Actions speak louder than words.
Over the past few years, I’ve seen a disturbing trend in the Christian community.
I’ve seen Christians adopt a posture of incredible hatred and fear of those who are outside of the body of Christ.
It makes me sad, because these same people are claiming the love of Christ, but are unwilling to show any degree of sympathy to those around them.
And I’ve been one of those Christians. I’m not a particularly good one, by the way. I have questions, and I have doubts. I’ve been angry, and scared, and full of hatred for people I deemed opposition.
I remember rejoicing at the deaths of people I thought to be my enemies.
And it was wrong.
The Greatest Commandment
“Jesus said to him: ” ‘You shall love the Lord your God from all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. But the second is similar to it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments the entire law depends, and also the prophets.”
-Matthew 22:37-40
When you look at what Scripture says, there is no room to question the way in which we as Christians are meant to act. All of the actions of a Christian must be performed from love of God, and love of our neighbors.
The recent actions of those claiming to be Christian are not in alignment with scripture. Rather than seeking new converts, those who have claimed Christ have sought to ostracize those they do not agree with.
They’ve advocated cries out for blood and cheered for death. They have been uncharitable, inhospitable, and unkind.
They respond from fear, and refuse to carry the light of Christ into a dark world.
A Spirit of Fear
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of virtue, and of love, and of self-restraint.”
-2 Timothy 1:7
If God has not given us a spirit of fear, then why does it seem that Christians are so afraid?
Afraid of their neighbor, their political rival, their government, or the end times? This is not the way of Christ. Jesus did not live in fear of the Romans, or the priests and rabbis. Rather, he went forward and spoke his message to those who would listen.
“Blessed are those who endure persecution for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they have slandered you, and persecuted you, and spoken all kinds of evil against you, falsely, for my sake: be glad and exult, for your reward in heaven is plentiful. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
-Matthew 5:10-12
If we are blessed in persecution, why should we fear a Muslim man in our country? Should I fear a politician? A government? I think not.
A spirit of fear sits over the American church, and we are allowing it to cripple us.
The Nation of God
My final thought is on the Nation of God. Not America. Not Israel. The nation of the whole body of believers in Christ, from all walks, lands, and peoples.
We are a nation surrounded by potential citizens, who require only that we share the love of God and the Truth of Jesus Christ. We are not a nation that can be conquered, or invaded. There is no land that belongs to us, because though we are on the earth, we are not of the earth.
Don’t be so quick to engage in the politics of the earthly place which you live, at the expense of the spiritual kingdom you are meant to serve. Stand firm, courageous, in the love of God, and the message of the Gospels.
Do not worry about earthly freedom, but rather, about freeing others from the chains of sin and death, through the power of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
