04/16/2008 1 Peter 2:11

04/16/2008

1 Peter 2:11 - 12 (HCSB)

¹¹Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires that war against you. ¹²Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do evil, they may, by observing your good works, glorify God in a day of visitation.

The world, lead by television, movies and other media, is becoming more humanistic and advocating “tolerance” in which messages such as “Jesus is the only way to salvation” are unwelcome and even reviled. Businesses will not allow employees to embrace their Christianity in the workplace as it may “offend” someone else. Yet Hinduism, Buddhism, New-Age-ism and every other –ism out there is given free reign.

Christianity is portrayed as old-fashioned and even stupid. In the movie “Beneath The Planet Of The Apes,” the apes on the surface, and the humans below the surface of the earth, each observe their own Christian-like religion. They each read from some text (that is an obvious mockery of the King James Version) that is a perversion of some Biblical text-modified to suit their selfish intentions. They each claim their god is the supreme and that he will avenge their enemies and support their respective causes.

The juxtaposition is given to demonstrate the futility and stupidity of the other. But the net result was that the movie made Christianity appear futile and stupid. These media representations further encourage the world to view your faith in the same way.

So, people will ridicule and revile you for your faith. They will snicker when you pray over your meal. They will scoff when you head off to church each Sunday. But remember this; when you became a Christian, your citizenship changed to another place. Therefore, you walk this planet, this life, as a resident alien. And although the citizens of this world may dislike and even despise you, the way you conduct yourself among them will cause some of them to stop and in amazement, consider the object of your faith with awe.

Keeping this in mind, we should always conduct ourselves with the love of Christ. We should never return a harsh word to our assailants. We should treat them just as Jesus would; with love, respect, and kindness.

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