Embarrassed -Part 2

So let me give you some more specific examples of why I feel this way. Now, this is not a conclusive list, but these are several that I've been especially burdened with lately:

1. Grey areas: Somewhere along the line we've decided to ignore Romans 14, and instead decided that we can judge certain grey areas with no clear Biblical back-up. Oh sure, we'll take 1 Thess. 5:22 "Abstain from all appearance of evil" and smack it in each other's faces; and BOOM what are truly grey areas become WRONG. We don't care about the facts, about each specific circumstance, we just judge. We forget that Romans 14 says to worry about yourself in grey areas and 1 Thess. 5:22 is a command for YOU to keep, not a tool to judge others. We have elevated what are truly grey areas to be black and white; and ignored true black and white Biblical commands about pride, love, anger, etc.


2. Government: When did Christians decide that being an American or political party came first and being a Christian came second? Sure, I know we've got problems in our country. But the way I hear Christians talk about our government and its leaders is shocking. I might even agree with their main points, but when they berate, mock, sarcastically tear apart, and personally attack, both the real issues and our testimony gets ignored and ruined. Romans 13 anyone?


3. Public Schools: Sure, they have problems. But yet again, the way Christians attack and talk about our public school system is more than demeaning and less than caring. Maybe instead of pretending it's all bad, washing our hands, and acting as if our Christian schools have it all together, we should get involved in outreach in our public schools and pray for them. We claim we're outraged at the lack of prayer in school; yet recently our school district opened all high schools for pray walks. When I showed up there were 7 people. 6 were actual students from there. Where were you, outraged Christian? You didn't show, and I wasn't surprised.

4. Evolution: Again, our mockery ruins our testimony. I recently actually watched a creation seminar where the Christian presenter blanketly called all evolutionists "stupid". He also mocked them because they don't have science; they only have faith, "and man do they have a problem!" Well, we only have faith too, so I guess we have a problem as well. So the next time an evolutionist mocks creationists, the creationists should swallow it and remember that we are called to treat others how we want to be treated. Too bad the Creator became less important than the process of creation.

5. Daily Life: Ask a cashier which day is the worst to deal with customers. I've been told on several occasions that it's Sundays, because all the dressed up Christians come in and treat them bad, right after church. If we can't be nice during the simple daily tasks of life, we will have no chance at a good testimony.

6. Sinners: As if we aren't one our self. We find out someone committed one of those "worse" sins, and we pin that scarlet letter on. We have received so much mercy and grace ourselves, but we sure won't give it.

7. Other denominations: Sure, the question of what exactly is "core Christianity" might be difficult and complicated. But I can tell you this, the answer isn't "Baptist". Too often that is viewed as the golden ticket to get to heaven. A Baptist Christian finds out someone is Baptist and well yay, they must be saved! And on the contrary, if they aren't, well then they probably aren't saved. If someone crosses themselves after praying, speaks in tongues, etc. then they immediately get a stigma of being lost. I think there's a very short list of what it takes to be a Christian, and a lot of room for many other differences in doctrines; doctrines that yes, are important, but have nothing to do with the state of ones salvation.

8. Rules: We just have to live by a checklist, don't we? Go to church, read a chapter of the Bible a day, etc. And then we have our massive list of "don't"s. Uff da. The power and love of Christ never truly takes hold of our lives and never truly transforms us. Because instead of that, we worship our lists.

9. Fundamentalists/conservatives: The pendulum swings both ways. And now we have it swinging towards a prejudice against all fundamentalists and conservatives. We now equate these terms with legalism and fanaticism. So while a lot of churches are sadly places where someone with jeans, piercings, and tattoos cannot feel welcome, we also have churches where people with dresses and suits cannot feel comfortable. Because we have decided all fundamentalists are fanatics and all conservatives are legalistic.

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We pat ourselves on the back for fulfilling a "love" checklist. But some money to the hungry and orphans doesn't cut it. That is still not a lot different from the world's love. If we can't be loving in the areas listed above and many others as well, we will never spread Christ's love to the lost. In the next and last post I will point out what God says on the issue.