Biblically Speaking

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It seems that leading an explicitly Christian life today means being nice. We should be gentle and soothing at all times. We shouldn't raise our voice or rebuke. We should be tolerant and accepting while cherishing our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, this type of paralytic piety is the knell of a withering church not the battle cry of a victorious church. Christ himself said in Matthew 10:34 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." Christ didn't come to the earth in the form of man in order to get us all together for a big, world-wide, group hug. He came to divide...the elect from all others. Those who choose the narrow gate from all others. Those who confess and obey him from those who deny him whether in word or in deed.

Our modern conception of Christianity equaling niceness causes our churches today to work toward the damnation of sinners rather than their salvation. It also works to hinder the spiritual growth of the immature Christian. We don't place demands on people. We don't practice tough love. We allow people to live as a law unto themselves doing whatever is right in their own eyes because we're afraid that God can't save them unless we make them feel comfortable enough to sit in the pew. Oh are we arrogant!

Let me give you an example of how we discourage submission to God. Churches see families in need and rush to give them money, food, clothing, etc... The family gets back on their feet, but a short time later they are desperate again. The church rushes to the rescue. The cycle repeats itself countless times as the church provides the safety net. How often does this happen in homes where the family is living as an affront unto God in every area of life. They don't confess Christ before men. They don't tithe. They don't pray. They don't read the Bible. They don't practice family worship. They don't work diligently. They don't save. They spend their money foolishly. They don't guard their eyes and ears. They aren't a light set upon a hill. The church just rushes forth with blinders on focusing on the admonitions in scripture to clothe the naked and feed the hungry.

Paul tells us that if a person is in open rebellion against God and is calling himself a Christian that the church should turn that one out that Satan might ravish him and that he might come to repentance. Better to destroy the body and save the soul. At some point in our charitable activity the church has to look at people who are in open and continued rebellion against God and refuse to continue to subsidize their sinful ways. The church should then pray that the person or family would come to a point of desperation such that they would repent and submit themselves to the Lord.

Too often we subsidize sinners just enough so that they never reach the point of absolute desperation and calling out to God in repentance. Do we love them or hate them?...there is no middle ground.