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There is nothing worse than thinking one thing and finding out that reality is altogether different. For hundreds of thousands of soldiers in WWI, the fanciful, boyhood vision of warfare was utterly destroyed by the reality of the trenches. All images and pretense of glory were wiped away by weeks on end in muddy pits, chlorine, mustard and phosgene gasses, and charges en masse into machine gun fire. The world learned very quickly that there was nothing lovely about war.
When you hear the word “Christian” what images come to mind? Because we live in a country like the United States, our perceptions about what a Christian is or what a Christian does are likely to be very different than the reality experienced by first century Christians. Modern American Christianity exists in brightly lit buildings with vaulted ceilings. Finely dressed men and women sit on padded pews in air conditioned comfort. In some places you will even find rock bands, movies, musicals, theatrics, donuts and coffee, bowling alleys, flashy speakers and feel good messages. These are the modern American “boyhood visions” of Christianity.
In James 1.26-27, the Lord’s brother brings the reality of Christianity home. The word “religious” in v.26 refers to outward signs of religious ceremony without inward devotion. This is the only time the word appears in the New Testament, and it appears to warn people that pretended piety isn’t enough. Singing without mechanical instruments, listening to a sermon, or even taking the Lord’s supper on the right day of the week are not enough to please God in and of themselves. This is because, as James is emphatically telling Christians in the first century, Christianity is not a religion; it is a way of life. Christianity is not about believing the right things; it is about doing the right things because of what one believes. The reality that we must all come to accept and to live by is that Christianity is not a clean religion; it is a very dirty religion. Christianity exists in the trenches.
It exists in the trenches because Christians are locked in mortal combat with sin. Christians are those people who have been transferred out of the domain of darkness into the kingdom of God’s beloved son (Colossians 1.13). They have made their citizenship in heaven rather than here on earth (Philippians 3.20). Because of this, the devil prowls like a roaring lion seeking to devour them (1 Peter 5.8). External rites are of little use in a battle for the people’s souls. Inward transformation must take place, and service that is offered to God must be service that is truly spiritual (John 4.24). Daily, our minds must be renewed; daily, our lives must be offered as living sacrifices to God; daily, we must think of things that are above, or else we will fall away from the God who loves us and saves us (Romans 12.1-2, Colossians 3.2). If we ignore the battle that rages inside us between the Spirit and the flesh, then surely we will lose the war.
Christianity exists in the trenches because it is a life of self sacrifice and service. James goes on to say that pure and undefiled religion is one that ministers other people. It serves and cares for others who are unable to care for themselves (James 1.27). What good is it if we know that someone has a need but we are unwilling to meet it (James 2.16)? A faith that refuses to help other people is a dead faith (2.17).
Christianity exists in the trenches because it exists in the world (John 17.15). Those who give themselves to God do so amidst a wicked and perverse generation, a generation that loves darkness rather than light (John 3.19). It is the job of the Christian to preach and teach the gospel of Christ to all mankind without becoming stained by the world (James 1.27). It is the job of the Christian to teach and preach because they love mankind, all of mankind, despite the hatred and reviling they receive in return.
Being a Christian is not an easy task, but the Lord did not call us to “easy”. The Lord has called us to an eternal glory which is received after a life of faithful service in the trenches.
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