Oh, and Another Thing(s)
I'm still thinking about what I wrote about last week, and I've been trying to pinpoint, other than the obvious reasons from the Bible, why this church on church bashing stuff irks me so. I want to get to the bottom of it, because on the one hand, I know that there are still many groups of Christians out there that are lost in the rules and need compassion on others, but I also know that the pendulum swing to the other side where we attack and complain about those people isn't going to make anything better. Here's what I've come up with:
1. Painting with too narrow a brush
Public (and the internet is public) condemnation of a specific group (insert "evangelicals", "fundamentalists", or even certain pastors and churches by name) is not really useful to the conversation. When you paint a target on people, others will raise up their defenses and be wary of you. Sadly, many will join with you in the shooting. As believers, we are responsible for the way we present someone else. Our job isn't to make sinners look more sinful, but to make Jesus look like the savior that he is.
2. I don't know you, and this is crazy...
Sometimes, specific sins do need to be confronted, but I believe that it's better when a relationship exists between you and that person, or in the very least, a private conversation. Reproof should always start on a one on one basis, and it should stay there for a long time. It is not honoring to air other's dirty laundry for all to see. Certainly, talk about sin, but not about sinners by name. It's not fair. Every single one of us has blood on our hands. Not only that, but someone who is blinded by sin is not going to respond to public attack other than to grow more hardened and firm in the sin.
3. Let it go.
On some things, for the sake of peace and well being of those struggling with a weaker faith, we need to just let the disagreements go. We will all see some parts of faith differently, interpret certain verses our own way, cloud our arguments with our own point of view. When we let go of being right, we start serving each other with humility. And humility has the power to first change us and then change others.
4. But it's "righteous" indignation!
Hanging on to anger damages more than just the angry person. It damages his or her message and other people's grasp of the truth.
1. Painting with too narrow a brush
Public (and the internet is public) condemnation of a specific group (insert "evangelicals", "fundamentalists", or even certain pastors and churches by name) is not really useful to the conversation. When you paint a target on people, others will raise up their defenses and be wary of you. Sadly, many will join with you in the shooting. As believers, we are responsible for the way we present someone else. Our job isn't to make sinners look more sinful, but to make Jesus look like the savior that he is.
2. I don't know you, and this is crazy...
Sometimes, specific sins do need to be confronted, but I believe that it's better when a relationship exists between you and that person, or in the very least, a private conversation. Reproof should always start on a one on one basis, and it should stay there for a long time. It is not honoring to air other's dirty laundry for all to see. Certainly, talk about sin, but not about sinners by name. It's not fair. Every single one of us has blood on our hands. Not only that, but someone who is blinded by sin is not going to respond to public attack other than to grow more hardened and firm in the sin.
3. Let it go.
On some things, for the sake of peace and well being of those struggling with a weaker faith, we need to just let the disagreements go. We will all see some parts of faith differently, interpret certain verses our own way, cloud our arguments with our own point of view. When we let go of being right, we start serving each other with humility. And humility has the power to first change us and then change others.
4. But it's "righteous" indignation!
Hanging on to anger damages more than just the angry person. It damages his or her message and other people's grasp of the truth.
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