Christians are not Chameleons

Announcements

– Please pray for me. I’ll leave for Catania Italy, followed by a trip to England. I’ll be gone for 17-18 days depending on flight time. Pray for Pastor Jacob leading Youth Group for the next little bit until I get back.

– Feast of Purim on the 11th at the church. Everyone is invited.

– St. Pat’s Party next Sunday.

Pray

– Pray for the trip.

– Pray that we wouldn’t just blend.

Introduction

Give me a list of your favorite places, things, and people.

What are you willing to do to stay close to those places, things and people.

What if staying close to those places, things, and people meant that you had to hide something about yourself that those places, things, or people don’t like so you didn’t get criticized, hurt, or persecuted? Would you do it?

It was a couple of years ago at Summer Camp Mike Thibodeux shared a message about being a Christian Chameleon. Chameleons are incredible in that they can change their appearance to match their surroundings. It’s a form of camouflage that keeps them from getting eaten by their predators.

Christians do this a lot. We look like or act like the world around us so we’re safe from any kind of criticism, hurt, or persecution of being a Christian and believing the things Christians are supposed to believe.

Most of the time we don’t even think about it probably. Lots of it is we don’t examine what we do, listen to, watch and ask, “is doing this proving myself to be a Christian or am I trying to hide my faith in this?” It’s the equivalent of eating junk food without reading the nutrition labels only to realize one day that our organs are shutting down. Our influences pay a major part in this too. Who we want to be like, a culture we want to be associated with, or task we want to be known for can cause us to hide our faith.

Ephesians for You Chapter 8: Christians Are Not Chameleons (Ephesians Chapter 4 Verses 17–32)

Or we may have a spiritually unhealthy tendency to uncritically approve of ungodly religious opinions, because of our Western education in undiscerning tolerance and a fear of appearing “judgmental”.

Ephesians for You Chapter 8: Christians Are Not Chameleons (Ephesians Chapter 4 Verses 17–32)

More often, and more dangerously, we live as spiritual chameleons without even noticing that we’re accommodating to secular morality; in which case we’re not just like camouflaged chameleons—we’re more like those unfortunate frogs that, as every teenager knows from school science lessons, can be placed in an open saucepan and slowly boiled to death without ever recognising a change severe enough to make them jump out.

A good test for seeing when we’re being a chameleon is when unbelievers who have spent some time with us are shocked to discover that we’re Christians.

This is where Paul challenges us next:

Ephesians 4:17-32

Ephesians 4:17–32 ESV

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Put Off, Put On

Paul is asking us to stop copying the world like chameleons and start imitating God. He is asking us to live “a life worthy of what you have received” (4:1). But this section comes right after v. 16 which says:

Ephesians 4:16 ESV

16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Paul isn’t talking about church prorams here. He is talking about church godliness. So many of our churches are full of gifted and talented people who gradually pull their church apart by pulling in different directions with their great skills.

Ephesians for You Put off, Put On

God is responsible for giving us whatever abilities our churches need, but he gives us responsibility for being holy with them! This passage calls us to be far more concerned about being godly than about being gifted.

Ephesians for You Put off, Put On

Notice that the way we live begins with how we think. The Bible consistently teaches that our minds are not neutral. Our sinful behaviour originates with our corrupted attitudes towards God. So godly behaviour must begin with a transformed mind. This transformation happens as God speaks through his word to cleanse and reorder our thinking, which then reshapes our attitudes, in order to purify and warm the affections of our hearts towards God, in order to redirect our wills and then ultimately our behaviour in following Jesus. So we must never despise or neglect the instruction and comprehension of our minds. The Spirit of God revives and changes his people by regenerating our minds through the Bible.

No More Worldly Thinking

Ephesians for You No More Worldly Thinking

The first step to not living like spiritual chameleons is to stop thinking like the ungodly: “You must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking” (

Ephesians for You Put off, Put On

Notice that the way we live begins with how we think. The Bible consistently teaches that our minds are not neutral. Our sinful behaviour originates with our corrupted attitudes towards God. So godly behaviour must begin with a transformed mind. This transformation happens as God speaks through his word to cleanse and reorder our thinking, which then reshapes our attitudes, in order to purify and warm the affections of our hearts towards God, in order to redirect our wills and then ultimately our behaviour in following Jesus. So we must never despise or neglect the instruction and comprehension of our minds. The Spirit of God revives and changes his people by regenerating our minds through the Bible.

A Trap, Not Liberty

Ephesians 4:19 ESV

19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

Ephesians for You A Trap, Not Liberty

Because, having lost all the “sensitivity” to God with which we were created, people surrender themselves gradually to three kinds of wickedness (v 19): “sensuality” (meaning shameless debauchery), “impurity” (meaning riotous immorality) and “greed” (meaning insatiable appetites, because sin never truly satisfies). Although Paul is describing unbelievers, these appetites remain familiar to Christians (though thankfully fading gradually), because our sinful natures remain. Although God’s Holy Spirit is slowly transforming us, we are still very much his work in progress.

Recognizing Ourselves

How do you find yourself living? Are you stuck on living a life so alone that you neither look like a Christian with unbelievers watching or an Unbeliever around your christian friends? When you’re a chameleon you really are alone. You won’t allow anyone to hurt you, even when they’re approaching you to help you.

Conclusion

Questions

What are some examples of situations where you’ve felt tempted to ‘blend in’ rather than stand out as a Christian?

How can you support a friend who is struggling to be themselves in their faith?

In what ways can social media influence your behavior to be more like a 'chameleon'?

How can we recognize areas in our lives where we might be conforming to the world instead of reflecting our faith?

In church, you may find that it’s tempting to present a version of yourself that fits the expectations of those around you, but God calls us to authenticity. Take time during small group discussions to share your struggles honestly, rather than just your successes. This week, approach your youth leader and express a desire to discuss a particular issue you might be facing. Your willingness to be transparent will not only encourage others to be real too but will help you grow deeper in your faith.