Newsletter - December 2005

December 2005

Dear Friends:

Do you sometimes get disturbed these days because Christians are boldly standing up for causes that you might not fully support? Or because the news media seem to cover the fringe side of Christianity and, as a result, we sense that we as followers of Christ have lost the respect of those around us? As we evaluate what Christians are (or are not) doing in our culture, I thought it might be helpful for us to review together the clear teaching that Jesus gave on how we are to live out our Christianity in the world around us.

The Command
First, Jesus summarizes all the biblical commands into one: a command to love. We are to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we love God completely, we will not be able to help loving our neighbor as well.

Then, Jesus teaches in Matthew 25 that we will be ultimately judged on how we treat the needy around us. He specifically identifies the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, and those in prison as the ones who are to be the recipients of our good gifts in the name of Jesus. It is as if He is the absentee landlord in the parable of the tenants and we are to take the bounty of the earth He has left us to tend and share it with the needy as if we were paying it to Him directly.

He makes it pretty simple. First He gives the love command, and then He tells us how He will measure our keeping of that command. Those are the ground rules. They apply to all followers of Jesus all the time. No exceptions, no vacations.

The Practice
Then there is a broader aspect to living our Christian lives that Jesus addresses as well. He says we are to be salt (preservative) and light (truth bearers) in this world. He reiterates the concept when, at the end of His ministry, He tells His followers to make disciples “as you are going.” In other words, the living out of our Christianity permeates everything that we do in this life.

That is where Christians begin to differentiate themselves in terms of application.

• Lawyers will choose to defend falsely accused prisoners.
• Mothers will teach their children God’s truths in the day-to-day episodes of life.
• Doctors will treat the sick with godly compassion.
• Others will engage in medical ethics issues.
• Scientists may argue creation/intelligent design questions.
• Others will engage in AIDS and cancer research and will educate colleagues concerning needs in these areas.
• Apologists will defend the faith from philosophical/theological perspectives.
• Those in business will take Christ’s principles into the workplace in both practice and in conversation.
• Those with social compassion and training will set up shelters for battered women and abused children.
• Politicians will exert influence in State and Federal governments.
• Students will discuss with confidence faith-tested ideas in the classroom.

The practice of the salt, light, and “as you are going” areas of Christianity are, I think where we must allow each other a lot of freedom. There are many different gifts, talents, personalities, and interests, and diversity is what makes the Body of Christ work so well.

The Conflict
I think what we all object to is the image of Christianity that is projected by those who are engaged in these activities inappropriately. They do it in anger and/or without intellectual, social, or theological credibility. We feel that it makes all of us as Christians look bad and we resent it. How can we respond in a way that is both appropriate and effective?

The Response
To Christians Who Offend: I believe the Bible to be pretty clear that we have only two options in dealing with a difference of opinion we have with other Christians.

• Option #1 is to work toward reconciliation. We are told in Matthew 18 to go the offending Christian directly and try to work out the issues between us. If those issues cannot be worked out, we simply separate ourselves from him/her, but we are not given the separation option without first going down the sometimes long path of working toward reconciliation. The goal of confrontation is always reconciliation. The end result should be unity between believers with the law of love ruling them both.

• Option #2 is to be quiet. We may have to choose this option if the person who offends is inaccessible (as may be the case with television evangelists) or if biblical reconciliation is sought but not achieved. In exercising this option, we simply live out the command of love allowing the Holy Spirit to work in the minds and hearts of those who are offensive to us. He, after all, is the great revealer of truth and our prayers for other believers can result in an enlightenment that only God can provide. Think about that. When was the last time we prayed for the television evangelists who are sometimes quoted as saying things that we feel do not honor Christ? Or things that make all of us as Christians appear to be angry and/or uninformed? If we are serious about following the love command Jesus so clearly defined, we may have to stop criticizing and begin praying!

Those are the only two choices we are given. We are never given the option of acting in ways toward other Christians that are less than 100% loving. We are never given the option of criticizing or creating conflict between Christians. The law of love governs not only our treatment of the poor and needy, but also, and especially, our treatment of each other.

To Non-Christians Who Ask. What do we do when those around us begin to attack Christians because they are perceived as being bound to a particular political party, because they are promoting values that many in the general public may not endorse, or because there are Christian leaders making statements that are interpreted to be the opinions of all Christians?

Again, above all, the command of love must rule. So, we should not respond at all if we cannot respond in love. If we have checked our attitudes and find them to be loving, we then simply speak the truth. We can let the questioners know that Christians have varying views and no one person is a spokesman for all followers of Christ. We should let them know that, according to the teaching of Jesus, love and compassion are the main criteria for action – not political or personal agendas. Then we can gently request that they not judge Christ by some of His followers who may be strident and unloving. If they are willing to keep talking, we have the opportunity to point them to Jesus as our perfect example of living a life of love. He is where real truth can be found.

With those thoughts, I pray that you will have a blessed and joy-filled Christmas as we honor the One who came so we could be one with Him and with each other.

Blessings!

Bev

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