Anyone who has been tasked with keeping a secret intuitively understands that the best way to do so is simply not to share that secret with anyone else. This was driven home for me back in the late 70s when I was employed as an engineer at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. This was during the development era of stealth and passive countermeasure technologies, and some of the projects on which I worked required that I receive a security clearance. It was fascinating work, yet no one was permitted to tell anyone about what we were doing under the threat of severe penalty. Individuals were only informed on a “need-to-know” basis about their particular part of a project rather than complete knowledge.
I often notice today that this is the way so many Christians are also behaving — stealthily in their ‘faith.’ They suppress their light, blending in with the world, hiding Jesus from those around them, and not letting people know the full knowledge of God’s love and His plan for their salvation. In turn, whether intentionally or ignorantly, these ‘Christians’ are keeping their salvation a secret as an element of exclusivity in their lives. This contrasts with how the Word of God calls us to be set apart and holy for the sake of others.
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9
Are You a Stealth Christian?
Are you conforming to the culture around you, more worried about the opinions of others than those of God? Do you think of those around you as “too far gone?” Are you scared to share the Gospel with even your closest friends for fear that they will write you off as pushy or too religious?
Here’s the truth: we are certainly more religious than relational if we buy into this lie; depriving anyone — whether our best friend or worst enemy — of salvation in Christ Jesus is the most self-righteous, belittling, and selfish thing we could ever do toward anyone else.
Who are we to say who deserves the Gospel and who doesn’t? The Lord himself directed Peter to minister to the Gentiles by telling him, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” How can we exclude anyone from Jesus’ saving grace, secretively abiding in our own prideful high place within the “Christians Only” club?
Even if our polite intentions are self-justified as ‘good,’ if we are depriving anyone of the Gospel message, we are wrong.
Politeness Is Not Loving
Churches are currently shrinking, and we are experiencing an epidemic of Sunday-only Christians who don’t look different from the culture around them, therefore blending in, making them “stealth.”
According to a Barna research study about generational differences in faith sharing, nearly half (47%) of millennials believe it is “wrong to share one’s personal beliefs with someone of a different faith.” This is baffling and hugely oppositional to the New Testament's emphasis on sharing the Gospel message with others.
In efforts of extreme (and consequently misguided) inclusivity, both bold evangelism and sound theology are missing in many churches today – serving as the primary influence for so many proclaimed ‘Christians;’ in turn, both seasoned believers and skeptical church visitors have an extremely poor foundation upon which to learn.
Rather than self-help teachings that lead us to fleeting instant gratification, may we be drawn to the Truth, which is God’s infallible Word, bringing us to surrender to Christ. This, and only this, brings lasting transformation in our lives and the lives of others.
Are You Ashamed?
Worse yet than erring on the side of politeness, are you ashamed of the Gospel? Did you become a Christian as a preventative measure just in case there really is a literal hell and you want to be “safe?” Was your life not transformed, and are you not sure what you believe? Remember what Paul said in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
The Cure
It requires courage and boldness not to be stealth Christians, and still, it is unquestionably the transformation we experience through the gospel that compels us to evangelize. Certainly, if we truly understood the value of the Lord’s love through our own salvation and freedom — the keys to life everlasting — we would want to shout the Truth from the mountaintops. So, why are we hoarding the keys from those who are desperate for life? After all, if we had the cure for cancer in our hands, we would certainly share it with everyone we know.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
We should desire for everyone to know there is something infinitely better, highlighting that this life is merely a prelude to all that is to come — not even the opening chapter in light of our next life in eternity.
This is why we must intentionally pursue a personal relationship with Christ, establish a foundation in His Word, set ourselves apart in striking obedience, and answer the call to audacious evangelism and discipleship for others. These purposes jointly collaborate in setting us apart from the world—not in the way of exclusivity or secrecy, but in a bold way that purposefully points people to Jesus through His goodness that is displayed in our subsequent unapologetic truth and love.
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3:15
Photo Credit: Ammar Sabaa/Unsplash
Bob Burckle is the President of EEM, which has been delivering God’s Word to the people of Eastern Europe since 1961, now reaching 32 countries in 25 languages. In 2023, EEM provided nearly 2 million Bibles and other biblical materials in multiple languages throughout the region. Learn how you can help at eem.org.