Does Jesus impact your life?

[Christ_empowered]

If He doesn't--and you identify as a Christian--you're not the only one. I read this website w/ data from the Barna group (I think that's right, anyway). The dude who heads/owns this group is a Christian sociologist. Right up my alley.

Anyway, what they found is disturbing. Christians get divorced at the same rate as non-Christians. Christians--at least in large surveys--hold many ideas contrary to The Christian Worldview. Christians even take Rx mood elevators at roughly the same rate as un-believers.

So, I asked myself: does Christ really impact ***your*** life? Answer: Not enough. I don't mean that in a pseudo-humble sort of way, either...I'm just being honest. Hopefully, I'll get better.

What do you all think about this? Do you think its just because the US is still largely a "Christian" or at least "religious" nation? I mean, its not yet cool or common for those in the US to be agnostic or atheist. I read that's much more common in many European countries now. My point there is that if we're all expected to believe in something, and Christianity is that primary "something" that we're exposed to, and it still has a certain respectability to it, then maybe its just that these "Christians" are only nominally "Christian" anyway. Maybe if you asked people in post/non-Christian nations--nations where Christianity isn't such a big, mainstream deal--they'd have more a Christian worldview, since identifying as Christian would be a bigger deal. Kind of like Catholics in Catholic countries often inherit their identity and it doesn't really mean a whole lot, I guess.

Or is that how a lot of modern Christians are? Church on Sunday, yoga on Monday, Therapy on wednesday...that kind of thing?

Anybody have thoughts on this?

 

[farouk]

Peter in the third chapter of his Second Epistle exhorts his readers to 'Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ'.

Simply calling oneself 'evangelical' or whatever, doesn't absolve the believer from this daily duty.

 

[Aardverk]

............ Anybody have thoughts on this?

I feel that you have put your finger on a very serious issue. There are millions of US Christians who appear to want to be seen to be Christians but live their lives in questionable, distinctly un-Christian ways.

Because the US is so strongly Christian, I think there is a fear of being 'outside' the club. Associated with that, I have experienced nowhere in the world where anti atheist feeling is so strong as in the US. That makes nominally Christian people VERY reluctant to drop their nominal title. They just take the easy route you describe.

As you rightly say, most European countries have a far less prominent Christian contingent and even strongly Christian countries like Ireland, Italy and Spain have dropped back dramatically. Surprisingly, Russia has become one of the most Christian countries (See footnote).

What is to be done about apparent Christian apathy? God knows - if you will pardon the expression. I'm sure God will do something if He sees fit. All we can do is try to reduce the downright silly and divisive aspects of Christianity that we sometimes see. Street corner preaches peddling hate in the name of Jesus - for example.

All I can suggest is better education to give people a more rounded view of life and the world. There are far too many people with huge blinkers and a narrow range of reading material. Someone on this forum recently said to me, "If it is not in the Bible, it is not true"! I think he/she was serious too. :crazy Somehow, that person, no doubt a 'good' Christian' was willing to ignore the sum of human knowledge just in case it may contradict the Bible and confuse him/her. Such attitudes have led to mass book-burning in the past.

Unless we can drag people like that along with us a little better, there will always be those who try to hold humanity back in an ignorant era. Whilst there are many, many things wrong with our society, it is a vastly better world now benefiting from all that knowledge out there. Let's try to use it better and have better informed Christians who actually understand the history of their faith. Let's try to remove a few blinkers.


Footnote: Before anyone starts a silly argument, NO, Russia NEVER banned Christianity. It did have a distinctly atheist government but Christians were always free to practice as long as they did nothing considered counter revolutionary - which many priests did.

 

[evenifigoalone]

We're talking about this at a Bible study I've been attending at my friend's church lately, actually.
Why do Christians not live their lives the way they should? Why is there not much difference between their lives and the lives of everyone else? They also mentioned that there are people who believe in God and Jesus, yet reject the term "Christian" because they don't want to be associated with them.

Some thoughts they had on this is: perhaps the term "Christian" has too broad a meaning. You ask people what it means and you get differing answers. It's almost like it can mean whatever you want it to mean. Perhaps we're just settling for "Christian" because that's easier. It's a lot easier to be a "Christian" than it is to actually follow Christ's teachings.

 

[farouk]

We're talking about this at a Bible study I've been attending at my friend's church lately, actually.
Why do Christians not live their lives the way they should? Why is there not much difference between their lives and the lives of everyone else? They also mentioned that there are people who believe in God and Jesus, yet reject the term "Christian" because they don't want to be associated with them.

Some thoughts they had on this is: perhaps the term "Christian" has too broad a meaning. You ask people what it means and you get differing answers. It's almost like it can mean whatever you want it to mean. Perhaps we're just settling for "Christian" because that's easier. It's a lot easier to be a "Christian" than it is to actually follow Christ's teachings.

questdriven:

It is recorded in the New Testament that it was at Antioch that the disciples were first known as Christians. This is because the characteristics of Christ were seen in their lives; His followers were identified with Him.

You are right; mere nominalism does much harm to the testimony.

