Bold as a Lion?
by Pastor Bill Pevlor

     A scripture that has given me much to think about this week is Proverbs 28:1: “The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” When I hold this scripture up to a picture of today’s Christians, the people who claim to know God and live by his standards, a blizzard of questions flood my mind.

     Where are the “righteous” in our land? Where are the “righteous” in our community? Where are the “bold as a lion” standard bearers of Christianity? The last statistics I read indicated a large majority of Americans claim to be Christians. You would think, if a majority of our society were truly Christian, the evidence of our commitment to Christ would be profound.

     I am open to other input on the matter, but as I see it, there are two major reasons the Church has such limited impact. First, a good portion of those claiming to be Christians are not what they claim to be. Second, those who are truly Christians are not the bold, lion-like creatures we are called to be.

     The Bible says “the righteous are as bold as a lion”. I know that a lot of Christians get hung up on the thought of being “righteous.” But the truth is, real Christians are righteous. Second Corinthians, chapter five, verse 21 verifies our righteousness by telling us “God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” If you are “in Christ” (a Christian) than you are “righteous.” 

     It is not anything we do that attains this righteous standing before God. It is what Jesus did. “Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” (2 Corinthians 3:4-5) It is that confidence that should produce the boldness in our lives.

     Instead of boldly representing biblical standards, we’ve been shrinking back. We allow immorality and ungodliness to increase because many in our ranks have joined the immoral and ungodly in their pursuits.

     I am astonished by the findings of “lifestyle” research that shows very little difference between Christians and non-Christians. The divorce rate in the Church is nearly identical with the world. Statistics concerning premarital and extra-marital sexual activity show little or no difference between the Church and the world. And, get this, Christians gamble more than non-Christians.

     We shrink back because it’s awkward to speak out against the ills of our society when we are their willing partners. To avoid the sting of a deserved accusatory finger pointing at us, we shrink back, ignoring our God-given responsibility to be “salt” and “light” to the world around us. (Matthew 5:13-16) After all, who are we to talk.

     Because we have not held up a standard of righteousness the wicked have flourished. They are the ones who have become “bold as lions.” It is common, acceptable and expected for both men and women to brag about their sexual exploits. Celebrities who are noted for sleeping with multitudes are elevated to a god-like status. Pornographers are bragging about their “artistic” achievements. Homosexuals have not only come out of the closet, they’ve gone on parade. Christian bashing is fashionable. Why? Because we have been shrinking back.

     The book of Hebrews talks about “shrinking back.” In chapter 10, starting in verse 35, it says “So don’t throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”

     Come on Christians! Are we the wicked who flee or are we the righteous who are bold as Lions? Let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12). Let us be the “salt” and “light” Jesus calls us to be.

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