Just Alright?

We have to recognize that if we have decided to make Jesus the Lord of our lives, that we are submitted to His authority. That means we are devoted to the Scriptures and that we are allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our decisions. Jesus taught in John chapter 16:
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

It's important to evaluate the degree to which we are allowing God's Spirit to guide us. Many today say that they have a positive viewpoint of Jesus, but survey data indicates that is not translating to Biblical living. Just being OK with God and giving lipservice to spiritual ideas does not make one a Christian or Christ-follower.  He has called us to a self-sacrificial life that is devoted to allowing His truth to take up residence in our hearts, to become part of us, so that we are empowered to live the truth.

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The Bible teaches us about the preeminence of Christ; and He should be preeminent in our thinking and the decisions we make. Colossians 1 reminds us:
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

In reading over a ChristianHeadlines.com story about new research from George Barna at Arizona Christian University's Cultural Research Center, the song that was covered by DCTalk, Jesus is Just Alright, came to mind.  Because that seems to be the theme of a recent study about young adults, in which Jesus seems to be alright with many of those surveyed, but His principles are not permeating the actions of this age group.

According to the article that reported on the survey, 59 percent of millennials said they viewed Jesus as "a little positive," with almost 4-in-10 viewing Him "very positive."  3 out of 10 saw the Bible in a "very positive" way.

65% professed to be Christians - but the survey revealed there was a disconnect between profession and perspective; in other words, in a significant percentage of people, the viewpoint did not line up with Scriptural teaching.  The article notes:

While most millennials reported viewing Jesus and the Bible favorably and 65 percent said they were professing Christians, many held views contradictory to a biblical worldview, including views on sexuality and the sanctity of life. For instance, 30 percent of the surveyed millennials and nearly 40 percent of the surveyed adults 18-24 identified as LGBTQ.

George Barna admitted that millennials' "...experiences, observations and assumptions regarding religion, spiritual beliefs, and faith practices have produced a turbulent spiritual experience..." The article said that the "study, which was released last month, highlights how millennials were seeking answers to their problems while 'disengaged from spiritual teaching and practice, resulting in a paucity of knowledge, understanding, experience, and growth in this realm.'"

The article goes on to report:

According to The Christian Post, the veteran researcher also suggested that millennials should shift their worldview in order to face life's challenges head-on.

Barna said, "Given the centrality of worldview to the human experience, there can be no improvements to the life millennials lead without addressing the fundamental role of worldview," adding, "And because worldview is developed and carried out in the competitive marketplace of beliefs and behaviors, think about the pervasive consequences for millennials of rejecting the biblical worldview in favor of other, more popular alternatives."

We can consider this question: Do your beliefs line up with the teachings of Scripture?  If you hold to a viewpoint about moral and ethical matters, is it something you can back up with the Word?  We have to make sure that the views we express are consistent with the teachings we find in God's Word, and that we reflect the heart of God in our responses.

We have to continue to reject the perversions of teachings of the Scriptures.  The inroads of the LGBTQ philosophy have infiltrated the younger adult age group in society, as well as the Church.  It is becoming increasingly common to find the vestiges of so-called "gay Christianity," where same-sex attracted people talk of that attraction not as a sinful desire to be dealt with Biblically, but as a condition that someone is seemingly destined to live with, a condition that seems to drive the way they see the world and relate to truth. That attraction becomes a primary thing for which some of these people are known. I believe there is a distinct trend toward people of faith being expected to be "gay-affiming," rather than Christ-affirming.  If you aren't, then you may get called names or lose favor in some circles.  Not only are we called to search the Scriptures, but we have to stand on the Scriptures, as well and not be moved by the cultural winds that topple the lives who are not built on a firm foundation of Biblical truth.