Blessings.

 

[tim-from-pa]

This is where the Churches of God have it right (I am not officially associated with any, but my beliefs are similar). Much of what you see in Christendom is from Babylon, and actually only a few right now are called out "little flock". More will be saved later.

In the meantime, most of what is called Christianity is really a worldly system with Christ's name stamped onto it. And if any of the worldly congregants do wake up and want to "get into a deeper relationship with God" or "Follow after Christ", they are quickly taught false doctrine so that the person "thinks" they are coasting along with God just fine, and whistling a tune along the way. As Revelation 12:9 states, they have been deceived.

So, being worldly, what does one think is going to happen? The "Christians" are just going to follow the same course after god (the devil) and visit the same doctors, use the same products, have the same problems as everyone else because they have not been begotten of the Spirit.

And a word to atheists out there. I wish they'd stop comparing these types of people with what the bible teaches (thus believing it's ineffectual). In all likelihood, they have never experienced a true Christian person and they do not know technically what they are talking about.

 

[for_his_glory]

You can ask many people if they are Christian and one of the biggest responses that comes back is yes because they go to Church on Sunday and that they are basically good people. Sorry, that does not make anyone a Christian. If you were to take a survey and ask people walking out after service what the the sermon was about and what they learned many could not even remember the sermon except it made them feel good for awhile. Even some who call themselves a Pastor that have never been called of God to be one have no idea of what the sermon was all about as they read from a paper that was written by those in the church that dictate what can and cannot be spoken of in the church. This is why many churches never teach Gods grace or Gods Salvation.

I'm not going to get into what grace or Gods salvation is as you can read that in the book of John in the Bible, but if Jesus is truly impacting your life then you have picked up your cross to follow Him forsaking everything in your life to give Jesus first place in all areas of your life. I love to read and reread Colossians 3:1-17 to help keep myself lined up with that which is Christ so I can always be pleasing to the Father. Do I stumble and fall at times, yes, but I also know God is always there to pick me up, dust me off and set my feet straight again.

In answer to the OP question, yes, Jesus does impact every part of my life.

 

[reba]

We're talking about this at a Bible study I've been attending at my friend's church lately, actually.
Why do Christians not live their lives the way they should? Why is there not much difference between their lives and the lives of everyone else? They also mentioned that there are people who believe in God and Jesus, yet reject the term "Christian" because they don't want to be associated with them.

Some thoughts they had on this is: perhaps the term "Christian" has too broad a meaning. You ask people what it means and you get differing answers. It's almost like it can mean whatever you want it to mean. Perhaps we're just settling for "Christian" because that's easier. It's a lot easier to be a "Christian" than it is to actually follow Christ's teachings.

A too simple answer to a complex question... The churches are too PC... The pastors will not teach the Word.... They want to be see as sweet, accepting, and tolarent....

God tell us He is a jealous God yet look how we ignore Him... We meaning Christians....

One of my main gripes is the lack of teaching on marriage....

We see marriage from the beginning to the end of Scripture.... Yet the Godly value of marriage is not taught.... A guess as to why; lots of good folks are divorced and no one wants to hurt of offend.... So what if Christ loves the Church like a man loves his wife throw her away and get a new one ( and vise versa) Why is it stated God hates divorce.... Look at the pictures laid out in the OT... God and the Church --- Mom & Dad---- the types are there yet we close our eyes....Read how important family was to the OT...



Off the soap box...

 

[jasoncran]

no reba that hit home. im in a rock and a hard place. far worse then i thought. some of its my doing. some of its not.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I think maybe a lot of it is cultural. Post-modernism, you know? My truth might not be your truth, because there is no real truth. That sort of thinking. People still have a desire for something greater than themselves to believe in, so they'll go to Christianity...but its watered-down, or they mix-and-match. I had a friend who was both Christian (she said "yes" to Jesus at some point) and a witch. I just tried not to point out the obvious impossibility of such a belief system. Some people are just so wrapped up in sin, anything you say will just bounce off of them or anger them. Or both.

 

[Aardverk]

We're talking about this at a Bible study I've been attending at my friend's church lately, actually.
Why do Christians not live their lives the way they should? Why is there not much difference between their lives and the lives of everyone else? They also mentioned that there are people who believe in God and Jesus, yet reject the term "Christian" because they don't want to be associated with them.

Some thoughts they had on this is: perhaps the term "Christian" has too broad a meaning. You ask people what it means and you get differing answers. It's almost like it can mean whatever you want it to mean. Perhaps we're just settling for "Christian" because that's easier. It's a lot easier to be a "Christian" than it is to actually follow Christ's teachings.

I wanted to say what a brilliant thread this has been. Just about every answer has been an intelligent comment on the way things are rather than 'pie in the sky' wishful thinking.

