Unbelievers Are Gonna Act Like Unbelievers

Do you ever wonder why we often expect Non-Christians to act and "dress" like Christians? This is something I wonder about a lot, especially when dealing with teenagers. Last week, we had four teenage guys (who have not said or done anything to suggest that they are Christians) running and playing in the baptistery. (No it wasn't full of water, but it probably would have been a bit more interesting if it was.) They didn't break anything, but they were disobedient and disrespectful in their actions. On one hand, part of me wishes these guys wouldn't come back until they can get their act together, but on the other hand I am reminded in Paul's letter to the Ephesians that before Christ made us alive, we were dead in trespasses and sin (2:1). Our Wednesday night youth service is a time when have the most unbelievers attend. If according to God's Word, these students are dead in their sins, how can I expect them to act like those who are alive in Christ. Think about it for a second. How can we expect those that are spiritually dead to look and act spiritually alive? Have you ever seen a dead man walk or do good deeds? Isaiah tells us that before Christ makes us alive, all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Is. 64:6). OK, so you're asking, what's the point about all this?

The first point is that unbelievers are gonna act like unbelievers. I know that sounds pretty obvious, practically a DUH moment, but how many Christians actually understand it? As long as there are unbelievers in the world, sin will continue to grow because these people are spiritually dead. As Christians, we have Christ living inside us and have the ability to choose good and overcome evil, but unbelievers do not. Why then are we shocked when we see unbelievers practicing open homosexuality, murdering their babies, and sleeping with anything that moves? Unbelievers will act like unbelievers; they have no regard for Christ because they are in the dark and dead spiritually.

The second point is that as lovers of Christ and lovers of good, we must not keep unbelievers out of the church. Again, to some, this is super obvious; however, there are many that want to keep the unbelievers as far away from the church as possible. My wife, Hollie, is a nurse at a hospital. The whole reason that a hospital exists is for the fact of receiving in the sick in hopes to help them become well. The church is to be like a hospital by taking in the spiritually dead in hopes that they will be made alive in Christ. Even Jesus stated that "those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick (Matt. 9:12)." We are called to reach out to those that are in need of a spiritual transformation in Christ. I point this out because all too often Christians (at least so called Christians) within the church don't care to see anyone in the church that doesn't look and act like them. How are we going to minister and share Christ with the unbelievers if they are not allowed among Christ followers? I can guarantee that most unbelievers will not look, dress, or act like the Christians in the church. They don't have respect or regard for what we as Christians hold dear because they don't have Christ alive inside of them. Christ does not and did not tell us to clean ourselves up and then He will come in. He told us to come just as we are, and He'll do the cleaning. Therefore, when the homosexual or the prostitute or the kid with all the tattoos comes into the church, we should not shun them or grumble about them, but welcome them with anticipation of what Christ will do in their lives.

May we never again get upset when an unbeliever does something "wrong" in the church, but rejoice that the unbeliever has stepped into the hospital.