The Millennial Christian Struggle with Socio-Cultural Debates

For many of us young Christians, there's the constant push and pull between the conversations of our days and staying uncompromisingly with God's opinion on those issues. As much as these opposing viewpoints often seem like night and day, in reality, it’s rarely ever that simple.

There are always a bunch of things attached to non-biblical viewpoints oddly enough that 'seem' to draw from some biblical principles that is twisted to justify the stance. It's like my Pastor often says, God isn't white and the devil black. God is white and the devil is off white. Close enough to confuse you that a lie is some type of truth depending on the circumstance. It’s called a grey area and we live in a generation that thrives on grey areas.

The idea that things are not black and white aren't just exceptions anymore but the norm these days. Greek philosophers would have had a blast in this era with our obsessions with relative truths. This idea that the truth is relative, based on how you see things or what you believe is a much bigger problem that it seems. Don't get me wrong, there are relative truths. There are things we believe to be true based on our own experiences but the fact is there is still very much 'The Truth'.  If there exists a single truth and a single standard, then it follows that everything else is a lie. It’s like Ravi Zachariah points out, the truth by definition is exclusive.

It is for this same reason that Jesus says  "I am the way, the truth and the Life. No one came come to the father except through me." - John 14:16

This declaration is more audacious and affronting than I could have initially imagined. What Jesus was basically saying is that anything outside of what He has said, no matter how similar and close enough it sounds is a lie. There is no truth, contrary to what the word of God says and there is no way to God and eternal life outside of a life in Christ. It really is that simple. I've found that going back to this scripture in particular has been such a strong anchor for me in times where I’ve felt confused and I’ve been tempted to ask God why things have to be a certain way.

“Why does homosexuality have to be a sin? It's not fair. That's asking people to live a life without a loving partner and in celibacy. How many straight Christians can manage this lifetime sentence? Besides, many gay people were born that way, how is that their fault?" These were some of the thoughts I struggled with internally will voice on occasion until one day, my best friend said to me, "since when is 'I was born that way' a point of contention?" She said " Yeah it’s possible that many gay people were born that way but then again, we were all born sinners." That was about 2 years or a year and a half ago and it was like scales fell of my eyes. Since then, I've come to understand in a deeper way that we were all born into sin, which is why our walk with God is a Spirit led one. Our flesh is full of limitations and our natural desires are completely out of sync with how God will have us live.

Romans 4:8 “That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

 This scripture is so helpful in understand where God stands on our natural inclinations. He expects us to move beyond that and live by a leading of the Holy Spirit which is why we have been gifted with the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This was the life in God that Jesus came, was crucified, died, was buried and resurrected for. You would think that knowing all of this, would somehow make things easier for me but that hasn’t really been the case. It's simply helped me better understand why I cannot afford to compromise. The sentiments evoked on certain issues is basically what grey areas were designed to do. Create exceptions that make it insensitive and difficult to have a hardline stance in particular situations.

I'll give another example.  As strongly as I feel about abortion ((I am very pro-life in case you were wondering) with rape I've always engaged that conversation a little differently. I firmly believe that you have no right to speak to a person if you don't have the courtesy to acknowledge how difficult it must be to walk in their shoes. Even Jesus knows what it's like for us when we struggle.

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.”

It is important especially as Christians to live with compassion but there is a fine line between compassion and compromise. While we pursue things in love, we don't have the luxury of letting our feelings determine the truth. The truth is what it is regardless of the situations and circumstances surrounding it.  No one in their right mind would contest that rape is a completely horrible thing to experience and that it extends beyond what anyone who hasn’t gone through it can comprehend. Yet the truth remains that it is wrong to put an end to the life of an unborn child and human being. It is no less killing because that child isn't born yet. It is a living, breathing being. The pain, hurt and feelings (all functions of the flesh) tell us that the sensible thing to do is to end that life and not have to live with a reminder of the horror of that experience. The Spirit however says my grace is sufficient enough for you to conquer the hurt from that experience and go from victim to victor. #

Make no mistake, the flesh and the Spirit are always in opposition which is why it is important to be Spirit and not feelings led. No matter how much you love God, if you lead with your emotions and what your natural mind tells you to do, you will compromise. Feelings by design are bad leaders. Every time you find yourself trying to 'reason out' a situation and you start a sentence with 'I feel ' it's time to go back to what the word has to say about that thing and speak to God for instructions.

It is crucial at this juncture to point out that God's instructions are always in line with the word. You need to be discerning about what it is you hear when you are praying. I'm being emphatic about this because I've heard people say they were asking God for a sign or instructions and they finally found it. Yet somehow said instructions did not line up with God's word on that specific issue. If that happens to you, be rest assured, it was not God speaking to you. It was the ultimate copycat, the devil. God's instructions will always check out with what the word of God says.

 When we let our emotions determine what's acceptable based on circumstances, we think we are being compassionate but we're not. We often forget that our decisions and witnessing for God before other people is the difference between attaining salvation and walking the path to destruction for them. If we really have love in our hearts for these people, we would set feelings aside and summon up courage to tell them the truth, because their lives (eternal life) depend on it.

So yeah, being a millennial Christian in an era that just loves to love grey areas, isn't the easiest of feats and compassion without compromise is to many young Christians, what physics is to an Arts Major. It's hard and it's difficult but it's also Kingdom. It will get very rugged to manage the balance many times but we are soldiers enlisted in the army of God and it's time we start acting like it.