• Home
  • About This Blog
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
  • Comment Policy

Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Bible Reflection Wholesomely non-conformist

Wholesomely non-conformist

Posted on January 23, 2016 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment


Non-conformistMaybe it has been a problem in every age, but it is certainly a temptation in ours to look back to previous decades or centuries wishing that those conditions could be repeated now. We see religion in general and the Christian church in particular under attack in our culture. We see values that would not have been questioned as few as 50 years ago now viewed with derision.

This evening I ran across the following paragraph that speaks to this. This was written by Sinclair B. Ferguson in the introduction to The Reformed Faith by Robert Shaw.

“ . . . we must not make the mistake of either passively accepting the influences of our age, or of wishing we had been born in another era. Instead we must learn to live wholesomely non-conformist Christian lives, increasingly transformed by the renewing of our minds (as Paul puts it in Rom. 12:1-2).”

First, we need to acknowledge the fact that some of the derision Christians are under is deserved. One needs look no farther than the antics of Westboro Baptist Church to see why some view Christianity as a group of brutal and judgmental neanderthals. Those who claim the title of Christian do not always behave in accordance with the teachings and example of the one they claim to follow.

But this leads us to an amazing opportunity. If we are appropriately non-conformist we will be so to both the mutations of Christianity that we have experienced and we will be so to the surrounding culture.

We, as the true Church, have the opportunity to understand the Gospel in the context in which we find ourselves. We will have the opportunity to live out that Gospel as a light to those around us. If we do those things well, then we will have the opportunity to tell those around us about the Christ and what he really did and taught.

I love that phrase, “wholesomely non-conformist.”

That sounds a lot like Jesus.

 


Filed Under: Bible Reflection

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

Follow Attempts at Honesty

Honesty in your Inbox

Construction Zone

Who builds the church?

When I am tempted to be overwhelmed by the problems in the church, I need to remind myself that it is not up to men to build the church. Jesus told us that he, himself, is the one who builds his church (Matthew 16:18).

Selective grace in the church

We all want grace, but sometimes struggle to give it when it is most needed. We are in constant danger of offering selective grace by offering it to some and withholding it from others.

Question Mark

With whom would you most like to have dinner?

If you had the opportunity to have dinner with one person, alive or dead, who would you choose? Why would you make this choice?

Nativity

Nativity Battle

It is the middle of December and the time for email notifications lamenting that a community or business does not allow the display of the Nativity scene or other religious symbols. In the past, I thought that my lack of concern about this was an indication of lack of spiritual fervor. Yet, in spite of […]

Self-pity

No room for self-pity

I do a lot of whining to God. One one hand, God is the perfect target of whining because he can take it, and he can bring correct to me and the situation that I’m whining about. But in thinking about this, I realize that there is no room for self-pity in Christian maturity.

Post Series

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
January 2023
SMTWTFS
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031 
« Dec    

Categories

Archives

Blogger Grid
Follow me on Blogarama

Copyright © 2023 · Focus Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in