…many of the authorities believed in Him, but for the fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it … for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. (John 12:42-43 ESV)

The Bible quotation above is especially relevant in today’s contentious society where a person, public or private, may be harassed and assaulted because of their beliefs. It’s no wonder many of us are loathe to profess support of a political person or idea.  However, this is nothing new. For as long as Christianity has existed there have been factions and governments attempting to suppress and destroy it. Even in modern times, we may read of people being killed for refusing to renounce their faith in Jesus.

Things haven’t reached such a pass in the United States, but the wave of intolerance is creeping up. Individuals and businesses are targeted with lawsuits and boycotts simply for trying to live a Christian life. Politicians deny long-held truths and beliefs in order to curry favor with their more extreme and vocal followers. The temptation is everywhere to lay low and stay out of the line of fire of the social media mobs.

While professing Christians are not, yet, being put to death in Western society, we are encouraged to keep our faith to ourselves in order to avoid mockery, derision, and to remain in the good graces of our modern day social justice and LGBT Pharisees.

Scripture tells us that if we deny Christ in this world, he will not recognize us in the hereafter. This warning should give all believers pause. We can loudly deny Christ with our actions, or with in-action and silence, and give away our hope of Glory in exchange for the empty promise of approval from a capricious society.

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 NIV)