'Think! And, think on these things.
What ever happened to 'thinking' Christians? Have we, as a subset of society, become this incredibly intellectually lazy - that we now spout platitudes, carry protest signs, and inanely follow any glibly packaged preacher or any politician who 'professes?'
Well, I'm afraid the answer is yes. We, this subset of society known as Christians, have become so intellectually lazy that we have made wealthy untold numbers of 'evangelists,' musicians, authors, and pastors elevating them to the level of superstars. We have seen one after another of them indicted for fraud, many sentenced to prison, and several disgracing their families when confronted by sex scandals.
Our first warning should be the words of Jesus saying, Matthew 7:21. "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23. Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
The hope for Christianity and the answer for a world awash in violence, disease, despair and sorrows is for those of us who call ourselves Christians to evaluate everything by the standard Jesus set in his ministry:
He didn't come to condemn the world - but He was hard on religious people
He didn't beat up on women in trouble - but he took their persecutors to task
He wasn't austere, stern and disapproving - He mixed and mingled and enjoyed being with sinners
He didn't shy away from paying taxes - but He became raging angry over the profiteering in the church
He raised the level of consciousness, brought joy, improved lives and the quality of living - everywhere He went He was doing 'good.'
The hope for the world isn't for more Jesus' trinkets to be sold in Wal-Mart, nor more religious television and radio to hit the air, nor more best selling 'Christian' artists, nor more novels on end-times...
The answer is for more Christians to begin to live as though they were Jesus and not the Sanhedrin. The answer is for more Christians to THINK - and think on these things: 5. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. (Philippians 4, NIV)