Present day Americans are probably more able than any other culture in history to prevent discomfort and suffering. You can choose from thousands of types of chairs, whatever suits your fancy (and fanny). We have pharmaceuticals for almost every ailment. Any inconvenience, pain, or problem that enters our life, we immediately search for a solution to, and their often is a solution, or hundreds.
God's word clearly calls each of us to testify about Jesus (see 1 Peter 3:15-16). But, His word also clearly states that suffering comes along with testifying about Jesus. In our culture, we probably won’t suffer like the first century Christian’s did for witnessing. But, most people we share Jesus with will reject us and maybe even ridicule us. Even that small level of suffering has become intolerable to Christians.
The scriptures call us to endure suffering for the sake of those who would believe and obtain eternal life with Christ (2 Tim. 2:10). In other words, we are asked to suffer to help others obtain what we’ve obtained. Interesting, because Jesus suffered so that we could obtain what we’ve obtained, and He suffered way more than we likely ever will. Despite that fact, the American way of life has affected Christians in such a way that, for the most part, we are unwilling to suffer, even for the chance that we could change someone’s eternity, even for our Lord who suffered for us.
The next progression is the response of well-meaning pastors. Pastors have rationalized, “Well, Christians aren’t doing evangelism. We can’t let the Gospel go unproclaimed. So, we (meaning pastors) must do it at church.” So, for at least a couple decades now, pastors have been encouraging Christians to invite non-Christians to church, rather than teaching evangelism. The first problem with this is it’s not what our Lord has asked us to do. Another problem has been created. That’s what happens; when you start disobeying the Lord in one way, it starts a spiral of adjustments (kind of like lying, where an initial lie spirals into the necessity for more lies to cover the original lie).
Pastors have now rationalized, “If our church is going to be comfortable and attractive to non-believers, then we have to adjust everything for them.” I can’t even enumerate here all the problems this causes. Suffice it to say, we often do things God would not want us to do, and we eliminate things that Christians need for their growth. Now, the preaching of our call to evangelism isn’t the only thing from God’s word getting left out of our churches.
Let’s not be conformed to the thinking of this world. Let’s obey God, even if it brings suffering, because He suffered and died for us. And if we obey the call to share Jesus, He may just give us the privilege of leading someone to obtain eternal life. That’s amazing, and would be worth a lifetime of rejection and ridicule.
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