Saturday, November 16, 2024

Morality and the Church

I am reasonably convinced that a big reason (largely unspoken) why people do not wish to go to church, or take on the Christian faith in the west, is due to what is perceived as the need to take on unfavourable moral attitudes and standards.

Yes, it is true that Christians are encouraged to live as godly people. It is a deep desire in all Christians to live according to the teachings of Jesus. To love our neighbours as ourselves, to love God with all our mind, strength, heart and soul, and to love each other as Christ loves us. And the agreed implication is also the Ten Commandments, to a strict degree (eg if you look at a woman with the wrong motives it is considered adultery, if you hate your brother it is considered murder) but there is also the beautiful description of the fruit of the Spirit, in Galatians 5, which we also long to express.

The reality is that as Christians, we fail at all of these continually, yet we love these characteristics and continue to model our lives on them. The reason that this is so, is because we have been given the precious gift of forgiveness. Forgiveness both now and into the future for our inability to do anything exactly as we should, and for all our past moral failures.

This was achieved by Jesus on the cross.

However to those outside the church, especially those who have had some Christian upbringing or contact, the idea of a life with strong moral values is probably repulsive. 

No matter how good the music or sermon or shared meals, this is likely a deal breaker for many. Added to this is the strong sense of God being unjust and uncaring (“If he does exist”), and the current alternative moral system that not only ridicules but chastises the “narrow mindedness” of Christian teaching. Especially of those who take the Bible literally.

So the likelihood that someone on that side of the fence will be attracted into the church or the Christian faith is, in my opinion, low. 

But there is still hope.

God can and does change people.

He does this through sometimes unpredictable circumstances, but they might include suffering, a moral dilemma and the right person at the right time. The good news must be heard sooner or later by this person, as this special word from God combined with the presence of God’s holiness, ( the person of the Holy Spirit) can and does effect powerful convincing convicting and converting of those, like us, who would otherwise prefer to continue on with our personal godless plans for our lives.

That word of truth, the message of the cross is both offensive and repulsive, except to those who are being saved, then it is powerful.

And so we go on in faith and hope and with prayer, hoping (and expecting) for that miracle to occur in those around us.