There was a recent Pew Poll that showed a decline in Christianity in America.  Before we get into a funk and say that the Pew Poll stinks, we need to take a look at the numbers a little more closely.  Although the stats do show that parts of Christianity are decreasing, there are a few bright spots and I think that those are worth a  little bit of examination.  The picture might not be as bleak as many want to paint it.

Proverbs 25:4 says, “Remove impurities from silver, and a vessel will be produced for a silversmith.” 

In Malachi we also read, “And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” (Malachi 3:3) 

I think these two verses have corporate and individual implications. I also believe that we can find comfort in these words in relation to our present times.

There is a story of a few ladies who came across these verses and they decided to visit a local silversmith to find out more about the refining of silver and how it applied to these words. They had already decided that the verses were intended to convey the sanctifying influence of the grace of Christ, but they wanted to know if there was more to the verses. So one of the ladies went to the silversmith and he explained the whole process. “But, Sir,” she said when he was finished, “do you sit while the work of refining is going on?”

“Oh, yes, madam,” replied the silversmith; “I must sit with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured.”  The lady at once saw the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression, “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” Sometimes we wonder if God sees our difficulties, but God is intently watching, knowing exactly how much heat will refine and not damage.  As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith called her back, and said he had forgotten to mention that the only way that he knew when the process of purifying is complete when he could see his own image reflected in the silver….

God is refining us as individuals through the sanctification process and as He can see His reflection in our lives, we will be more and more equipped for the spiritual challenges we face.  As the silver is heated the dross or impurities are brought to the top where they can be removed a little at a time, making the silver purer with each scoop. It is reassuring that God is not absent in our refining, but He is a Master Craftsman watching every part of our process. He knows how much heat we can take to remove the bad until that day when we go to be with Him and are perfected.

What then does this have to do with the Pew Poll that shows Christianity declining in America?  I will go more into this tomorrow, but for now let’s say that God is refining the Body of Christ much in the same way that He is refining the members of His body.  The Pew Poll finds that those who consider themselves Christians have dropped from 78% to 70% in just a few years and the drop is incrementally increasing every year.  I don’t think this is indicative of a fleeing from the church as much as it is an admission of the truth.

We have had what are called nominal Christians in our churches for a long time.  They have just not felt as free to admit it before now.  In the past if someone revealed that he was an atheist, agnostic, or secularist, there was a certain amount of baggage that came along with the admission.  We were a predominantly Christian nation, so to claim a non-believing status was a bit dangerous for the reputation.  Not any more.  Society has loosened the reigns and now people feel free to admit their non-religious feelings without any negative repercussions. In fact, it has reached the point where admitting a deep-held set of spiritual beliefs carries more danger than the alternative.

What the Pew Poll really reveals is the true and long-standing beliefs of many who have been marking the box Christian for expediency sake.  Many were never committed to the Christian faith to begin with.  

There are three types of Christians in America today.  Cultural, Congregational, and Convictional.  Nominal Christians are usually found in the first two categories, which also include certain types of churches. Convictional Christians are on the rise and cultural and congregational Christians are on the wane.  The dross is being removed.  As the heat against Christianity rises, more and more people reveal their true relationship to the Lord.

In some parts of the world the pot boils over.  Many Christians are facing imprisonment and death for their beliefs. Are any of those people who refuse to deny their faith of the nominal type?  No, these are sold out believers who know that God is real, Jesus is the Savior, and the Holy Spirit is the Comforter.  Do we really think that any of these martyrs are once-a-year churchtains who live lives totally separate from Christ’s teaching.  It is doubtful.  Who would be willing to die for Someone they aren’t even willing to live for?

So the Pew Poll (which I will break down more next week) is just an opportunity for people to openly reveal their true selves.It must be a relief for many to be able to finally check the “none” box on religious affiliation instead of trying to fool the world.  The poll separates out those who believe “the LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”  (Exodus 15:2)  Many have said that with their lips because it used to be the thing to say. That is no longer the case, so more and more are admitting what they really praise.

There are, of course, people who were committed to the church who have left.  Often times they have been faced with a fork in the road where God’s desires and their own desires diverge and they leave the faith.  But for any one committed Christian who deserts the church there are hundreds who leave never being committed in the first place.  When a battle begins, those who stay the longest are the ones most committed to the cause.  Right now in the Middle East there are thousands who are committed unto death.  We are finding out in America that often times commitment is not an act, but just a word, so it is easily set aside.

We cannot have true fellowship with Christ without commitment.  If we want to experience the abundance of being sons and daughters of  Christ we must be committed to Him.  As things get more difficult in our world we will see who is committed and who is not.  The Pew Poll does not reveal a new phenomenon, but a long-existing condition.  There is an old joke about a guy who dons a devil costume around Halloween and thinks it would be funny to run into a church service.  As he runs up and down the pews scaring people who are scattering all over the place, one man stands up and says, “I don’t know about the rest of these people, but I have been on your side all along.”  We don’t have as many people jumping ship as we have people revealing what ship they have always been in.  What the Pew Poll does tell us is that we have a greater need than ever for the spread of the saving knowledge of Christ.  Nominal Christians will not do that.  Committed Christians must.