This week we start a new book in our small group at church. As I started to prepare for Sunday's lesson, the first question posed in the lesson was, "What are some Christian beliefs or practices that cause us to stand out from the world today?" As I pondered this question a sadness of sort crept over me. For the Church as a whole, I was unable to generate many responses.
Maybe we have beliefs that cause us to stand out from the world, but practices? I am not too sure an observer could pick out a believer from the millions of "good people" who are not Christians.
To make matters even more desperate, more and more Christians do not even have a radically different set of beliefs from the world. Same-sex marriage? It's not too bad. Homosexuality is not really a sin. Sure we believe sex trafficking is wrong. So does the world. Few would agree with murder, but neither does the world.
As Christians we like to claim we have a higher set of standards, beliefs, and actions. But as individuals do we acknowledged these in the marketplace? How often does what we do and say label us as Christians? Is there really a marked difference? Sadly, I am not sure there is.
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