I've been in some forums lately where believers and anti-believers lock horns and halos. It's distressing to read the hate spewed out by the anti-believers but it's equally distressing to read the nasty (and the dumb) responses from my brothers and sisters in Christ. But as I read these exchanges I begin to wonder if the force behind the attacks on our faith are more fear inspired than anything else.
James tells us that demons believe in God and tremble. I wonder if that's not equally true of anti-believers.
I believe that anger is a secondary emotion. What I mean is that underliing anger is either pain, fear or both. I'm not expousing some rule or deep insight but in my experience most angry people are either hurting or scared people.
Keeping in mind that these anti-believers are hurting or afraid drastically changes my view, approach and response. By keeping this in mind I find I am able to be compassionate (avoiding condescention) and that this greatly lessens the sting of their attacks. It also helps me listen better. I listen for the pain and fear and just let the anger and hatred go.
I'm commited to the fact that I don't "convert" anyone. I don't argue anyone into the kingdom. I can prove that there was a man Jesus who lived and died when the scriptures and extra-biblical documents say but I can't prove He was who He said (and others said) He was. So I don't even try.
Rarely do I even tell my, "how I came to Jesus," story. Certainly I'll share the dynamics of living out my faith but the tendency for that to become a "what's in it for you and me" conversation is very strong.
See, the gospel, the good news is the redemption from God's righteous wrath. It's not about having a "good" life it's about having eternal life.
But we, in our desire to "sell" Jesus have fallen into the trap of, well, selling it in fleshly terms. Health and wealth, peace and prosperity are the biggies. We try to convince folks that being a believer will make life "better." Ask Paul and Stephen about the "better" thing. A line from a poem by Richard Harris gets me: "who gave you the right to turn Christ into a bullet and shoot it into men's hearts?" He ends the poem with: " Our Father which art in heaven, sullied be thy name."
When we reduce Christ into a commodity we sully His name. When we reduce Him to a cosmic panecia we sully His name. When we reduce Him to a pithy one liner on a T-shirt or bumper sticker, we sully His name.
Where is the powerful witness of the Prophets in our lives today? Where is the crying out for repentance? Where is the voice crying out about the coming judgement?
We, I speak in general terms, don't want the world to hate us so we approach the world in a conciliatory manner. But we approach the world about US and how they feel and think about us. IT IS NOT ABOUT US!!!"
Jesus tells us to, "be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." Well, if the forums on the internet are any indication we've got the serpent part down pat. It's the dove part we've lost or ignored.
Anti-believers are not MY enemies. They are HIS enemies. He does not need me to defend Him. I do need Him to defend me.
Do you KNOW the gospel? Or do you just know the marketing materials? The gospel is not, "Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." That's marketing hooey.
The gospel - the good news - does not exist in isolation from the truth - or if you prefer, the bad news. The good news is not that Jesus makes things better. The good news is that Jesus died to redeem us from the justly deserved wrath of God!!! The good news is not that the creation is getting better. The good news is that when God destroys this fallen creation there will be a new one in which we will live in fellowship with Him.
We are not here to make the world good but to do His good while we're here. We are to wait and to witness - witness not only to Him and the redemption He brings but to witness to the NEED for that redemption I view of His impending righteous judgement.
Argue all you like on forums and in the street but stick to the point - the gospel. Evolution, abortion, ect. are all issues we can discuss but when we focus on the issues which are normal in a fallen world and do not focus on the gospel we're wasting breath and time.
Anti-believers are scared and rightly so. Pray He will use you to address that fear compassionately and correctly.
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