The Sanctified Life in a Hostile World

For many Christians around the globe — as noted in the Snippets this month — life is a daily struggle as they face persecution and even death for the sake of the Gospel. The culture that surrounds them is actively hostile toward them for their faith. In the U.S., our feature writer Aaron Renn contends, Christians now face a “negative world” — while we do not have to fear death or even outright persecution for our faith, for the first time in our nation’s history Christians do face social and material disadvantages for professing orthodox Christianity. Renn’s insight into the culture and life of the church in America offers us Lutherans much to consider. In a world increasingly antagonistic toward the Gospel and the Christian church, how do we live? Renn offers some helpful suggestions; Scott Adle, an LCMS pastor, extends those suggestions and offers more.

Another answer to this dilemma comes from Rod Dreher, conservative American critic. Many Lutherans have read his books, including The Benedict Option. Jason Lane takes up Dreher’s three most recent books and helps Lutherans think through what’s beneficial in Dreher’s advice, and what isn’t.

But one of the best answers to the question of how Christians ought to live in a hostile world comes from an article that might not, at first glance, seem to fit with the theme: The Matthew Wurm’s reflection on the 500th anniversary of the marriage of Martin and Katy Luther. Luther clearly was not twitterpated when he tied the knot with the noble Katherina von Bora. And yet he married her and came to love and cherish her deeply. Their marriage served not merely as a stink in the nose of the pope, but as a vibrant example of God’s love and care for His people.

Luther hesitated in getting married because he feared an impending execution as a heretic. Talk about a hostile culture. And yet, he married Katy as a testament to God’s good gift of marriage and lived in that union as a witness of God’s love.

The gift of marriage and family remains a bulwark against the encroachments of a negative culture. When husbands and wives live together in this blessed state, when they rear children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, when children respect and obey their parents and those in authority over them, it is a true biblical option, a true testament of God’s good gifts to a world at odds with God.

May Lutherans ever be such a witness. And may this issue be the opening of a great conversation among us about the great gifts of God for us.

See table of contents for the March 2025 issue

By the Grace of God,

Roy S. Askins