A quick glance at the news or at social media confirms that common sense is no longer common. And to make matters worse, anything Christians say about the current state of affairs seems to offend someone, somewhere, somehow. In such a hyper-sensitive atmosphere, conversations can quickly become debates. Sharing your faith in today’s argumentative culture can be challenging. Well, I see two disturbing trends that we, as believers, need to avoid.
First, we’re defending our position on culture rather than sharing our personal Savior. I’m not saying that we should never discuss current cultural issues. But many professing Christians are more passionate about their politics than they are about lost people. Too many times, believers burn bridges by how they express their views in connection with their faith, especially on social media. As followers of Jesus, the opinions and convictions we voice should open doors to share the Gospel, not close them.
Next, we’re trying to win an argument rather than desiring to win a soul. There’s a difference between taking a stand for truth and hitting someone over the head with it. We should be able to have a civil dialogue with anyone. It’s not our job to prove that God is right – He will do that. We’re simply called to faithfully speak the truth in love.
Our nation is divided because so many people are willing to split their families and communities in order to be right. Even many believers have gotten so preoccupied debating theology with one another that they’ve lost focus of our God-given mission. The world is dying and going to Hell while we sit and think of clever quips and posts.
Sharing our faith in today’s culture begins by making sure our opinions and convictions align with Scripture and honor God. What influences you most – the news channel you watch, the blog post you read, or the Scripture you meditate upon? Consider whether friends and family members with ungodly lifestyles have swayed your convictions on various cultural issues. Determine to make God’s Word your true north. Ask Him where your views might be out of line with His.
We also need to examine our attitudes before engaging in cultural conversations. It’s very difficult to lovingly share Jesus with someone we harbor anger or resentment toward. The mantra in today’s world seems to be, “If you disagree with my point of view, then you’re my enemy.” That is not a fitting attitude for ambassadors of Christ. We’re less likely to genuinely care about a person’s eternal destiny when we see them as an enemy.
It’s not always possible to share your faith and avoid a debate. Just remember, if the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to treat every issue as if it were a nail. When our primary objective is to share the love of Jesus Christ, we’ll put down the hammer and consider the soul of the person with the opposing viewpoint.