Living an Authentic Life of Faith

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.  For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected it it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4: 1-5

Recently I was talking with a new convert to the faith.  This man had lived a rough and hard life away from God.  In the past couple of months, the Lord pursued him and brought him to faith.  It is so encouraging to see God work the ultimate miracle of bringing folks from darkness to light!

As we talked, it became evident that he was searching for what to do next.  What does faith mean in the real world?  What about my love for having a beer, watching football, listening to country music, etc.?  Now that I am a believer, what should I do?

I find this is often the question that keeps people from growing in their faith.  It is a question that keeps them in fear and doubt.  On the one hand, they do not wish to be a hypocrite who now goes to church but is at a bar.  On the other hand, they hear the call for faith that brings life, but they do not wish to be miserable by having to give up all they love.  What should they do?

I think much of what passes for Christian counsel on this issue is well intended, but not helpful.  Here is what I heard as a new believer.  

"You must give up all that worldliness.  You should listen to Christian music.  You should come out and be separate from all the evil of the world.  Destroy the music CDs, clean off the iPod and get music that is godly.  Come hang out with only Christians because your worldly friends will lead you astray."

Have you ever heard this advice?  Have you given it?

I think some of this advice is solid.  Worldliness will kill your soul.  Yet, what is worldliness?  My definition is that it is anything that makes the truth of God look foolish and the foolish traditions of our age look like truth.  There is much of "hard living" that is marked by worldliness.  Yet, as I often have argued in this blog, there is also much of our "Christian community" that is also marked by a strange "religious" worldliness.

What do I mean?

What is the most important element of the truth of God?

We are saved, sustained, and grow by faith in the objective work of Christ on our behalf.  Through repenting of our unbelief and believing in Christ as our only hope, the Holy Spirit transforms our heart by grace so that we live more and more in light of God's presence and will.  This is a process that often moves in fits and starts.  Yet, by His grace we do grow!

In place of this truth, many sincere (and some not so sincere- see Paul above) believers emphasize the human law and tradition in place of an emphasis on repentance and faith.  They emphasize the human will and "making right choices" without understanding that our will and our choices are driven by our corrupt heart.  Why?  Because their understanding of life is more often marked by our corrupt cultural understanding of humanity (coming from the Enlightenment and through postmodernism) than by a Biblical perspective.  

So, these folks emphasize what you should and shouldn't do to "help" people grow.  They emphasize avoiding "worldly" activities and enforce total immersion in the Christian community.  Many of these folks use church and the Christian community as a totally separate world- I would call it a Christian bubble- to protect themselves from the evil outside their bubble.

Notice the above passage by Paul.  "The Spirit says that in the later times people will depart from the faith  by ... forbidding things that should not be forbidden."  Honestly, did you see that coming?  Does he not care about protecting folks from worldliness, sin and death?

Of course he does!  He just realizes that worldliness, sin, and death can take many forms.  From this passage, what would he say about today's world and to new convert who is struggling to apply the faith to everyday life?

First, the bar scene can easily be marked by worldliness.  If it leads one away from faith, it is best to avoid it.  If drinking leads you astray, stop it.  If surfing the web leads you to surfing the porn sites, don't surf the web or don't ever surf while alone.  Avoid those places and behaviors that lead to sin.  Protect your faith by remaining in a place of repenting for your unbelief and believing in Jesus by asking Him for grace to grow deeper and to tell others about Jesus.

Yet, as a new believer, you will never have more contacts with folks that need Jesus than you do right now.  Go tell folks about Jesus and what He has done in your life!  Some will reject this message and perhaps you.  Others will share in your journey of faith and join you!  Tell your friends about what God is doing.

This might well mean that you meet them in the bar.  Why?  This is where you met them for years.  What is different?  This time take Jesus and your faith with you.  Ask Him to open conversations.  If drinking is a problem, drink a coke instead.  Most folks will assume it is rum and coke anyway.  The bar is not necessarily evil.  It is what you do while there that determines if the place or activity is good or bad.

In terms of music, does becoming a believer mean your music choices have to change?  Perhaps.  Perhaps not.  What would Paul say?  "Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer."  As part of the created order, music has a profound impact on our soul.  It can point us and prepare our hearts to reflect goodness or evil.  Like all art, it is a doorway to the heart.

Does the music you listen to lead you to sin by leading you away from depending on Jesus in repentance and faith?  If it does, then stop listening to it.  Perhaps as you grow in grace, you will be able to pick it back up later when you can bring Jesus with you as you listen to music.  

I have to be honest here.  I find that listening to much of what passes for "Christian music" does not help me grow in faith.  I find the lyrics trite and the musical ability of the bands mediocre at best.  I also find that much of the "Christian radio teaching" is not helpful to my growth.  Thus, I avoid it!  I love music and I have been musician and hung out with good musicians for decades.  I prefer good music and real lyrics to some worldly version of the Christian faith.

So, where does this lead us?  "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer."  Bring Jesus with you in all you do- work, play, hobbies, relationships, sex, eating, worship, and hanging out.  When you do, He will use it all to help you grow deeper!

Also, those new to the faith have an opportunity to witness that will never come again in the same way. Tell your friends.  You do not have to have it all together (trust me you never will), but you can point to the only one who does- the Lord Jesus Christ.