As a young man, I did a lot of foolish things in order to gain the acceptance of my friends.  Even as a young adult, I can remember too many instances in which I committed acts of stupidity in order to fit in.  Now as a more experienced adult, I find I still am not immune to this.  Peer pressure is a dynamic that we all have to deal with in our lives.  We all feel a desire for acceptance by our friends and co-workers, and that influences our behavior – often negatively.  This dynamic also plays out in the broader level of entire societies. 

An ever-fluctuating list of social norms rules what is typically acceptable behavior in a society.  This is good in many instances.  A society that values human life will find behaviors that minimize the importance of human life to be abnormal and unacceptable.  However, we find ourselves living in an increasingly secular society, in which claims to absolute truth in religion are deemed divisive and intolerant.  This secular social dynamic has made public expressions of our faith taboo, and many of us are reluctant to proclaim even the name of our savior with confidence.  We can no longer afford to let societal pressures make us ashamed of our faith, or afraid to publicly proclaim it!

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Rev. Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse is someone I admire for his fearless proclamation of the gospel – regardless of the venue.  I’ve seen him interviewed many times on many different subjects on the various cable news networks.  No matter what topic he is invited to discuss, he always finds a way to bring it around to proclaim the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.  Some in our secular society that promote tolerance of all faiths and practices except Christianity criticize Graham for being divisive.  I think he’s a good example of what being a fearless contender is all about.

Have you ever noticed that even Christians sometimes have difficulty saying the name of Jesus Christ around people who are unbelievers?  We find it easy to say “God,” but seem to choke on the name of Jesus.  Why is that?  I think it comes from a fear of being slapped with a “divisive” or “exclusivist” label.  With the exception of atheists, many religions profess a faith in some sort of god.  Therefore, it is not a big risk to speak of God.  However, many cringe when we speak the name of Jesus. 

When the name of Jesus goes unspoken long enough, it becomes accepted as a social taboo.  Our silence and reticence in proclaiming the gospel of JESUS is contributing to the marginalization of our faith.  How can we expect people to want to put their faith in Someone whose name we are afraid to speak? 

Every Christian needs to take a moment of introspection.  We must examine what it means to be a Christian.  Think about the inimitable grace we have been shown through the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  Ponder the boundless love that omnipotent God demonstrated by justifying us through the shed blood of Christ.  Consider that we are, in and of ourselves, completely unworthy of the salvation that Jesus freely gives us.  Now, ask yourselves if Jesus has asked too much of us in commanding us to share his name among all nations (Matthew 28:18-20).  Is it too great a sacrifice on our part to say His name publicly and proudly?  If we don’t start proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ collectively and individually, His name will continue to slide into social obscurity, and our message will become a social taboo. 

Are we grateful to God for our salvation?  Do we understand and comprehend the depths of His love that He showed us as He hung on the cross, bearing our sins?  Jesus doesn’t want us to be ashamed of Him (Luke 9:26).  Paul exhorted Timothy, and all of us, to present ourselves as approved workmen, who “need not be ashamed” (2 Timothy 2:15).  In Romans 1:16, Paul said something very moving: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”  May we never be too embarrassed or afraid to say the name of our Lord who purchased our salvation through the shedding of His blood.  Let us all commit ourselves to being fearless contenders, boldly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.