When Did Christianity Become 'Safe'

In his book "Gospel" J D Greear gives a great illustration of what most of us have come to think of as how our lives as Christians should be lived out. Here is the story: "In graduate school my roommate kept a dog named Max in our house. Because poor Max was crippled in his back legs, his life consisted of lying on our doorstep and staring up as us when we walked by. I remember looking at him one day and thinking, "Based on how most people see Christianity, Max would make a fine Christian: he doesn't drink; he doesn't smoke; he doesn't cuss; he doesn't get angry; we've had him neutered so his thought-life is under control. (BUT) Jesus' disciples are not supposed to be merely compliant, neutered dogs. Jesus' followers are to be alive with a love for God."

I couldn't help but shake my head in sad agreement with this illustration. It made me think, "When did this 'safe', and as he put so well, 'neutered' life become the goal for Christians?"

When I read my Bible 'safe and neutered' are certainly not the words that come to mind. Let's consider the early church: within a couple of weeks after the ascension the disciples are already being persecuted for their faith, including imprisonment and being beaten (Acts 4 & 5). Stephen is the first martyr (Acts 7) and after his death there arose such a great persecution that the church was forced to scatter (Acts 8). This pattern continues as later James was martyred (Acts 12), and Paul was repeatedly beaten and even stoned for sharing the gospel (Acts 14 & 16).

Paul gives us the list of his 'light and momentary afflictions' in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 "Are they servants of Christ? — I speak as if insane — I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure." NASU

And we need to pay special attention to Jesus' words in John 15:20 "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you;..." NASU

It seems that persecution and trials were the standard for the early church, so where does this thought that the Christian life is to be 'safe and neutered' come from? How do we reconcile our addiction to seek comfort and safety when we see that Jesus had something radically different in mind when describing the lives of His followers?

In my first post I argued that too many people are reading the Bible as an instruction manual that is all about making us better people. I believe this is a leading cause as to why American Christians have become so incredibly self focused. Who has time to be bold in their faith if they are constantly looking inward and trying to fix every little detail of their lives?

The gospel, however, says that Jesus has done the most radically others-centered thing by coming to earth to suffer and die paying the price for our sin. Then He rose from the grave and clothed us in His righteousness, and as we learn to meditate on this good news more and more we will be freed from the self centered life. Instead of the endless self-examination to see if we are 'good enough' we will come to recognize that in Christ, God sees us as completely righteous which enables us to begin looking outwardly to a world that desperately needs a Savior.

Later in "Gospel" J D Greear shows us how this played out in the early church and says, "The radical generosity of the (early) church amazed the community, and it drew attention to the radical generosity of Christ. Emperor Julian, one of Christianity's fiercest persecutors, complained in a letter to a friend that he just could not keep the church from growing, no matter what he did. In disgust, he said, 'The godless Galileans! They take care not only of their own poor, but ours as well.' It was Christians giving themselves away to those unable to pay them back that convinced a skeptical Roman world the truth of Jesus' claims."

This kind of radical generosity and others minded service can only come after we stop worshiping our comfort zones, and after we stop living like spiritual hoarders that are constantly taking from the Lord, but are never pouring out for others.

Sadly, if you are anything like me, more days than not, you have fallen hook, line and sinker for this anemic 'Americanized Christianity' that never challenges us to step out of our comfort zones, let alone for us to be so emboldened by our love for the Lord that we might actually do something for someone else outside of the church even though it could cause us to risk being persecuted for our faith.

How I pray that I will be freed from this addiction to my comfort zone, and that I would refuse to settle for the 'safe and neutered' version of the Christian life.