An Unholy Silence - an Article by Randy Rocket (Randall Alan Fultz)
An Unholy Silence
Copyright 2000 by Randall Alan Fultz.
An Unholy Silence - by Randy Fultz
There is a great truth stated in the New Testament writings of James, the brother of our Lord, where he exhorts all believers to keep a tight reign upon our tongues. The tongue is the strongest muscle in our bodies. Its capacities range from speaking words of healing and life, to loosing havoc or sowing the seeds of ultimate destruction.
Words of kindness can give life, they can bring forgiveness, they can liberate the soul. But words which are spoken flippantly, insensitively, or in anger, can be a source of deep offense, lifelong spiritual wounding, or even death. Destructive words can be spontaneous, or deliberate and calculated. Much like a guided missile targeted to harm or damage another's soul, words can be spitefully launched to cause the utmost damage upon impact.
Today, there is an ever-increasing need to speak out against the rampant sin and moral disintegration that pervades our culture. There is a dissolution of all common standards of moral decency and courtesy. The family is splintering or fragmented. We are rushing around, going too fast, trying to do too much. We are awash in the waves of violence and crime, and there is an across-the-board rejection of anything that even remotely reflects traditional Judeo-Christian values....
Are we (the American Church) speaking out; are we truly making any difference? As a general observation, we would appear to be doing a rather poor job of standing up for what we so ardently say we believe in. To some, it might appear that we're simply going along for the joyride and pleasures that our society offers us, while we simply pay lip-service to God. How many Americans who profess to be Christians are living, or even trying to live, lives that are different - lives of Holiness? Are our lives are essentially no different than the rest of those around us who do not know of Christ? Are we abdicating our duties and responsibilities, and silently ignoring the Commandments that God Himself has given us?
How many today are truly speaking out? How many are living pure and sanctified lives for God? And how many are willingly risking social ostracism (or outright persecution) by doing so? Jesus told us that "You will be hated by all men on account of me", and "Whoever denies me before men, him will I deny before my Father". Is not our lack of speaking up or refusing to take strong action be a kind of denial of Jesus Christ Himself - the One to whom we so openly promise our undying allegiance?
How effective are we Christian believers in America today? How well are we evangelizing our country, or the rest of the world? How many NEW believers do you know personally, and did you have any active part in drawing them to Jesus Christ?
Are we simply being socially acceptable and polite, not wanting to take a chance of possibly offending others, or looking foolish, by talking to them about God? Are we being SO considerate, SO polite, and SO politically-correct that we are willingly letting people never hear - and thus never get a chance to receive - salvation through hearing the Gospel?
Who hates wimpy Christians, anyway? No one! We meet no resistance, unless we openly defy the unspoken rules of silence and tolerance within our perverse society and dare to stand up, or share our faith, or speak out about sin, immorality, injustice or judgement.
It seems to be NOT okay to talk about God or Jesus Christ in any setting today except within the cloistered, safe walls of a Church - or maybe in the exclusive company of other believers. Don't dare to talk about Jesus in the halls of academia, or in political circles, or at our kids PTA meetings, or at our places of employment! The True and Living God has been legislated, banished, and expelled from our politically-correct national consciousness, and all around us our country is suffering...
But don't talk about it; don't say a word to your neighbors! It would not be honoring diversity! It would be politically incorrect, and would most likely be offensive to others! You see, the only socially acceptable moral or ethical standard is that there ARE no standards! And it is considered a form of bigotry to have ANY absolutes, because if you mention them, you are then seen to be judging someone else... No one wants to be seen as a bigot, therefore we are easily intimidated and silenced. Meanwhile, the whole world, and countless precious souls, are headed to Hell. We stand mute, with the Answers to Life - Jesus and the Gospel - silenced within us.
This, I say, is an UNHOLY silence, and the Church - all those who trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and truly desire to obey God - need to speak up! Let us speak up with conviction, with compassion, and with love. All around us are lost, empty and brokenhearted people, and their ONLY hope is Jesus Christ. We have the opportunity and, I believe, the obligation to share the GOOD News! Let's stand up for Jesus. Let's speak up, and break this Unholy Silence.
My Prayer
May we drop to our knees and humbly ask God's forgiveness for these blatant sins of omission. May we petition His Spirit's leading to grant us words of both grace and boldness. May He bring us out of silence, and powerfully transform us into fearless, outspoken witnesses for HIM!
"Now many will hear of the wonderful things He has done for me, & put their trust in Him"(Ps 40:3)
E-Mail Randy at:.randyrocket@juno.com
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