I have copied the one above as I thought it particularly perceptive but I could have copied almost any of them

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

I think the main reason so many Christians hold to worldviews counter to biblical teaching and live much like the world does is because there are a number of churches that no longer preach Christ, yet leave the word "Christian" in their title or on their doctrine. The liberal churches have forgotten the gospel, but their membership doesn't know that, hasn't been taught that divorce is a final, desperate option as opposed to a quick fix, hasn't been instructed that life is sacred and should not be terminated on a whim, isn't aware that the Holy Spirit can heal the mind far better than pharmacology can. In other words, they aren't Christians in the sense they have actually placed their faith,hope and trust in Jesus Christ. Worse, they don't know they're not really Christians.

Also, discipleship in our churches is so sadly lacking. There have been great and successful efforts over the last 50 years to bring people to Christ, but beginning with the Jesus People who were heavy on enthusiasm and extremely light on doctrine, so has been the US church. There are many denominations that do a good job of providing discipileship, teaching people what it means to trust in Jesus Christ. But there are far more churches that are simply interested in numbers, and getting people on the membership roles so they can start tithing and adding to the church coffers.

Take those two factors into consideration, and I believe you have the answer.

 

[Aardverk]

.....The liberal churches have forgotten the gospel, but their membership doesn't know that..........

I'm not convinced that is right. Your use of the term 'Liberal' appears to be derogatory but we should always keep in mind that whatever we happen to believe, we are basing that on selective rejection of a great many religious records. The 'liberal', i.e. different, denominations simply reject different things from you/me/us/whoever. Who can say that anyone of those hundreds of denominations and thousands of sects is actually wrong?

I would suggest that the congregation is there because they believe it that particular set of beliefs - not that they don't know what the beliefs are.

....... there are far more churches that are simply interested in numbers, and getting people on the membership roles so they can start tithing and adding to the church coffers..........

You have no disagreement from me or probably most people here. This is not a modern phenomenon though, it has been the case for almost two thousand years within Christianity and many thousands of years before that in just about every other religion. Virtually all religions provide status and privilege for the clergy and many become corrupted by it to a greater or lesser extent.

 

[elijah23]

Jesus shows me the way.

 

[stovebolts]

I can't, and actually don't want to speak for other Christians. But I can speak for myself.

I have one brother and 5 step siblings. I spent a good bit of time in foster homes growing up and then later to Juvenile, and then the institution where I got out just past my 16th birthday. I ran away at 12 and lived on the street where a pedophile took me under his wing and we went on a crime spree. Dope and alcohol were daily matters until I went into Juvenile.

I was hurting, but foster care teaches you not to attach to people because when you do, they just get ripped away. So you put up walls and you protect yourself. You become indifferent outside, but inside you yearn for companionship. You don't let any friends get close to you because it's too risky and it can get pretty confusing at times trying to navigate the feelings and emotions, but it's always easier to just put up the wall and show no emotions.

That's when I met Ron Mize who took his time with me in Juvenile. He was a nice man and he took the time to listen to me and not put me down. And one day he talked to me about Jesus and it was scary when he asked me if I wanted a personal relationship with him. Ron told me that if I invited Jesus into my life that Jesus would never leave or forsake me. It was unbelievable, but I believed him. However, could I trust this Jesus into my personal space? Would he really be there for me when times got tough? Would he still love me with all my faults? I can't describe the anxiety because I just knew that this Jesus would be like everyone else and just bail. But that's not what Ron kept telling me. He told me that Jesus would always be there.

I'm in my late 40's now and Jesus is still here with me. Many of you know that I have a step brother who died last year of Heroin, and many of you also know the fate of my other siblings. So what's the difference between them and I? Why did I make it and they didn't? I believe it's because Jesus was in my life and he kept his end of the deal.

Many of you know that I talk an awful lot about how God wants us to live. There is a reason for that. God cares about us and wants us to live a good life, and he tells us how in his Word. For me, I can't help but spread that word, even when people misunderstand me and think I"m preaching salvation by works because I know that it's God's grace all the way, and he wants good things for his children.

So yes, Jesus has had a huge impact on my life. He saved it.

 

[Christ_empowered]

stovebolts--its stories like yours that help me remain Christian. All too often, I forget that God really does change people and He really does care. I could, like most Christians, look to my own life for proof, but its so easy to forget what God has done in your own life. I find it much easier to see God's work in the lives of others.

Anyway, I was thinking about this today, and I think maybe part of the problem is that, here in the US at least, Christianity got too cozy with the culture. As the culture shifted, so did the church, or at least parts of it.

 

[stovebolts]

I'm glad my story gives your strength. I don't think I tell it enough.

I know what your talking about though.

 

[jasoncran]

ce its god that keeps the church. theres some reason why he is allowing the american church to falter. yes we are straying from him but if men did repent he will heal them.

in time i will post something in the ct&a on my past and how god took backbiting from me.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I'm not trying to find fault. I'm as slack as anybody. I think I just read too much doom and gloom data and then I think...woe is me! Its all coming to an end! When the truth is, most Christians are well-intentioned and doing what they can do to lead a decent life.

 

[jasoncran]

i didnt say you were. just saying that well god is able to change men. i have prayed for what im going through. i didnt know it.

i have been humbled and have a heart for the lost that i didnt have before.