Let your light shine

How Christianity is viewed from a secular college standpoint often depends upon the attitudes and actions of the Christians attending that particular college. Evangelical groups formed on campus, no doubt have a positive effect on other classmates and even professors. However, the effectiveness of these groups depends largely on how they respond to criticism from other individuals at that school. Of course the majority of non-believers will bring opposition towards the Christian individual or group. There are a multitude of reasons for this and I could go on wasting another few paragraphs on this topic, but that is not the point of this article, so I will go on. Matthew 7:20 says "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." How are you known? Here the Bible lets us know that if we're living the way God commands, that people will know. Our fruits will prove our stand on Christianity. Making a clear stand for Christ is a very black and white issue. Its obvious to the Bible believing Christian what choice should be made in most overall situations. It’s the little things that we hang ourselves on.

Our actions toward these seemingly difficult situations and decisions will prove our spiritual walk. On the view of discrimination of Young Earth Creationists at secular universities. It is plainly seen that when a professor refuses to write a recommendation for a student that believes in a young earth strictly on the grounds that the student is incompetent, that this is wrong. It’s hardly "fair" and could be used, very easily, as an excuse to have a little bit of "godly anger". But wait. What will seem like a difficult question is in fact very easy.

What should be done when a professor discriminates against a creationist on false grounds? 1 Thessalonians 5:15 says "See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men." So again I ask what should be done? Should the offended person separate themselves from all outside groups and start a small Christian riot group against discriminating professors? Sometimes we can feel like we have the right to do something, possibly not as silly as this, but just as wrong. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if we were Jesus, being falsely accused before Pilot, we would feel we had the right to have the same attitude that they had toward us. We can easily see the first part of that verse, "See that none render evil for evil unto any man". So is that the answer? No. We need to avoid what a lot of Christians do when they don't want to give 100 % in doing the will of God. We must finish the rest of the verse and apply it. "See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men." There’s our answer. Follow that which is good not just among fellow Christians but also to all men.

Too many times we get into the habit of separating ourselves from the world too early. Maybe we get scared of tradition or what others will think. But what does the Bible mean when it says, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." (2 Corinthians 6:17) Is this drawing a line in the sand and telling us to stay on one side and the world on the other? If so, why in Luke 5 does Jesus go with sinners to eat and drink? We must realize that separating ourselves from the world and drawing a line in the sand are two different things. Now back to the main point of this article. While it is easy to let our feelings, on topics like the recommendations for Creationist, get in the way of doing what scripture commands, we must guard ourselves against being what non-believers think of us, and doing what God expects of us.

Between letting the way we feel God wants us to react to these situations and doing the will of God through examination of the scripture and a dedicated life to God, we must make the right decision and "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) If we expect the hearts of the opposition to change it is up to us to live the life God has called us to live.