Authentic Living in a Divisive Age

Nobody would argue, we live in a divisive age. When I watch Fox News and MSNBC, I feel the ideological divisiveness, but when I look at my neighbors, I don't see us living that differently. Isn't that interesting?

If a worldview doesn't change how we live, how practically impactful is the ideological divide? Just like "faith without works is dead" (James 2:17), ideology without living authentic to that belief system is moot.

Authentic living can be defined as living a life that is aligned with our core beliefs. Do we do this as Christians?

If we are all living authentically ... A Vegan should live differently than a Carnivore. A Muslim should live differently than a Mormon. A Marxist should live differently than a Capitalist. A Christian should live differently than an Atheist.

When someone does not live authentically, we often call this hypocrisy. This word originates from a Greek term, hypokrite, used to describe an actor in the theater, many who wore masks to play a role that was different than who they were. Actors then, as they do now, masterfully become a role that is not authentic to who they truly are, e.g. Anthony Hopkins is a nice person but plays Hannibal Lecter convincingly. He is a hypokrite, but hypocrisy has a negative connotation off-stage. 

Jesus used that Greek term multiple times to describe the Pharisees who would pray to get praise (Matthew 6:5), worship God with their lips but hate him with their hearts (Matthew 7:6) and look perfect on the outside but are evil on the inside (Matthew 23:27-28). Even though Christ warned so strongly against hypocrisy, Christians have always struggled with hypocrisy. Jesus even said to his early disciples, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46). This has continued to modern times as Gandhi famously challenged, "I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

Many people do not follow a lifestyle that aligns with their ideology due to ignorance (e.g., a Marxist may not know how a Marxist is supposed to live), but Christians are given, in God's word, a guide for living. Additionally, Christians are held to a higher standard, called to live set apart (I Peter 2:9), not conformed to the patterns of this world and transformed by the gospel (Romans 12:2). Unfortunately, there are many examples in both my life and in the life of modern Christians who are conformed to the thinking of the world and who do not look/act differently than the world.

We look similar to our neighbors because we follow common "patterns of this world" that worship the  idols of our time. You can evaluate these idols by asking two questions -- 

1. What do you love more than anything? 
2. What do we put our faith in?

If you look at my "neighborhood" we love money above all things, and we put our faith in our bank accounts and future financial security. We love entertainment, primarily sports and put our faith in teams that we follow with religious dedication. We love personal happiness that drives us to pursue recreation, leisure, pleasure, and "me time." We love our families and re-arrange all schedules to allow us to spend time in the pursuit of happiness with them. We put our faith in humanity and technology to solve all the local and global problems. Money, entertainment, happiness, families, and human innovation are not necessarily formal ideologies, but most people live authentically in line with these loves. 

Hedonists who pursue happiness at all costs are living authentically to their ideology. Secular Humanists who look only to humans and our intellect to solve the world's problems are living authentically, Nationalist who put their faith in political leaders and a country's laws/constitution are living authentically to that ideology. Greedy, materialists who are only concerned about making more money and getting more things are living authentically. Non-Christians are actually living authentically. 

I'm not sure about your neighborhood, but in my neighborhood, we all look quite similar because I am a hypocrite. 

Augustine classically framed this conversation by discussing "ordered loves": essentially, if we say that God is the most important love of our life, our life should align with that priority. After that, all other loves are ordered after God.

Do we place God first and strive to live in obedience to His word? If we do, we would look different from our neighbors.

Let us pray that our difference will bring glory to God.