Mark 8:38, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
Those words of Jesus certainly mean, as you suggest, to deny Christ. But it could also mean that, in the midst of a Christ-rejecting people, we recoil from the Truth, whether we choose to keep quiet or even speak words that are so diluted so as to not offend anyone. We live in a World where we're being told that it's not right to offend anyone's person or beliefs. And this is correct, but when we then altogether refuse to speak up (in love & concern) for what is right & ordained in God's Word, then there is little difference to the one who is outwardly a denier of Christ in the midst of testing or persecution.
Not all Christians can be of the calibre of standing & preaching the Gospel to a crowd, but then again, most would rather keep their 'faith' private, sometimes so private that another person hardly notices that any difference. I'm retired now, but whenever I applied for a job earlier & the opportunity was there, I made sure that I stated that I was a Christian & adhered to biblical values & that my work ethic is based on my faith. Not that my position in Christ should have made any difference to the prospective employer, but I believed that the foundation was laid from the beginning, so any other action or event subsequent to it, could be seen as a result of my faith which was real & active. Of course, I too was under their scrutiny to live the Christian life before them. It's always a good policy to let others know of your new life in Christ, even in passing, for no other reason that to give you the incentive & boldness to live your life out, without reservation, before men.
Those words of Jesus certainly mean, as you suggest, to deny Christ. But it could also mean that, in the midst of a Christ-rejecting people, we recoil from the Truth, whether we choose to keep quiet or even speak words that are so diluted so as to not offend anyone. We live in a World where we're being told that it's not right to offend anyone's person or beliefs. And this is correct, but when we then altogether refuse to speak up (in love & concern) for what is right & ordained in God's Word, then there is little difference to the one who is outwardly a denier of Christ in the midst of testing or persecution.
Not all Christians can be of the calibre of standing & preaching the Gospel to a crowd, but then again, most would rather keep their 'faith' private, sometimes so private that another person hardly notices that any difference. I'm retired now, but whenever I applied for a job earlier & the opportunity was there, I made sure that I stated that I was a Christian & adhered to biblical values & that my work ethic is based on my faith. Not that my position in Christ should have made any difference to the prospective employer, but I believed that the foundation was laid from the beginning, so any other action or event subsequent to it, could be seen as a result of my faith which was real & active. Of course, I too was under their scrutiny to live the Christian life before them. It's always a good policy to let others know of your new life in Christ, even in passing, for no other reason that to give you the incentive & boldness to live your life out, without reservation, before men.
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