Today, Be a Roman

In Romans 1, Paul commends the brothers and sisters in Rome because their faith is spoken about in all the world. Their faith was remarkable. Rome was a place that was a center for pagan worship. It just wasn't somewhere that you would expect Christians to be. Rome was a very hierarchical, secular, even sensual society that gave every opportunity for sin. 

Christianity told them that there was no Jew or Greek; they were no better than anyone else. It told them to be focused on things of the next world, not the Roman Empire. Their faith told them to deny their lusts and seek purity. It told them to pray for their enemies, serve the poor, and treat women with an unprecedented amount of respect. Christianity was counter-culture, and people noticed their faith (or faithfulness). 

In Revelation 3, we read of a church with the opposite problem. If you've read my previous devos, you have probably read about this already, so I will spare you the details, but God via John criticizes the church in Laodicea for possessing a faith that was lukewarm. They were believers, but their faith was unremarkable. They served no use to God. If you feel like more detail, here's the link to that devo. 

First century society is pretty comparable to our own. We may be secularized even more than Rome was. Faith isn't even something we even advertise any longer. They may have worshiped a lot of gods, but it didn't call them to be more moral people. We don't have rigid hierarchy like Rome did, but people do tend to judge others for what they have whether we like to admit it or not. The poor are lazy and the rich are hard working, right? We might even have Rome beat on the sensuality side of things now. Not only is porn addiction more common than an enduring marriage, but sexual sins are glorified. Just like Rome, we live in a world that turns morality on its head and calls sin "good" and purity "prudish" (say that 5 times fast). 

In a world like this, we are given a choice to be like the Christians at Rome or the Christians at Laodicea. Christianity is counter-culture, and it has been for most of history. Christianity is quite the opposite of "When in Rome... (am I even allowed to finish this saying? Okay good.)... do as the Romans do." Ironically, the Roman Christians didn't! In Christ's words, "you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world." (John 15:19) When the Romans acted "out of this world," people noticed. Their faith was talked about. 

Today, be a Roman. When given the opportunity to act like the world, be remarkable. 

-Jeff Griffith