The times we live in are by all means challenging. The decline of Godliness, the rise of humanism and the fall of moral values all combine to make for a very troubling world for our children. The trouble ahead is compounded by the fact that the freest of all nations are the ones clamping down and limiting the free flow of the Christian values they were founded on.
We die a slow death of apathy and compromise until our Christianity can no longer be distinguished from other religions or non-religions.
As a church, we find some solace and hope in knowing that there are some who face and have faced worse situations and yet hold and held on to advance the gospel. Our persecution today as Christians does not hold a candle to what the early Christians faced. Burned at the stake, crucified, beaten, exiled, dispersed, the list is endless. Modern day Christians in nations that are anti-Christian also face a much deeper level of persecution. We have it easy, only slowly deceitfully.
A Christian who is faced with life and death situations for the sake of their faith is forced to dig deep and discover what convictions they truly own and which ones are simply birthed out of the convenience the culture allows. When we are offered the option between convenience and faith, our real convictions emerge.
On the other hand, when a slow erosion of religious liberties happens in the name of acceptance and tolerance of all other religions, then we’re likely to either blend in with the culture or face the kind of persecution that is subtle and deceitful yet emotionally and spiritually draining. We die a slow death of apathy and compromise until our Christianity can no longer be distinguished from other religions or non-religions. This is the current state of things.
I’m reminded of the story of the frog in a pot. It goes something like this; When you put a live frog in a pot of boiling water, it will jump out right away to safety. On the contrary, if you put a live frog in a pot of cold water then turn the heat on, you will heat the water to boiling and the frog will boil to death. The environment has become comfortable. The boiling water seems normal because everyone is in the same environment and a slow death creeps up on us as we enjoy our comfortable Christianity.
While we should not look for our walk with God to be difficult and harsh in a free, pro-Christian nation, we ought to be watchful for the ‘boiling water’ symptoms. The bible says we should be alert and watchful for the days are evil. We can’t completely rest until we get to heaven.
Nelson Masinde 