Point of Inspiration
Agents of Change
Posted by Robert D. Pace in
Monday, March 23rd at 7:20 pm (Permalink)
The Bible describes Christians as ‘agents of change.' As sent ones we are ambassadors of Christ commissioned to alter our culture for God's glory. But there is a challenge we face as we undertake this task. That is, we must guard ourselves from the world trapping and shaping us into its image. It would be nice if God provided Christians with a vaccination against compromise, but He doesn't. We have to wear the armor of God, resist temptation, pray for our sanctification, and trust God's grace in order to prevent the world's encroachment.
Sometime back I read the story about a boy that placed a sparrow into a cage with a canary to improve the sparrow's chirp. Several days later, the boy discovered the sparrow didn't sound like a canary; the canary sounded like a sparrow! The same applies to Christians. The more Christians cozy up to the world, embracing its habits and standards, the more like the world they become! And the impending consequence of embracing the world always leads to Christians defending worldly practices! James went so far as to warn that "friendship with the world is hatred toward God" (James 4:4).
The strategy that Christ designed for Christians transforming their generation with the Gospel never involved emulating the world. Christians who compromise Christ's standards may gain public acclaim and attention, but they always reduce their capacity to change their culture! Compromise always impoverishes spiritual power! The Christian's power to change the world depends upon the degree they are submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ and upon their faith in God's Word.
Sometime back I read the story about a boy that placed a sparrow into a cage with a canary to improve the sparrow's chirp. Several days later, the boy discovered the sparrow didn't sound like a canary; the canary sounded like a sparrow! The same applies to Christians. The more Christians cozy up to the world, embracing its habits and standards, the more like the world they become! And the impending consequence of embracing the world always leads to Christians defending worldly practices! James went so far as to warn that "friendship with the world is hatred toward God" (James 4:4).
The strategy that Christ designed for Christians transforming their generation with the Gospel never involved emulating the world. Christians who compromise Christ's standards may gain public acclaim and attention, but they always reduce their capacity to change their culture! Compromise always impoverishes spiritual power! The Christian's power to change the world depends upon the degree they are submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ and upon their faith in God's Word.