Everything is changing--He remains the same

We are living in a forever changing society. Everything is changing. From the way we conduct our business, the way we do church, the way we do shopping and the forever changing trends in fashion and everything related to how we, as believers, need to keep ourselves in check on how to cope with all this craziness.

I must say, it is very tempting not to express our positions on these matters as we are to be watchers on the wall. It’s a very exhaustive task dealing with what goes on in the social media circus. I discipline myself daily so as to not to respond to everything I read on FaceBook. It’s not only impossible but frustrating and at times upsetting when you make a comment with very good intentions only to receive the onslaught of criticism even from people who should know better. I do believe we are to participate in healthy dialog for as long as they are constructive. And sometimes we just have to take the bull by the horns when injustice and misleading information may be portrayed as truth to deceive even the elect.

In the final analysis, it’s going to be what it is. My conviction will always be the same: “be salt and light” and represent that “City on a hill“. There’s one thing I know for sure, we will not be “salt and light” within this social media driven culture if we attempt to legislate over fashion or what we are or not to wear. If we as the Church do this, then we will have to legislate everything else. We’ll have to legislate where we shop, the theaters we visit, the food we eat, the magazines we read, etc.

Luther, Calvin, and Wycliffe would be appalled at the rhythm we sing our songs just like they were appalled at Luther’s version of “What a Mighty Fortress is Our God”. I get it, there are things we as believers should abstain from but did Jesus ever say to the rich young ruler or to the blind, deaf and mute for that matter; “Hey I don’t like the way you dress”? NO. Then why should we? It’s wrong! Am I saying anything goes? NO. What I’m saying is that it’s wrong to legislate over fashion or any other trend we go through in society.

The world will always be the world. Jesus said you will be “in” it, but you are not to be part of it. That’s our cue to be who we are. Who knows what fashion will be “in” another 200 years from now? What will we be saying then about now? We’ll we probably be saying that the present trend of today is antiquated? Probably so. I agree that as Believers we need to exercise good judgment, but it’s wrong to try to legislate; it falls into the error of legalism, and Jesus condemned legalism in the strongest of terms. So, be “in” the world but remember, you are not to be part of it.