Christianity – It’s All About Keeping It Real

Tolerance.  Acceptance.  Freedom.  These are just a few words that people assume should describe how Christians deal with the world.  Thus anytime that a self-professing Christian speaks out against sin, condemns a lifestyle, or offers a less than politically correct opinion on a matter the immediate charge is that they are acting outside of “Christian values.”

So is Christianity all about tolerance, acceptance, or freedom?  Surprising to a lot of people in this world, the answer to that question is no.  While God has given the general expectation to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) there is nothing in the New Testament that implies that Christians are to tolerate or accept sin or assume that anybody has the inherent right to commit sin freely. 

In fact, Jesus addressed this false notion that Christianity is supposed to be a “shut your mouth,” “go along to get along,” “nobody ever gets their toes stepped on,” “happy go lucky” religion.  In His words: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34).  While Christianity can be unifying, it would require everyone to humble themselves and accept God’s word.  But in a world that is overly opinionated Jesus knew that the peace He wanted would never come.  His will would pit parents against children, brothers against sisters, husbands against wives, and friends against friends.  Some would accept it but others would reject it.  And in the face of it all the key to Christianity would be to keep it real.

I tire of hearing the cries for compromise and tolerance in religion.  I tire of hearing critics of Christianity who know nothing about Christianity lecture Christians about why they aren’t acting very “Christian like.”  The demands that the world has made of Christianity would make it cease to be Christianity.  It would no longer be authentic.  It would cease to be real.

There was an occasion when Peter addressed the inherent need of Christianity and in 1 Peter 4:11 this is what he said:

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom he praise and dominion for ever and ever.  Amen.

Another way of saying that is that the one inherent need that every Christian has in view of Christianity is to just keep it real.  Be true to yourself and be true to what the Bible says.  Never fear.  Never compromise.  Never back down.  The world may stand against you but with God on your side you have the power to keep Christianity real.

-Andy Brewer