There was a time when I was growing up in the pentecostal/holiness sect of Christianity we were indoctrinated with the idea that certain “places” believers should never allow themselves to go. The idea of creating friendships with those who are believed to live a more carnal lifestyle supposedly “destroyed your testimony” and “compromises” your very salvation. After living most of my adult life as a believer, I simply beg to differ on this approach. This fear based teaching, that you can lose your salvation through associating with unbelievers is not scriptural.
We were born again so that we can “go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to EVERY creature” (Mark 16:15). I believe Jesus wants us to infect places that are outside the brick and mortar church. The world is rapidly changing, and the way people congregate to worship is as well. In this cyber age we can reach people for Christ in a variety of ways in addition to going to a building. I believe He wants us to seek out lost souls everywhere to spread the news of the gospel. It is possible to befriend the lost and influence them in a positive way by showing them through our lifestyle that they too can have an open, solid relationship in Christ.
We must be in the world and not of it!
Our testimony for Jesus can not be destroyed or marred by moving in circles where people don’t know God. If this were the case, most of us would have to literally quit our jobs. Our relationship with God is only compromised when we choose to allow the cares of this life to distract us from Him. Our focus, as a mature believer is to reconcile the lost back the Jesus (II Cor 5:18-19). This is the essence of any ministry related endeavor we pursue. The same way Christ found us in our sin, we should seek out those still struggling to find ultimate peace and joy in their lives to direct them to the redeeming power of the Cross just as someone once did for us.
What does this really mean?
It means it is our duty to befriend those who are transgender, homeless, mentally ill or live outside the lines of a tradition marriage, those who believe there is no god or those we define as “sinners”. However, we must do so with the mindset that we all come from the same place of standing in need of God’s grace.
Remember we too, were once sinners saved by God’s grace!
There is no one righteous without Christ. As a matter of fact, the word tells us it is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed (Lamentations 3:22) because His compassion fails not. If we can remember this simple concept, we won’t miscommunicate an attitude of smug judgment over unbelievers. Most people who have a disdain for “the church” and for “Christians” feel so because they believed they are or were constantly judged. This feeling of being judged whether real or imagined, blocks them from feeling the love of Christ. God is a God of love and the word says Love is “patient”, “kind”, “not puffed up” and does not act unseemingly (I Cor 13:4-5). I Corinthians 13:5 goes on to say (love) thinketh no evil. If we exude an attitude of judgment, we’ve failed as ambassadors for Christ. We can never lose sight of the fact that the grace of God is more powerful than any force in the universe.
We need to willingly choose to become infectious
This can be interpreted as this, we as believers are supposed to believe in the good in people, believe that God can transform anyone and to the best of our natural ability, love them with the love of Christ. We have be reminded that people are essentially looking for God. They are looking for love, acceptance and peace. However, they are looking in all the wrong places and attempting to be fulfilled without a relationship with Jesus. This quest of searching for satisfaction without God is what is leaving a hole in their soul and their search takes them to medicating through having sexual relationships, high powered careers and in the acquisition more material things. It’s just a matter of time before they realize just as we once did, that whatever fulfillment the world offers is temporary and empty.
They are standing in desperate need of comfort only Christ can provide, and sadly cannot find it not even in some church buildings because many in this last day are devoid of love. It’s time for the living breathing temples called believers to stop filling up buildings on Sunday mornings expecting the hurting to come in. We have to get a clue! The lost are waiting for ministry and they are not coming in packages we will always find appealing. It’s time to roll up our sleeves to get in the trenches to do the work of an Evanglist.
The question is do we, as believers measure up?
Are we showing the world that we can love them and influence them, without engaging in sinful behavior? Are we prayed up enough to help them find true deliverance? Can they see a concrete difference in the way they are living and the way we are supposed to be living? Are we really warriors for the Kingdom, or is this just another empty catch phrase that we tout to make ourselves feel empowered?
We should be able to illustrate the power of the church (Christ) in our daily lives. We are the loving, accepting body whose desire is to introduce them to the Master who is able to transform them into the beautiful believers that God has ordained them to be. We have to realize the church is us! Christ is “the church” and we that have partaken of His grace through salvation. We are His vessels, driven by the Holy Ghost who directs us to those who need Him most.
Be encouraged and blessed, child of the MOST HIGH GOD!
