(ThyBlackMan.com) (NOTE: All referenced scripture is from the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible)
First, let me say that I am an Evangelical Christian, having accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior in my early teens. I have also worked with two international Evangelical ministries, performed in gospel singing groups and participated in weekly Bible studies. These “works” have done nothing to justify me to God or earn His grace or mercy. I say this so that my brothers and sisters will not think what follows is from a non-believer.
This letter is not intended as a philosophical dissertation for those who have chosen other faiths (religions) or none at all. They may not have the background, training or Spirit to accept these precepts. “But the natural man [receives] not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
When we, as Christians, are seen by others, especially non-believers, our Christ-Purchased life should be an example. “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Us) (Matthew 7:20). What are those “fruits”? “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.” (Galatians 5:22-23). Even though we are “redeemed” we are still sinners and will fail daily at trying to live a righteous life, and “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8), and “There is none righteous, no not one.” (Romans 3:10). A saying attributed to St. Francis of Assisi is, “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.” Our actions, and our words, speak volumes as to who we are, and what we believe. They should also radiate God’s Holy Spirit living within us, helping us in our attempt to show others God’s love through Christ’s gift. Our lifestyle should: “Provoke them to jealousy” (Romans 11:11), meaning when others see how we act and hear what we say, they will want to have what we have. This is our “testimony”.
The other side of that is when others hear us preach and show hate, that also becomes our testimony. With talk and actions that are not of God, we destroy the Christian testimony and cause others to reject what God wants for all of us, when His Word says that the Lord, “is longsuffering [toward us], not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).
There are many sinful attitudes and behaviors that are normal for “man” (human nature), “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jeremiah 17:9). But our human nature and sinful actions are counter to God’s desire for us. God wants us to accept His love, then show that love to others. “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor.” (Romans 13:10)
God says, “If a man [says], I love God, and hateth [hates] his brother he is a liar.” (1 John 4:20). Simply put, we are lying about our love of God, when we practice hate.
I saw a friend, a fellow Christian, at the post office recently and he was venting his political hatred to another. It hurt me to see this as he was destroying his personal testimony.
Some of the “righteous anger” that we Christians are prone to vent revolves around the politics and beliefs of others, the very ones we should want to lead to Christ: Those people are gay, I can hate them; those people believe in abortion, I can hate them; those people are in the wrong political party, I can hate them; those people believe in same-sex marriage, I can hate them; those people believe Black Lives Matter, I can hate them; those people are Muslim, I can hate them; or most recently, those people are in the FBI or DOJ, I can hate them. There are many “sins” that are objectionable, but none should drive us to hate others. God says: “All have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God.” (Romans 3:23), and “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). That “gift” is, “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:9). If we think that we are good enough to be loved by God, or that we have earned, or deserve, God’s “gift”, we are wrong. “For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (Romans 10:3). When we show, and speak, hatred toward others we are giving up our opportunity to show them God’s love and share His gift. We could be dooming them to an eternity without God. If we loved them, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) we would not want them to perish or be separated from God’s love. Christ not only died for Evangelical Christians, but, “… also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2)
Resentment and hatred toward others is a self-righteous attitude coming from a belief that we are better than them, and that we are Godly and they are not, while God has said that, “All our righteousness(es) are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6)
Our testimony is also seen by others when they see who we admire, respect and follow. This can be a televangelist caught in lust, or with a lifestyle of gold faucets in their mansion, or it can be a politician who has multiple affairs, divorces and bankruptcies and who preaches hate, fear and division. When we hold these individuals up to others and say these represent Evangelical Christians, that these are the ones we follow, then it is no wonder that others may say they want nothing to do with us or our God.
There are three categories of people on earth:
(1) Sinners who have been redeemed by Jesus Christ and have accepted Him into their lives;
(2) Sinners who have been redeemed by Jesus Christ but have rejected their pardon;
(3) Sinners who have been redeemed by Jesus Christ but have not yet heard the message.
It is not in our human nature to be kind, forgiving, compassionate and loving to others but God says, “As much as [it lies] in you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:18). The only hope we have is to allow God’s Holy Spirit to guide us and prayerfully ask for God’s strength to live as He would want. If we do this, it will go a long way to restoring our Christian testimony that is under attack during these divided times. Or, as the Bible instructed a different people of a different time, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
So, we can preach revolution using fear and hate, or we can preach reconciliation using compassion and love. Which testimony do you want? Or, in other words, you can worship Donald Trump or you can worship Jesus Christ, but you can’t do both.
Staff Writer; Larry Clark