Living As A Christian In A Foreign Land

“I quickly found that the American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity. The goals of American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don’t swear, and good church attendance. Taking the words of Christ literally and seriously is rarely considered. That’s for the “radicals” who are “unbalanced” and who go “overboard.” Most of us want a balanced life that we can control, that is safe, and that does not involve suffering”

Chan, Francis. Crazy Love. 66

I would add to this by saying that most people have never considered what Christ has to say completely because they have never seen anyone who has followed literally the words of Christ completely. Such is the state of Christianity that it has morphed into something so insular, as opposed to something that is fundamental so outgoing. The calling of the Christian is as an ambassador of Christ in this world–if the ambassadors only know fragments of the Kingdom they represent, then how are they to represent an infinite God? Finitely?

It is difficult to step out where no one has tread before. And here, I think that it is the neglect of history that has prevented us from stepping out far. In all the saints, you would find people that have walked the path that God has called and have excelled so through the Holy Spirit. All the same, you would find saints who have fallen away and been brought up to accomplish great works which God has predestined for them to do. It is encouraging for sure to read of the same Spirit of these dwelling inside of myself.

Sometimes I wonder why I am not something more. I have all these resources and have undeniably been blessed beyond measure in my life. I have nothing to be discontented about, I am attending college and do not lack money for my needs. Yet, why am I no richer in faith than any of the Christians before me? Why am I not poorer in Spirit than any of the saints that have walked this earth earlier?

I watch videos like this, and I wonder if that is all Christianity is to most people.

Take note that when I say American Christianity, I am referring to anywhere where Christ is not preached. New Zealand Christianity is in a worse place than American Christianity in a different kind of way. In fact, I don’t know any point in time in history where the church has not been filled with sinners that are liable to walk off from the straight and narrow path at any point in time. We can see many examples of these in history, and they are perhaps the more well-known Christians of history.

But I take comfort in the small stories of people that have been handed down through the ages as small exceptions that God has raised up to keep His church alive in times of oppression. I use the word oppression very loosely, how weak our faith is, to compare our present troubles to saints of ages past.

What Francis Chan says is right, looking at American Christianity I would conclude that we are a rotten lot. But look at Christ living a perfect life and ultimately dying on the cross and we see what Christianity truly is. Look at the what Holy Spirit has accomplished through the broken vessel of humanity and look at God orchestrating the wonderfulness of human existence–only then can we see what real New Testament Christianity looks like, not what we may not see in the church today.

Harold Camping Glorifies God

Harold Camping glorifies God.

I promised to myself that I would not mention him anymore, but he does glorify God in his foolishness. In fact, it is impossible for him to not glorify God because all things– they are servant of God’s. It is impossible for us to not glorify God.“By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants.” (Psalms 119v.91) We are all servants, whether we are turned towards God or away from him he continues to use us. I am beginning to realise how false the attitude is that thinks that if you do not believe in God, then, you are apart from God and away from his control, but you still are.

In light of this, I am reminded to think about how little I really am–how futile it is to disobey God, how little faith I have that I am not doing what God has chosen me to do. Jonah felt the same way, he ran away from God. And still, even in his disobedience, he glorified God.

He was called by God to go and preach to the inhabitants of Nineveh. “But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.” Jonah 1:3 (English Standard Version)

Even still while he was sleeping on the boat to run away from God, God brought a tempest.

He was glorifying God by sleeping.

His crew woke him up and they pleaded with him, to pray to his god. This was a ecumenical crew that resided on this boat–so much so that whoever would calm the storm, they were willing to listen to. Admittedly, because of the current situation at the present time, the storm was the focus of their attention, not any divine beings. All gathered on the top deck, they were all praying to their various gods filled with fear at this storm that threathened to capsize the boat at any moment.

Still God was glorified: he was sustaining the boat till Jonah came, and none of the other gods would listen.

Surely, Jonah was then tossed into the sea because it was apparent it was his disobedience that was causing the storm. After the casting of the lots, the blame fell on Jonah, and he was the one that was guilty of running away from the One True God. He was tossed into the sea, this was even after they had tried every way to get out of this predicament.

God was glorified, there was no other way but only one who was called by God to sacrifice his life for many. However disobedient he was in running away from God, He was not far from God who is in everything. On that ship, Jonah became sin for everyone on the ship in recognising his sin, and the necessity of putting His trust in God. Only when someone is born again can they seek to give their own life for many—even for these who worshipped their own gods—Jonah was the catalyst for repentance on that ship.

“So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.”Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.” Jonah 1:15-16 (English Standard Version)

God was glorified, in the spreading of the Gospel on that boat. No other way could the realness of God have come onto these men without the immediacy of the material calming of the storm. They were convinced this was the one true God, and this man they had tossed into the sea, He was a servant of this Most High God. Only through the sacrifice of Jonah could they have had knowledge of the One True God who made the sea and dry land. The God who created the storm and the peace afterwards–He was the reason for the storm, and also the calming of the storm.

Surely, Harold Camping glorifies God in his eternal plan in showing the folly of man without Scripture. Moreover, God is glorified in the many ways I fall short, and the times that I forget to shine the Light. I pray daily that He would continue to grant me the Holy Spirit that I may be an instrument of his grace more effectively.