I’m going to make a statement that might make you literally say “What the _________” (where the blank is your favorite exclamation). In fact, I have already uttered the statement, since it’s in the title. But for drama’s sake, here is the statement just rephrased for emphasis: Living the Christian life in America is much harder than in any other country in the world.
Now, before you stone me for stupidity, understand something. I did not say it was harder to be a Christian (I did in the title, but that’s purposely misleading), I simply said it was harder to live a true Christian life. There is a difference.
Let me explain. We always hear stories of how missionaries to 3rd world countries get persecuted for their faith. We hear stories of how people get confronted by mobs and are forced to renounce the name of Jesus or they will get beaten to death. We hear all the horror stories of these individuals and it invokes a response that they are giants of faith and there is no way we could do that. We are led to believe then, that these people are much better Christians than we are because they stood up to persecution, while we are free to live in freedom and peace.
Please understand that I am in now way demeaning missionaries. They do something I could not, or more accurately do not want to do (especially those in a troubled country). But, the idea that it is harder to live a Christian life over there, well, I actually completely disagree with that statement. Let me ask you this question: if someone held a gun to your head and told you to curse the name of God or you will get shot, would you even hesitate? There is just no way. That is an easy decision. It really is. If you would even think about saving your own life by cursing the name of God, then you aren’t a Christian in the 1st place. I’m pretty confident in that.
But how about this scenario: you become a missionary to your own town. You preach and what is the result? People don’t care. Apathy. You are ignored. Some of your friends might encourage you, but they don’t go with you, that’s too extreme for them. You see all the people in your church living their “Christian” lives; going to church once a week, not committing any “awful” sins, living a generally moral life, but not extremely committed to Christ. Your extreme faith is met with apathy and is ignored.
Which of those 2 people has it easier to actually live out what they believe? If you proclaim Christ and people know that and are watching and waiting for you to make a mistake so they can persecute you for that mistake and your life is literally on the line if you relent in your faith, then there is a motivation there to stay on the right track. If your life is at risk then you want to live every last second in relationship with God, doing what you know He is pleased with. However, if you proclaim Christ and want to live “sold out” for Him, but everyone around you, including your friends” is just so uncaring to living for Christ, how hard would that be to keep going in the fight?
Again, I’m not sure I gave great examples there, but I truly believe that it is much harder to live a solid, Christian life here in America where we have every luxury, we have freedom, we have the mindset that as long as we don’t do anything too bad, God is pleased with us. Just look at the state of the church in America and tell me if you agree or disagree.
I believe God understands this as well with all the verses on persecution and faith. 1 Peter 1.7 states that when our faith is “tested by fire” it will be found good and righteous. Our faith must be tested to ensure that it is good faith. If our faith is never tested, how will we actually commit to it? When we are constantly under barrage, our faith is refined, stronger. Our lives are actually closer to God that way.
Why do you think most people have a life-changing experience at the lowest part of their life? Because it is at that point that their faith is tested. It is their proverbial life-or-death situation. The only problem for us in America is that moment rarely comes. For some it may never come, so their faith will never fully be tested. Again, if your faith is never tested, how will you know your faith is real? All “men of faith” were put under test after test to ensure that what they believed and committed to was real (Hebrews 11). What about your faith? Has it ever been tested?
I firmly believe that God commanded us to go “to Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the world” to test our faith (among other reasons). We are to establish and grow in our faith in our local area, then once our faith is established, test it. When you branch out to unknown areas, places that are ready to “crucify” you for being a Christian, it is at that point were you can finally draw a line in the sand and say that “I am a true Christ follower and this is how I will live”. In other countries this is so much easier than here in America where you will just not find that.
Why do you think some of most intense language against his followers from God was against the “lukewarm” Christians. (Revelation 3.16) Complacency and laziness pisses God off so much. That is the definition of Christianity in America. We can afford to be lazy or apathetic. It is a benefit in some aspects that we don’t have to worry about our lives and can live in freedom, but for our Christian walk? It might just be the worst thing possible.
I have heard that the only way the Christian church will ever turn back to what it is supposed to be is if it starts undergoing persecution. I myself have said that before and I firmly believe that. For Christianity in America to mean something, for it to be a true Christian faith, it’s going to have to get slapped in the face. Then we will see who are the true Christians and who is living a lie. As much as I don’t want that (my apathetic side), I really do want that day to come so we can see, as a Church, how our lives are supposed to be lived. We will be forced to rely on God and not on our own selfish desires.
So, the question then is, with this knowledge, since none of us are missionaries to foreign countries, how do we live as though our faith is tested? You must choose to live as though your life was on the line. In America we can be complacent about our faith. A missionary can’t choose to be complacent. They must choose every day to follow Christ. The decision is made for them; if they don’t, they fail. This is the essence of the Christian faith: “If anyone would come after me, deny himself and take up his cross daily” (Matthew 16.24; Mark 8.34; Luke 9.23). If we want to live a life that tests our faith, then we must daily live as though our faith depends on it. It is only then, through the daily testing of our faith that we will come out refined, closer to God.
This taking up of the cross is definitely no easy task. There are days when we will choose to be lazy. The difference between America and other countries is that in America it is so much easier to be lazy, to take a day, then a week, then a month, then a decade off of being a true, refined Christian. In other countries…the decision is made for you. So again, it may be harder to live AS a Christian in other countries, but it is much harder to live LIKE a Christian in America.
So, with that, bring on the persecution of the church America. It will be the best decision the government of our country could make.