That’s the title of an article in Christian Today:
A survey of nearly 2,000 British evangelicals found that more than half (54%) are concerned that “becoming Christlike will increasingly alienate Christians from the culture around them”.
No kidding. This is new? Hasn’t it always been this way? When did becoming Christlike NOT alienate Christians from the culture around them?
This is concerning? Why be concerned about something we were told 2000 years ago, when we see it happening? Are we concerned to find out that the Scriptures are true? 🙂
Does “concerned” mean they don’t want to become Christlike, because they love the world and don’t want to be alienated? The article implies no one pressed the question.
Teaching recommendations for “evangelical” churches (“evangelical” means just about anything these days, especially here in Britain):
- We are called to be strangers and pilgrims in this world (I Peter 2:11).
- We are not to love the world (I John 2:15-17), and it will not love us (John 15:19).
- Godly living in Christ Jesus brings persecution (II Timothy 3:12).
- Even if we are tried by fire, we will be found to praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:6-7).
- We love our Lord and thus rejoice to suffer for Him (I Peter 1:8).
Churches might also teach that if you want to take the name of Christ (“Christian”) but don’t want to be like Him, you live a lie and mock His name. You bring judgment on yourself, and you aren’t helping the church or the world, either.
Mind Renewers 
Thanks for sharing this, Brother Jon.
Your closing remark emphasizes the most serious application of the third commandment, “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain” (Ex.20:3).
To bear the name of Christ, to claim representation in the Lamb of God’s book of life, to speak and act as an emissary of the Most High and Most Holy One is not to be lightly regarded.
One may certainly lay claim to Christ and yet flippantly eschew holiness, righteousness, godliness, but woe betide anyone and everyone who does such! “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal.6:7).
God knows the weakness of our frame, that we are not sufficient in ourselves to bear His great name, but He giveth more grace to the humble (Jas.4:6), assuring us that it is not alone our grasp of Him that succeeds, but His grip on us which nothing and no one can sever (Rom.8:24-39), for we only apprehend Him because He has first apprehended us (Phil.3:12) and will not ever let go.
I agree entirely, Brother Al. Last March, I posted:
Not only does He give grace to the humble, it is only by His grace that we learn to be humble!
Thank you, as always, for the comment.