There’s a “coolness” epidemic that threatens to ravage the Christian church—an insatiable quest among some to be seen as cool, relevant and in-step with the culture.
Many times, this curious quest comes from a genuine place of love, with Christians making their best effort to mix in well with the world around them. And make no mistake: We are called to love others, even those with whom we disagree.
Here’s why the coolness epidemic truly threatens our witness:
But a real problem emerges when we trade authenticity for coolness, and when we sideline truth and replace it with blind love. If at any point coolness takes the place of our mission— reaching people with the gospel—then we have taken a wrong turn.
Too often we end up looking more like the world than we do Bible-believing Christians, and that’s a problem, but don’t just take my word for it. Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
It is God and not the world who should be renewing us. When we follow the world, we suddenly find ourselves living under malleable and relativistic standards—and that can land us in a deep valley of spiritual quicksand.
1 John 2:15-17 expands upon this. The Scriptures read:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father, but is of the world. The world and its desires are passing away, but the one who does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:15-17).
Taking a stand for God can be difficult, especially in a culture that increasingly shuns His standards, but that’s what we are called to do. James 4:4 adds, “You adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
So, while we must choose God over perceived coolness, we also must remain in control of our judgments. We aren’t God, and while we are called to truth, we are also called to love.
The Bible makes it clear that we will be judged in the same way we judge others. And that should leave us all with plenty to think about. Let’s be better. {eoa}
Billy Hallowell is a journalist, author and the director of communications and content for PureFlix.com. He’s also the former senior editor at Faithwire.com and the former faith and culture editor at TheBlaze.
This article originally appeared at pathufind.com.
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