The film tackles faith in the real world, as various characters wrestle with the issue of the reality of God and the consequences of accepting that reality. Josh himself faces "academic suicide" by standing up against an influential teacher with power to determine whether he fails the course, thus shaping his academic future.
Struggling with his decision to defend Christ, Josh confides in a pastor. The pastor directs him to a Bible verse which resonated as the main theme of the film: Matthew 10 verses 32 to 33.
In that passage Jesus said:
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven." (King James Version)
The impact of that Word hit me hard. The simple message is clear and powerful: if we deny Christ before people, He will deny us before God. The question for Christians here is: "do we deny Christ in front of people?"
If you're a Christian, at this moment you're probably thinking: "Hold on. I've never denied Christ. People know I am a Christian. I go to church every Sunday. I have a 'WWJD' sticker on my car. I wear my crucifix necklace every day. And I invite my co-workers to church every Easter Sunday and Christmas."
Okay. But do you deny Christ in how you live? Let us look at some scenarios.
When do we deny Christ?
Have you ever been in a social setting surrounded by influential people who begin to verbally bash God and trash Christianity as "outdated superstition", but don't raise any objection?
What about at the workplace where the people who run the company plan on doing something that God would disapprove of (for example, doing something dishonest or perhaps misleading) and you sat there in the management meeting and did nothing?
Do you hang out with friends at school or spend time with a popular crowd who constantly derisively demean Christian faith?
Do you keep coming across someone in your community, in the street or social situations, who struggles with a lack of eternal hope or who is in a desperate situation but you remain silent, never telling them that "Jesus is always the answer"?
Are you in a romantic relationship with your dream guy or girl who has told you firmly: "I am not and will never become a Christian"?
The Challenge
What would you give up for Christ? Would you give up people and things you love?
In the movie, Josh's long-time girlfriend makes it clear to him that she will end the relationship if he decides to defend Christ instead of dropping the course. This does not stop Josh from doing what he believes Christ wants him to do.
One teenage girl in the same film who grew up in a strongly Muslim household decides to accept Christ. Given the likely consequences, she understandably keeps this decision from her family. But her father later discovers her secret. Despite the consequences of her declaration, she admits to him that she has accepted Christ. She refuses to reject Jesus, even when threatened and beaten by her father who ejects her from his household.
Her courageous move made me ask the question: would I do the same thing?
In the movie, Josh's professor actually gives him a way out. He tells Josh he can avoid the whole messy situation by writing down the statement "God is dead" on a piece of paper in order to progress to the next stage of the course.
He suggests that after writing that down, Josh could then go home, repent and seek forgiveness from God. After all, that would be a "simple" solution: Josh could seemingly have the best of both worlds. He would both appease his professor and receive a pardon from God. But Josh doesn't decide to take the easy way out.
If you deny Christ by how you live, that is, in the decisions you make daily, it is time to stand up for God, even in the face of adversity and negative consequences. Let the Holy Spirit lead you. Trust in God's wisdom and know that He is with you.
As CS Lewis said (a quote that was cited in the movie):
"Only a real risk tests the reality of a belief."
Sharma considers herself a child of the Caribbean, having visited, studied, worked and lived in several Caribbean islands. But when she arrived in New Zealand, she discovered that she is also a kiwi at heart. She holds a PhD in Law from the Victoria University of Wellington.
Sharma Taylor's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/sharma-taylor.html