the false teaching that Jesus wants His followers to be comfortable; the warm fuzzy gospel is preached far too often. I believe that Jesus is more concerned with our character than our comfort. Character is more likely to be improved by hard times than easy days. Note that the Bible lists positive traits as the result of trials (James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7; Romans 5:3-5)

So, I should not have been surprised when Charles Spurgeon’s devotional the other today recommended patient acceptance of trials. He used the earthly experience of Jesus, our exemplar, to make his point. I would paraphrase the early verses of John’s gospel to say Jesus came into the world He created and the very people He came to save rejected Him completely. Of course, there were those who did receive the Savior: the blind who could see; the lame who could walk; the possessed who were set free. But the Jewish religious leaders almost all rejected His messiahship.

The different factions that made up the leadership each had their own reasons for refusing to believe the Man from Nazareth was the Messiah. The Herodians were in love with power; the Sadducees had developed a listless, secular faith; and the Pharisees were only concerned with outward things. In each case, the underlying problem was worldliness. They were more concerned with the things of this world than the other-worldly things Jesus emphasized. The predominant first century expectation of Messiah was that He would be a military leader who would drive out the Roman occupiers and reestablish an earthly kingdom in which their worldly wishes could be fulfilled.

That mentality is not too far from what many American Christians seem to want. Live like the world but paint it over with a thin coat of religiosity. A friend of mine was recently challenged by the accusation that she was only a “surface Christian.” She received the chastisement as righteous and has made a real effort to let her Christianity soak deep into her life. I am reminded of the contrast that was emphasized in my seminary training for Christian school administrators: a teacher who is a Christian is not the same as a Christian teacher. Likewise, a businessman who is a Christian is not necessarily a Christian businessman. Whether teaching, running a business or any other earthly pursuit, to be truly Christian, everything must be held up to biblical inspection.

Being a surface Christian is almost an oxymoron. If one’s belief does not reach the core of one’s being, it is doubtful that it is the kind of faith that will win the crown. The tragic irony is that there are many preachers who don’t preach Christianly. One seldom hears the call to be in but not of the world. Even less often does one hear worldly behaviors called sin. If the people who sit in church on Sunday are no different Monday through Saturday than the people who don’t go to church, there is a serious disconnect from the biblical description of what it means to be a Christian. If the preachers aren’t hammering that home, it is not sincere Christian preaching.

James said that friendship with the world is enmity with God. Paul cautioned the Roman believers against worldly thinking. Being the center of Western earthly power, it is not hard to imagine the Christians in Rome wanting to cozy up to the worldly powers in hopes that they might gain something. Paul’s message was that they had nothing to gain and everything to lose. Similarly, American Christians live in the richest, most powerful nation on earth. Worldly temptations surround us. Virtually every media source hammers us with the call to partake of earthly pleasures; the siren call is nearly impossible to ignore.

I don’t think the enemy of our souls tempts many believers to outright wickedness. It is enough that he can draw us into thinking that good things of the earth are blessings from God to be enjoyed with no restraint. Paul does say that God provides us all things richly for enjoyment, but look at the larger context: “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be proud and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of riches, but in God, who provides us all things richly for enjoyment, to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, sharing freely, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the future, in order that they may take hold of what is truly life.”

That which is truly life, the eternal life in God’s presence is not to be found in friendship with the world and its riches. The purpose of God’s rich blessing is to do good with our earthly wealth and store up heavenly treasures that last forever. Many American Christians have failed to notice Jesus’ warning that one cannot serve both God and mammon. I get a mixed message from multi-million-dollar church buildings with annual mission budgets that wouldn’t buy one of the shiny new expensive cars that fill the lot on Sunday morning.

In His earthly ministry, Jesus had much to say about our relationship with the world. The world was certainly not His friend, and if we would be Jesus’ friend, must look closely at our other friendships. We all need to do a heart test. Jesus said where your treasure (friendship) is, there also is your heart. Where is your heart?

Related posts: Abraham’s Promises – Solomon’s Rules; The Country Club Church; Merely Christian; The Church Cannot Save the Lost