Cattle Prodding Sinners?

CATTLE PRODDING SINNERS

Or

LIFTING UP JESUS

I Cor.9: 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

How blind and self serving people we are! Paul’s mission in life was to preach the gospel to sinners so that some might be saved. And he was willing to humble himself and even relinquish some of his pride and privileges in order to build bridges over which to cross and present Christ to the Christless. Jesus Himself humbled Himself and came in the likeness of sinful flesh in order to bring redemption to His enemies. Can we not see the glory of such an example?

But just yesterday four Americans were killed because an unbelieving Jew made a video castigating Mohammed and placed it on YouTube. And a so called “pastor” in Florida who has no clue what Christianity is, has endorsed the video. These kinds of attacks are counter productive to the gospel, even if they are generally true. Does anyone even read the Bible anymore, and does anyone even care about, much less love, the Muslim people? To be sure, nationalism, both American and Israeli, have played a major part in these carnal displays of earthly allegiances.

We are called to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, but instead we take up vicious stones of condemnation which are designed to appeal to the evangelical/American “base” but in reality bring reproach to the name and cause of the Lord Jesus. All religions except Christianity are deceptions. But why are there no frontal assaults upon Hinduism or Buddhism or Judaism? Are there violent aspects to Islam? Yes, there are. But we are not called to expend energy illustrating the obvious. We are called to endure all things for the gospel’s sake.

So many segments of evangelicalism are engaged in unchristian rhetoric and even savage attacks on sinners who desperately need to see Jesus. “If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto Me”, said Jesus. So how in God’s dear name can He be lifted up through demeaning words of hate and filled with unredemptive attacks on sinners? It has become acceptable among western believers to view things through a secular scorecard and not through the eyes which looked down from Calvary’s vantage point. How the Father’s heart must grieve when after He sent His only begotten Son to die for these sinners, He now sees those who profess His Son’s name seek to demolish the very ones for which He gave His Son.

To say it is a fool’s errand is to give it more spiritual credibility than it warrants. To attempt to illustrate the dpravity of fallen men is useless. It is speech and behavior that is antithetical to the way of Jesus. And even deeper it openly reveals what lives and breathes and grows within the hearts of millions of evangelical hearts. We expect the political dunghill to maneuver into position and attempt to leverage things to their own advantage, but must we expect it with the name of Jesus attached? The entire spectacle is a disgusting display of the fallen nature.

Where is the humility? Where is the meekness? Where is the mercy? Where is the grace? Where oh where is the love? Even men like Billy Graham and Franklin Graham join in the fray against all sorts of things including attacking other religions that do not claim to be Christian. That is clearly the product of nationalism and a deadly compromise that creates a false amalgam of the spiritual and the earthly. God loves the Muslim people, and how can we present Jesus when we openly castigate the religion they now espouse? Yes, they are deceived, but a strategy that blindly approaches them with a scorched earth policy severely limits the opportunities for sharing and living the gospel before them. A twelve year old believer should be able to understand the conflict in that approach.

How self righteous we have become. How self serving are our words. Instead of finding solace and comfort in the eternal sacrifice of the cross, and instead of being broken daily by the grace that found us, we resort to feeding our souls with visceral disgust towrd the lost and videos by unregenerate Jews? Or we subtly align ourselves with natural brute beasts like that Florida “pastor”? That is what we have become? It is embarrassing to our Savior’s name, and only eternity will reveal how many sinners were driven away from even considering Jesus because of those who say they follow Him. Gandhi turned away from Christianity not because of Jesus, but because of the speech and behavior of His so called followers.

Peruse the Christian blogasphere and read words which attack the left, or liberals, or Muslims, or Miley Cyrus, or Rosie O’Donnell, or others who are outside the faith. And for what purpose? It is usually to stoke our own moralistic backs and reinforce in each other that “praise God” we are not like those publicans. It surely is not to proclaim the absolute grace that drew us to Christ and transformed our lives. And what has always bewildered me is that many Calvinists who claim that only God chooses who can be saved join in the attacks on the unregenerate. In essence, and in accordance with their own theology, they are attacking the will of God.

I Thess.5: 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

Now how can anyone who claims to believe the Bible engage in such things? The answer is that they only believe parts of the Bible. If the New Testament contained just that one admonition toward believers it would indict most of what claims to be evangelical and Bible believing in the west. Where is the caveat that says "unless they are Muslims, liberals, or gays"? We can not even obey that one verse and yet we tout ourselves as “Bible believing”? Who are we kidding? Certainly not God, we are only kidding ourselves.

Instead of instruments of the cross we have become instruments of ourselves. Instead of clothed with humility we are clothed in self righteousness. Instead of unconditional love we show unconditional condemnation. Instead of being yoked with Christ we are yoked with the secular mob. Instead of denying self with demand our rights. Instead of the spirit of meekness we exhibit the spirit of hubris. Instead of following Jesus we are following the evangelical party line. How many can even understand what I am saying? I am a heretic in many “orthodox” circles.

If you feed off the actions and sins of others, than you will be well fed. Liberals will still pass liberal bills, gays will still march, young women will still have abortions, Muslims will still be Muslims, wars will still need to be waged, taxes will still need to be paid, elections will still elicit much energy, and the culture will still not meet up to your standards. It will be a regular smorgashboard to your soul.

But in the end you are faced with only two choices. You may pick up a cattle prod and poke at sinners and their deceptive strongholds, or you may pick up the cross and begin to walk among those same sinners. One is easy, the other will require your very life. From 2008:

You're Just Fooling Yourself