Are Our Beliefs Convictions or Merely Preferences?

People will see the value of being a Christian by how much you are willing to pay for it.

I was thinking about Ps Jo's sermon again last Sun. It's so thought-provoking.

The Cross of Decision.

And then I read Joyce's post on ethics: "no such thing as business ethics". She wrote:

"...the uneasiness that i felt this semester as i was taking a module called Real Estate Practice and Ethics, which my lecturer had strongly advocated being ethical as something that is unrelated to religion, not being right or wrong, but doing what is appropriate and acceptable."

And from what I know so far, this lecturer is also a Christian... but gosh! I felt angry when I heard about this. Clearly this is a compromise of God's Word!

So I was thinking about this. Would I, if I had to take this module, be willing to stand up and speak out against what I knew clearly to be wrong and unbiblical?

The costs will be increasingly heavier. As we've already seen from the on-going AWARE saga, when we choose to make a stand for what we believe in, we are bound to face challenges and even social ostracism and rejection.

Even fellow Christians may start asking us whether we could be more discreet. Like the new ex-co of AWARE.

I was thinking about the AWARE issue, and while personally I felt that our fellow Christians in the new AWARE team could have been wiser and more careful... the heart at the core of it was indeed admirable. I don't think they didn't know what they were in for (although I bet they didn't expect the incoming fire to be so heavy)... they were willing to stand up for their convictions and act upon them - even if it meant costing them something.

And you know, one good thing that is arising out of this is that whether Christian or not, we are seeing a surge of ladies who are now more aware (pun intended) of the importance of being willing to take a stand. AWARE is seeing a surge in its membership on both sides of the Great Divide, and perhaps, if the new AWARE ex-co manages the situation wisely, it can actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise for AWARE.

Of course, there are more things to be said about the wisdom of an attempted takeover, and whether it is a smart thing to do... (personally, I think it's not the best way... and from what I've studied of the Bible, it doesn't advocate this kind of action...)

But the heart of taking the initiative is soooo there. People are willing to speak up, stand up, and stick out for what they believe in.

And that example goes back to my point, being ... is my belief a conviction or merely a preference?

I think if I were to take that module... I would stand up and speak up. Even though I may face a barrage of criticism and well-thought-out arguments... even though others may be able to show me all the flaws of my thinking and reasoning - and I know very well I'm not the fastest chip on the block...

I don't care. Because this is a matter of life and death. I'm not saying that my choosing to stand up for absolute truth means that I'm therefore a conservative or what... (c'mon I have some friends who are gays... and I'm proud to know them even though I don't agree with their viewpoints... 'cos there are things about me that they probably can't stand either haha...)

I'll be willing to get a C or even fail the module. 'Cos I'd rather fail in the eyes of men than fail in the face of my Father in heaven. Shall we be ashamed of Jesus and His words in this sinful and adulterous generation?

Personally, I'm not perfect in this - for as a person, I struggle with being too easy-going - even compromising from time to time. But because God's Word spoke to me, and is speaking to me, I want to grow in this area of courageous conviction. To not be ashamed of my dear Lord and His words in this sinful and adulterous generation.

Which goes on to another point.

If the Church really wants to be relevant to this generation, then cultural relevance is not enough.

It must be different so that it can be truly relevant.

Salt is salt, because it makes things different. Light is light, because it is different from darkness. Have we not studied 1 Peter? It is so relevant. We ARE aliens and strangers in this world. The world will hate us - not because we're idiots or meddlers - but because we refuse to do what the world does. We are in the world, but not of the world.

We must stay fresh like the fish of the sea, always being fresh, unsalty and delicious on the inside, while swimming all the while in a salty sea. That's why we still add salty soy-sauce to our fish that we eat even though they literally swim in a sea of salt! (Thanks Ps Jo for that brilliant illustration!)

I believe the Church may be in danger of becoming increasingly irrelevant, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer noted in the previous century, because the Christians started compromising on their faith. They chose the easy way of blending in with the world, choosing not to stand up and stick out their necks for the truth, for the gospel, for Jesus Christ.

As I study more of the New Testament, and observe our Church as it is currently... I seriously doubt that the idea of trying to be culturally fashionable, win the big shots over to Christ or what, will cause a large-scale change. Not to say that we cannot preach to kings and governors, nor to the rich... for Lydia, the first Christian in Europe, was a rich woman...

But are we willing to stand up today, share and live out our beliefs courageously and with full conviction?

One thing Ps Jo said that really struck me: "You can serve God out of your preferences. It's just that it's bound to be negotiable, to compromise. But serving God out of your convictions... it means NO negotiation. It means that you will not let anything lower your desire to follow and obey God, even if it means death, or losing a grade, or losing your job."

And if we are willing to pay the price for our commitment, our cause, our convictions... people WILL start standing up and take notice. How much more, especially since it is not an ideology of death and destruction, or a philosophy of empty meaningless do-as-you-will, or a religion of pay-as-you-go, prosper-as-you-please...

But a gospel of love, joy, peace, of a new story, a story of peace and light... of salvation for the nations... one that was prophesised of old... the Greatest Story Ever Told!

We're seeing, even in our own church, people complaining about having to read their Bibles... sharing God's word being so tough... prayer? forget about it! and so on... in a way, it's because we've offered them Christianity-lite, instead of teaching them to obey everything the Lord has commanded us. Take-as-you-please, do-what-you-want Christianity... cheap grace, grace without the cost. And as the Christianity-lite it is, it gives us precisely what we want - an empty, hollow shell of Christianity that ask nothing much, and gives us nothing much in return.

But Christ calls us now to come follow Him. To deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Him. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for him and for the gospel will find it. What good shall it be for a man to gain the whole world, but lose his soul?

He offers us a new life, a life so incredibly rich, that it will cost us everything we have... perhaps even our own lives. But Lord! what a stupendous bargain! It's like buying tons and tons of sure-win blue-chip stocks at penny-stock prices! It's like buying Citibank stocks at $1 per share. Because the kingdom of heaven really is like that! Lelong, lelong! Come, all ye who are thirsty, come ye to the waters! And ye who have no money, come, buy and eat!

If your life is feeling mundane and routine... perhaps you can consider... have you been willing to abandon yourself unto God? To surrender? To spend, though it be blood to spend and spare not? To do His will, to stand up for Him?

As I say this, I realise very well how much I myself need to practice what I preach. But yes, let's spur one another on towards giving everything we have for His kingdom's cause. To choose Christ over convenience.