Hope College: More Calling - Less Career
As we’ve seen the reaction of the culture to Christians in light of the recent gay US and UK marriage decision, we keep coming back to these words: Whatever the nature of their creed, stubbornness and inflexible obstinacy surely deserve to be punished.
Those words aren’t from a current judge who wants to force Christian bakers, florists, or photographers to perform their services for the "wedding" of two men or two women. Or the words of a judge trying to stop a street preacher talking about the sin of homosexuality. They’re much older.
Pliny the Younger, a second-century Roman governor, wrote that statement to the emperor when he was dealing with Christians for not bowing to the demands of the state. Rome saw believers as enemies of mankind—"haters," if you will—simply because they wouldn’t agree with everything society said was true.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Pliny’s words remind us that from the beginning, God’s people have been misunderstood and accused of hatred and bigotry. Such accusations put us in a long line of godly men and women who have suffered for Christ.
These believers loved their enemies and made an articulate case for Christianity. That’s how we must respond today. Our noble calling is to gently and respectfully give an answer for our hope (1 Peter 3:15).
Hope College Australia assists believers in giving this answer. We proclaim the reasons for our faith through the 1 year to 3 year ministry training courses. We welcome international students. Our fees are low and for Australian students there is VET fee help. We have four terms a year - so you can enrol anytime. More details: hopecollege.com
We seek to do this without dumbing down the Christian faith or speaking over the heads of our neighbors. Only by proclaiming the truths of Christianity in an understandable way will we reach the culture.
Those words aren’t from a current judge who wants to force Christian bakers, florists, or photographers to perform their services for the "wedding" of two men or two women. Or the words of a judge trying to stop a street preacher talking about the sin of homosexuality. They’re much older.
Pliny the Younger, a second-century Roman governor, wrote that statement to the emperor when he was dealing with Christians for not bowing to the demands of the state. Rome saw believers as enemies of mankind—"haters," if you will—simply because they wouldn’t agree with everything society said was true.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Pliny’s words remind us that from the beginning, God’s people have been misunderstood and accused of hatred and bigotry. Such accusations put us in a long line of godly men and women who have suffered for Christ.
These believers loved their enemies and made an articulate case for Christianity. That’s how we must respond today. Our noble calling is to gently and respectfully give an answer for our hope (1 Peter 3:15).
Hope College Australia assists believers in giving this answer. We proclaim the reasons for our faith through the 1 year to 3 year ministry training courses. We welcome international students. Our fees are low and for Australian students there is VET fee help. We have four terms a year - so you can enrol anytime. More details: hopecollege.com
We seek to do this without dumbing down the Christian faith or speaking over the heads of our neighbors. Only by proclaiming the truths of Christianity in an understandable way will we reach the culture.
