Historical, orthodox Christianity in USA version 1 certainly faces dangers – opposition from outside, as well as heresy from the inside. From a long-term perspective, there’s nothing new about this: the first-century Church faced more danger from both these sources than we do today. From a short-term perspective (namely, the view from, ahem, late middle age back to childhood) however, both of these dangers appear to be increasing, because they are. We need to understand, though, that the historical anomaly was America prior to 1960, not America today.
The American Church is not persecuted yet, though we are likely moving in that direction. How, then, are we to conduct ourselves? I would suggest that the best answer is to go back to our primary sources, and see how first-century Christians were encouraged to conduct themselves under even worse circumstances (active persecution from governmental and non-Christian religious sources, active heresies within the Church before there were written doctrines to protect orthodoxy). That is, look at the narrative in Acts and the doctrinal exhortations in the Epistles.
I encourage all of us to “read the whole thing,” but here is a short summary:
- Persecution:
- Obey God rather than men.
- Pray for governmental leaders (specifically that they will allow us to live quiet, peaceful lives).
- Rely on each other (and be reliable! – we are all members of one body).
- Behave in love and integrity toward each other (specifically before outsiders).
- Behave with wisdom and grace toward outsiders.
- Heresy: