Lets Be For Things, Not Just Against Things

In my days as a younger Christian I was somewhat caustic and judgmental, thinking I knew what the right way was and pressed my version of what following God was about. As I am growing older I have started to understand a lot more about the grace of God and how it is better to focus on the positive and look to the future. If we are always seeing things that are wrong it is so easy to be critical and negative. I believe that as Christians we need to be "for" things, not just 'against" things. Also, if we always look to the past and focus on what we should have done, or could have done, we lose the fresh new perspective of what the Lord has for us.

In this world of PC (political correctness) and more controversial issues, there has come a real division, or polarization of views. It has gotten to the place where a Christian perspective is identified with an extreme right (conservative) philosophy that is filled with harsh criticism and judgment. It grieves my heart to see so many Christians, Christian groups, Christian denominations, etc prove these points by showing how biased, narrow sighted, and dogmatic they are. I have seen things in the news and witnessed them first hand where the so called conservative Christian is spewing out a doctrine of legalism and hatred – yes, I said that. As I said it grieves me to see what is supposed to be hatred for sin come out as simply hatred.

Don't get me wrong, I am for sanctity of life (pro-life), and I am for the Biblical definition of marriage (one man and one woman). My point is that I believe we need to highlight the positive and be filled with love and grace – not just being negative, critical, and always against this or that. Too often some of these extreme conservative positions get so strong that the message sounds like it is from a hate group.

Sin is wrong, and those who stay in sin will suffer the ultimate and eternal judgment of hell and the lake of fire. Yet, God does not lick His chops and look forward to sending those dirty rotten sinners to hell. Rather He is longsuffering and longs that none would perish and that all would come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). God so loved the world that He sent Jesus that all would have eternal life (John 3:16). And He demonstrates His love in that while we were sinners Christ died for us (Rom 5:8).

I think my father in law had God's heart when he shared with me the old phrase, "you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." Do we come across to sinners as ones who are full of honey, or full of vinegar? Is our mouth and speech filled with grace and kindness or with criticism and judgment?

As the Church, as the Body of Christ, we need to be for things. We need to be lifting up the light of Christ and showing the way to eternal life, not just taking a position against sinners.

In His days on the earth Jesus was criticized by the religious community for associating with sinners and publicans. But all of us who are Christians are eternally grateful for the love and tolerance and patience of Jesus, that He extended grace to us and do not just say, "the hell with you." However, that is exactly the position we take when we judge those who are caught up in their sin.

Our hearts need to be breaking for those in sin, and we need to be praying for them and reaching out to them. Criticizing them and condemning them is the same thing that the Pharisees did. Are we becoming a Church full of modern day Pharisees?

While I hate abortion (it is murder), and I hate the lie of homosexuality – I do not hate those who have had abortions, those who did abortions, or those who are caught up in homosexuality. We are called to preach the Gospel and show the love of Christ. Sure, there will be those who reject what we say and reject the message of the Cross – but do not let it be us that are the ones doing the rejection.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul shares powerfully about extending the love of Christ and being forgiving and full of grace.

1 Cor 6:9-11
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Paul preaches the truth that those in sin will not have eternal life – and he goes on to say that we were all that way, but we have been washed and sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus. You will also notice that he does not just say the homosexuals are condemned, but all sort of sin are mentioned here, including those who covet or have idols in their lives. Who are we to say that one sin is worse than the others? Who are we to say that just because we were not homosexuals, that our sin was okay to forgive but not theirs?

As I said at the start of this, we need to be for things, not against things. Just think what kind of world we would have if the Church, if the Body of Christ, if all Christians, would stop hating and criticizing – and simply start loving, showing grace, and being understanding. Wow, just think if we practiced compassion instead of criticism, would a change we would see in this world. It is my belief that if we started acting this way, that we wouldn't have enough room in our Churches, our Bible Studies, and in our homes – because people would be flocking in, because they would see love and acceptance, they would see Jesus.

As Christians, each of us need to do a full self assessment of what kind of spirit we are of, that we need to be seek God and repent for the judgment and hatred that we have held in our hearts. We need to turn from our pride and our self proclaimed righteousness, and simply start sharing and demonstrating the love, the hope, and the new life there is in Christ. Let's be ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18-19), let's be poised and ready to speak of the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15), and let's demonstrate the abundant life there is in Christ (John 10:10).

Jesus came to minister and to give His life a ransom for many. He was anointed for ministry, the ministry to free people from their sins, to release them from their bondages, to bring healing, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19; Is 61:1-3)

After the days of Pentecost in Acts 2, the first Christians, reached their world for Christ, and they did it with the simple message of the power of the resurrection.

Acts 1:8
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

We have been empowered to reach the world with the message of the Gospel, so let us go about doing good, just as Jesus did.

God Bless you all