Set Apart

I heard a sermon, the other day, that spoke of Christians having the responsibility of changing the worlds perspective on how the world sees us. He quoted statistics, that alluded to, young people thinking that Christians were hypocrites, judgmental and hate mongers. His view, was that, we had to change this thinking by surrounding ourselves with non-believers in order to change that view of Christians.

I and many others found this thinking alarming. Why does it become my responsibility to change the world view. This view does not just pertain to the young. This view is held by the majority of non-believers. It is a view that is perpetrated on us by the media and Christian hate groups. It is a view that is listened to by the world.

I,personally, take no responsibility for this view. It is not the way I walk. It is not the way I portray myself.

I have been on the other side of the fence and have held to these views of Christians. I believed, at one time in my life, that Christians were horrible people. Spreading hatred towards homosexuality, judging everyone and seeing them as totally hypocritical. Because I have been on that end, I understand why this view is held so widely. It is because, the non-believer just plain believes what they are told about the Christian by the media and others. It is easier to hold to these views than to investigate the validity of these statements.

I find that it is more the non-believer responsibility to find the truth than for me to attempt to change their view. Their view of me is not going to change by me going into the market place and assimilating with the non-believer. It will only increase the view that I am a hypocrite. I can not go out with the guys after work while they are drinking and expect that things will be different for me. If I do not drink there is something wrong with me and if I drink I am a hypocrite. There is, also, the danger that, by assimilating myself with this kind of environment, that I will fall prey to the world.

I am to be set apart. A peculiar people. Not in the flow of the world. If I walk like the world, what do I have to offer?

I, also, see little point in trying to change the worlds view of me, because "the world will hate me". Because, I believe, that we are in the end times, the hatred and world view of me will grow with intensity. This is just the way it will be.

I will continue to walk the way I walk. Loving the sinner, hating the sin. Judging within the church, not outside the church and holding to the Word of God.

As for my responsibility to change the world view. Why is it always the victims fault? No, I disagree. I am not those things that the world says I am and the world needs t0 get to know me to see the truth. But, that is not going to happen.