During my travels a couple months ago I had a conversation with a non-Christian friend of mine. At one point in our conversation he said "You know Scott, it just seems like so many times Christians miss the point." I politely smiled, but admittedly thought to myself "Oh, great, here we go." He continued by saying, "When I read about Jesus, it seems to me that he wasn't about 'you shouldn't do this' or 'you shouldn't do that,' but it's all about how he lived his life, you know? It's about love, respect, and service. Isn't that what it's supposed to be about? Isn't that what Christians are supposed to be like? Because honestly, I just don’t see that in many Chistians."
For the next couple weeks I started reading the gospel accounts with my friend’s comments in mind. And to be honest, I was struck by the lack of moral superiority Jesus showed when dealing with other people. As the only sinless person in history, and therefore the only one who truly had the right to judge, you would think Jesus would find every opportunity to correct or control the personal behavior or lifestyle of others.
But, incredibly, he hardly ever did.
As far as I can tell, the only time Jesus truly condemned the behavior of others, was when the religious leaders limited the love of God to a certain group of people (namely themselves). In other words, Jesus seemed to save his righteous judgment for those who arrogantly judged others in the name of God. While Jesus did not condone the behavior of the world, he never tried to control the behavior of those outside the faith.
I'm simply amazed at this.
Somehow, Jesus was convinced that serving others unconditionally (and with no concern for his own reputation) was, by far, the most compelling way of bringing people closer to his Father.
He simply saw a need, and he met it.
As I contemplated this, I wondered how Christians as a whole (including myself) were doing in living up to the example that Jesus showed.
Now, I want to make it clear that I know countless Christian men and women that have dedicated their lives to bringing hope, peace, and love to a hurting world. But according to research conducted by the Barna Group (http://www.barna.org/) something has gone terribly wrong. When researchers asked non-Christians to rank people groups in terms of their respectability "evangelical Christians" were ranked almost dead last - just above prostitutes.
If you are a non-Christian reading this, your probably not surprised at this, and may even agree with it (If you feel this way, I sincerely apologize on behalf of those Christians that may have came across to you as hurtful and judgmental (recognizing that the person may well have been me), and hope that in spite of the misguided fervor of a few, you will someday come to experience the unconditional love of Jesus).
However, if you claim to be follower of Christ, this should make your heart break.
How is this possible?
How can a movement that is supposed to be known for serving and loving others, be seen by the world as "judgmental, condemning, and hurtful?"
A response I often hear from Christians is, "We are loving, it's just that the world doesn't see it that way." But if that's true, than why did the tax collectors and prostitutes flock to Jesus? Why did the forgotten and victimized clamor just to be near him? How is it that they saw Jesus as loving, but they see us as judgmental? We may say that we’re loving, but it’s obviously not coming across that way to the very ones Christ called us to reach. As imitators of Jesus shouldn't Christians be seen by the world today in the same light as Jesus was seen by the world back then?
May this year be a year where we commit our lives to the example of Jesus.
May we take bold steps to repair the damage that has been done and to heal the reputation of our faith.
And may one day the world recognize us by our love. (John 13:35)
So, to answer my friend; "You may have a point. Please be patient. We're working on it."
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3 comments:
I think the "point" is much deeper than how the unsaved person views Christianity. At the root of the problem is sin. For the unsaved person, it's the love of self and their sins that keep them from coming to Christ. For the believer, it's the sin of pride and self (again) that often hinders our testimony to the world.
Mankind has distorted what love is really all about. It goes much deeper than feelings and even acts of compassion. True, we are called to love one another but that alone is not going to bring them to Christ. Jesus called us to preach the good news of the Gospel. Unfortunately, the Gospel is being watered-down, distorted and often ignored altogether. The social-gospel has become very popular these days because it's not offensive and focuses on acts of charity and tolerance. The unregenerate person does not want to hear that they are a sinner, lost & going to hell. Instead, they only want the part of the Bible that talks about loving one another. Is this REALLY love?
Christians SHOULD be demonstrating love, kindness and compassion to the world, but not while compromising the truth of the Word.
The Word is what will soften a person’s heart. The Word is what leads people to repentance which results in salvation. Our job is not to try and convince someone to be saved or think that if we're good enough, kind enough or even loving enough, they'll get saved. Is it love to offer a kind word or a bottle of water to a man headed for a cliff if we don't warn him of the danger ahead? I'm not suggesting that we stand on the street corner and scream that someone is going to hell. We should be sensitive and Spirit-led in how we share the Gospel but absolutely, we SHOULD share it.
I would be curious to hear examples of why some feel that Christians are not practicing love. Throughout history, no other group of people (or religion) has demonstrated more love than Christianity. More people are fed, adopted and cared for by Christians than ANY other group. Even atheists acknowledge this. Consider all of the missions around the world (and in America). As with any group, there are going to be instances where someone claims to be a Christian but does not practice what they preach. The Church as a whole should not feel that they owe the lost world an apology for them being offended.
I think the real issue here is that the un-saved world rejects the things of God because it offends their lifestyle. Christians are called to be different from the world. We're called to not only love our enemies but also be an example of righteousness to the world. Not in arrogance or pride but as a light; as salt. Regardless of how loving we are, we will still be rejected and persecuted (Christ Himself reminded us of this). Everything we do should be to glorify God; not impress the world. Let's face it; the world is going to hate us no matter how loving we are. This should not deter us from preaching the truth. This should not cause us to change the message in order to become attractive to the world.
