Polarized

Believers in Christ, should continue to persevere in prayer, coming before the Lord consistently and
with great conviction.  We are also called to act, to behave, in a manner that pleases Him. Colossians 4 tells us:
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

We are called to be people of conviction - we can allow the Lord to stir a passion in our hearts that His will may be done in and through us and in our culture, at large, as well.  Verse 5 speaks of walking in wisdom - that is developed through our careful study of God's Word, learning to and becoming more skilled in seeing conditions from the perspective of Christ in us, as He directs by His Spirit.  We are also called to deliver our message with compassion - trusting Him to move through us.

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In 1st Peter 4, we find some inspiration to be strong in the Lord in a contentious society:
11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

Well, no doubt we are seeing an increased level of polarization in our public discourse about, well, it seems just about everything, especially on matters of policy.  And, an article by Peter Beinart for The Atlantic, which will sometimes get it right regarding faith topics, traces it to the growth of secularism, according to an excellent analysis from former Meeting House guest Liberty McArtor of The Stream.

She quotes Beinart: "The culture war over religious morality has faded; in its place is something much worse...” McArtor says that "the piece argues that while the secularism some scholars have long hoped for in America has arrived, political discourse is worse off for it."

McArtor provides this analysis:

As more and more people rejected organized religion, “Some observers predicted that this new secularism would ease cultural conflict, as the country settled into a near-consensus on issues such as gay marriage,” Beinart writes.

But the opposite happened. Beinart suggests that lack of religion has contributed to greater hostility between the Right and the Left, driving the growing amount of religious “nones” on each side to more divisive extremes.

For instance, Beinart attributes the rise of the alt-right, which prefers nationalism (sometimes of the racist variety) over compassion and is generally “suspicious of Christianity” to a decrease of religious faith on the political Right. He attributes the contentious nature of Black Lives Matter, which has taken a much less conciliatory approach to racial justice than the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s to a decrease of faith among black Americans.

The topic of Millennials and faith has been explored quite copiously, it seems, over the past few years. McArtor quotes from a piece by University of Central Florida student Payton Ramey in the student-led publication Study Breaks.

Ramey, self-identifying as a "none” who “never really had a place in the church,” writes:

It’s undeniable that today’s generation is more accepting and open-minded than the previous generations. As such, it’s hard for millennials to accept all aspects of a religious identity when certain beliefs contradict with previously held ideals.

But, Liberty McArtor points out, Ramey "claims spirituality jibes better with millennials than traditional religion because 'it’s dynamic and is expressed in a multitude of ways and, much like self-expression, changes throughout the course of one’s life.'"

McArtor offers two takeaways for the church:

One is that "this trend toward secularism and its effects on society is something of which the Church must be aware..." She also states that "the Church should recognize this trend as a crucial opportunity to shine the light of Christ among a grappling society. As widening ideological divides exacerbate political wounds, the Church can point to a better way: Jesus."

She writes:

It’s true that authentic Christianity will be met with hatred and critics until the end of time. But those who follow Christ can still set an attractive example to the world with sacrificial love for our neighbors — something every Christian and church body sometimes (or often) fails to do.

Further, sincere faith in Jesus informed by God’s Word is the only answer to the spiritual void that so many people, particularly millennials, experience.

She calls Christians to "rise above the din."

I want to offer three words for you today...

One is conviction.  In a age of polarization, which can cause us to sour on matters of policy, we have to make sure that we maintain our convictions, our deeply-held beliefs rooted in the Scriptures. There are those like Beinart that believe that the "culture war has faded."  I don't believe it has - the label may have become less acceptable, but the tenets remain.  We have been thrust into a war - of ideas and actions - and we have to make sure we hold on to our positions.

One way is through our content.  We can do that by being, to borrow the title of Jim Garlow's book, Well-Versed.  We have to make sure that Scripture is informing and influencing what we think and what we speak.  In an age when Millennials are "spiritual" to the extent of making up their own personal religious practice and when there is increasing secularization, representing a departure from the Scriptures, we have to make sure that we are continuing to regard God's Word as the basis for what we say, think, and do.

The third word for today is compassion.  Delivering convicted content is important and vital in a strong Church.  But, the delivery should be done with the right tone.  We have to make sure that we reflect the compassion of Christ.  That doesn't mean that we are to reflect weakness or compromise. Rather, we stand strong in our faith and allow the love of Christ to motivate us when we engage. We should strive to win the heart, rather than try to win and argument, taking no prisoners.  Ultimately, it's true the war is cultural and the battle is spiritual, so we can strive to rely on the Lord through prayer and inspired, informed action.