Some may think I am being melodramatic using the word disease, but I think it fits perfectly. Being sick is one thing, but having a disease is something on a whole other level. A disease is something that cannot be cured quickly and is a longer process that may require surgery or even a transplant. Sometimes it will even lead to death. This is how I see Cultural Christianity today. Cultural Christianity is basically where one’s faith is defined on however the culture is around them. The dangers of this are staggering, and many are not even aware of the strangle hold that it has on them.
I can’t speak for anyone in other cultures, but here in southeast America it is a disease that has infected most of us. The reason I am so outspoken on this is because it has infected me and is probably the biggest hindrance to me following Jesus like I see in the Scriptures. When I read the Scriptures, particularly the book of Acts, I see where the early Christians were these people who were willing to give up everything to follow Christ. They were willing to lose their families, their comfort, and face persecutions in ways that we as free people could never comprehend. They were willing to lose it all for the sake of their beautiful savior they had surrendered their lives to. Their hope was in Christ alone and they only desired to see Him glorified and disciples made. The modern day church really has no idea what persecution is, and we don’t look even remotely like the early church. The problem is most have grown up in the Cultural Christianity mindset where they go to church on Sunday, they don’t drink, they don’t gamble, they pay their tithe when they can and they think they are ok. God is important but can and is replaced consistently by sports, hobbies, careers, jobs, or anything really. Ninety-five percent of Christians admit to never having shared their faith with anybody. This is considered being a normal Christian. Someone abandoning everything for the sake of Christ is considered extreme or a Jesus freak when actually that mindset in the early church was just normal. What was normal with the early believers is now considered extreme. Cultural Christians get really uncomfortable when they are around believers who are truly pursuing God with their lives. The scary thing about this is the fact that Matthew 7 tells us that narrow is the way of salvation and few people find it. The broad road is the road that many will find and it leads to destruction. I believe that Cultural Christianity is the primary reason that many are unknowingly on that broad road and my challenge to anyone reading this is to examine yourselves and seek after Christ.
My point of this is that overall the church doesn’t look like the true church of Jesus Christ and we are all guilty. The only way we can impact this culture is to shake off the chains of Cultural Christianity. Let’s pray for God to do some open heart surgery and remove this disease that keeps us from being used to expand the kingdom. I am sure some reading this are thinking that I am being too dramatic, and that line of thinking is proof that this disease has affected you. There is simply too much at stake. People are dying and spending eternity away from God; people are hurting and need to hear the good news. Ultimately the glory of God is at stake! If you think I am being dramatic then tell that to the one who suffered on a cruel, bloodstained cross for you. I would say that the salvation of His people is a pretty big deal. The question is who is going to tell them? I say you and I go and tell them! Who is with me?