Our very nature is not loving or charitable. We're sinners and we generally seek to please ourselves. Only through the grace of God can we be transformed into the image of Christ. We will not attain perfection nor will we make the earth a better place until Christ returns. This does not mean we should be isolated and condemning towards the world but it does mean that we should remain focused on the purpose we were put here for...
To Glorify God.
There is a strong interest in the words of Christ... the 'Red Letter Christians'. No other human being has ever demonstrated the love that Jesus did. However, we must remember that He IS the Word and the entire Word of God are His Words (not just the 4 Gospels).
It's easy to single out certain verses to paint the picture we want or support our agenda. One can find a verse to support just about anything if they look hard enough. So often we hear that "Jesus said this" or "Jesus did that". Jesus was and is also God who inspired every word of the entire Bible. In that sense, we need to look at the entire Bible; not just Matthew, Mark, Luke & John when we seek to understand the Gospel or any other topic.
Paul didn't "love" people into the Kingdom per se. He taught the truth in a loving spirit. And for this he was martyred. The truth is not always what we want but it is what we need.
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." ~ 2 Tim. 3:16-17
Jesus emphasized the truth with love. He condemned sin and spoke of hell. He reminded that without repentance, none would enter the Kingdom. We can (and should) be loving to the world in spite of their sins. The key is to focus on showing that we are ALL sinners and that ALL have fallen short. We must lead the lost to the savior by way of the mirror of the Law. Unless we ourselves as the sinner that we are, we will not see why we need to be saved. Saved from what?
There is a lot that can be said on this issue. The Apostles did just that in much of their letters. So too we should remember that much of their teachings were directed towards other believers and as such, there are guidelines for how we confront the lost and the saved when it comes to sin. All should be loved & forgiven regardless. Sanctification is a life-long process. A brother (or sister) in Christ should be confronted if they are living in sin. However, when presenting the Gospel to an unsaved person, we need to approach them differently to avoid conveying that it is works that saves us.
Luke 13:1-5 is a good example of Christ teaching that repentance is of utmost importance. When asked about those who Pilate had killed or those who died when the tower fell, he zeroed right in on sin and repentance. He didn't single anyone out or compare this sin to another. This too should be our approach. The woman caught in adultery is another great example (John 8:1-11) of Christ recognizing sin, demonstrating love and instructing one towards repentance.
We also need to remember the primary group that Christ was teaching while He was here. He came to reach the Jews. The context of many of His messages should be considered when we use His words as an example for today.
The need that Christ saw was far greater than their physical needs.
It would be easy to focus only on his miraculous healings and acts of compassion however, the Cross is what should be remembered most when it comes to understanding why He came. That alone was and is the greatest act of sacrifice, self denial and love that could ever be accomplished. Even in our wretched, sinful condition, He still loved us enough to suffer the wrath of the Father and die for us. That alone IS the Gospel.
It should come as no surprise then when we see survey results showing what the un-saved person thinks of Christianity. If they hated Jesus, it should be obvious that they certainly would not think too highly of us.
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." ~ John 15:18-19
If we are speaking the truth in love and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we have nothing to apologize for.
Just as there are many who call themselves Christian and yet, live like the world, so too there are those who claim to be Christians, living like a Christian, doing Christian appearing things, and yet, they have become isolated instead of insulated. All the more reason for us to be teaching the Word to the world and not relying solely on impressing them with how good we are. When we stumble or fall, then what?
While Christ was on earth, people flocked to be near Him and hear what He had to say for a number of reasons. A big reason was for the healings. He demonstrated who He was through miracles. His Words were primarily directed towards the Jewish people as shown in John 9:39, Matt.10:6, 15:24. True, He did not come to judge but to save the lost. In the process, some were condemned. So too it is in our time. The message of hope, love and eternity with God will save some and condemn others. We are not to be the judge but rather, the messengers of His Word.
In closing, I would say to your friend and to anyone who questions the flaws of some Christians, “do not be discouraged by the bad fruit of some. It is not the branches nor the fruit that support the tree and give life but the root alone (Rom.11:18). Christ alone is the root to eternal life. Therefore, we should cling to His Words and fix our eyes upon Him.
~ktf~
John
Just my opinion...
No offense, homey, but...You wanna know why? read the comment above. That's a LOTTA words, John. You wanna change lives and save souls? SHOW people love. Don't tell them. There's millions of Bibles on the planet. If you, by your actions, can touch an unbeliever's heart in an unexplainable way, without ever once speaking about Jesus or God or anything "religious", then I have faith that they, just by knowing that you are a Christian will "want what you have." God will lead them to study the Word themselves. Let God do the teaching, you do the service.
gribz:
No offense taken.
Our #1 purpose for being here is to glorify God. Not please ourselves, the world, change lives or even to save souls. Everything we do should glorify Him. Doing good and demonstrating loving actions towards others certainly should be a part of sharing the Gospel but not if the focus is on our actions while ignoring the Word.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" ~Romans 10:14-15
What then is the 'good news'?
The Holy Spirit does the saving.
We're simply called to be the light and spread the Word.
(they go together).
~ktf~
John
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