Don't roll over and play dead!

     There should be no fine line between being a Christian and acting like one.  We struggle to be effective while trying to maintain a relationship with the world we live in.  The dynamics of that struggle have gone on since time began.  There has always been opposition to our relationship with God.  On that time line both the strong stand and the weak stand have populated our history.  It's a curious thing, this stance struck by Christian and non-Christian alike.  While we would like to think that our stance is the right one; others think differently.  Society has taken a "coexistent" stance hoping to get along within its ranks. 
     The Bible doesn't teach coexistence.  The Bible encourages us to "as far as possible be at peace with all mankind."  It's interesting observing the many different "ideas" of Christianity.  The issues that separate them are as different they can be.  This results in the development of denominations and false religions.  Instead of standing firm on the teachings of Christ; there are instead many ideals that are questionable at best and wrong at worst.  This is a very real dilemma as the list of differences are presented to the world as each being the only right way.  Sooner or later the ability to be seen as "right" crumbles and we're left with powerless Christian witnesses.
     What would happen if the Christian were to make a stand?  Would they be taken seriously?  Could they alone be responsible for bringing truth to light?  What a less than credible witness we make now.  The matter is made complex when we feel that we need to have the Gospel changed so that we can feel comfortable in our sin.  No, there's not an app for that.  There never has been and there never will be.  It's been said: "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good to do nothing."  And so we continue to not allow God to work through us. 
     The Bible also asks: "What does it profit a man to gain the world but lose his soul?"  So the Christian church has been relegated to Wednesday night (sometimes) and Sunday church as the only evidence that Christians are doing anything at all.  Very seldom do we see they Christian making a stand at work or play.  We have been told that we as Christians need to set aside what we stand for so that we don't offend anyone.  Quite the opposite of what the Bible teaches.  There is only one way to be saved.  There is only one way to the Father through the Son.  We are told to not be lukewarm in the display of our salvation. 
     The question is begged and yet redundant regarding what the Christian is defined as being.  Yet, even our pastors and other church leaders have fallen prey to the wants of the non-Christian world we live in.  Until such a time the Christian wakes up and stands for Jesus unashamedly, the Christian church will remain ineffective.  And so many are walking the path to hell rather than heaven.  Yes, I'm talking about so called believers.  There is no watering down or dismissing the finality of our life lived by our choices.  While God weeps, he allows us to make the decision over whether we roll over and play dead or stand for Jesus.  What is your choice?