There’s nothing new about the fact that Christians are a polarizing group of people. Christians have always been a group that evokes strong reactions, both positive and negative. Throughout history, from the earliest days of Christianity, followers of Jesus have faced persecution, arrest, threats, beatings, torture, and even killed for their faith.
I suppose we could say we are a mature group of Christians, right? It takes genuine maturity to take an intentional introspective look at ourselves. Introspection is the process of looking inward and examining your own thoughts, feelings, and motivations. It's like taking a mental step back to observe and analyze your inner world.
I’ve learned in counseling and coaching that introspection is a lifelong journey. The more you practice it, the better you'll understand yourself and the world around you. We should have enough depth to understand what is constructive criticism and what is just hateful rhetoric. AND we can’t always assume that it’s all bad.
Let me also say this to preface my thoughts… it is my personal opinion that the absolute best people I know are Christians. I’m talking about the most loving, compassionate and most sincere people… who have blessed me in more ways than I can count. I’m where I am because of Christian parents, grandparents, friends and church leaders. So… With that being said, let’s pull the bandaid off and look into a handful of criticisms made about Christians today. Just the ones I hear the most.
1) “Christians Are Hypocrites”
Yes, perceived hypocrisy is usually on the top of the list. The argument is that Christians may preach love and forgiveness but act judgmental or intolerant towards others, leading to accusations of hypocrisy.
Matthew 23:27-28 says Hypocrites are like whitewashed tombs that appear righteous but are full of uncleanness and dead people's bones.
Matthew 23:25 says Hypocrites clean the outside of cups and dishes but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
Luke 12:56 says Hypocrites know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky but don't know how to interpret the present time
I John 4:20 reveals that claiming to love God but hating a brother or sister proves us to be a liar.
Galatians 2:13 proves that Hypocrisy can lead people astray
II Timothy 3:13 teaches that evil people and pretenders will go from bad to worse, fooling others and being fooled
Romans 3:23 says” For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
2) “Christians Are Judgmental”
I call this perceived arrogance and it’s usually one of the top 3 criticisms I hear. Some Christians may come across as arrogant or condescending towards others. Critics think that sometimes Christians are guilty of being judgmental or harsh. They say we tend to think we’re better than other people because we’ve experienced a measure of transformation. We live "good" Christian lives. We become arrogant in our convictions, and that makes us look down on other people. People can sense that. And they don’t like it.
Matthew 5:7 says "It is the merciful who will be shown mercy"
Matthew 7:1 says "Judge not, that you be not judged"
Romans 2:1 says "When we point out the wrong doing of others while we ourselves err in the same way, we condemn ourselves"
Titus 3:2 says "We are always to be gentle toward everyone"
James 4:6 says "God opposes the proud"
I know it’s an OT text but remember what God said to Samuel… I Samuel 16:7 says "The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart"
Ephesians 2:8-9 says “For by grace you are saved through faith.”
3) “Christians Are Extremists“
You might find it interesting to know that a lot of people think that Christians are not tolerant or compromising. They will be bring up the violent history of Christianity which includes events like the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, and other religious wars, which can be seen as violent and oppressive. Of course, I usually ask “What about the atrocities of atheists like the Caesars, Hitler, Mussolini, Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot, Alfred Kinsey, Charles Darwin and many others?”
People also feel that we’re too conservative on social and political views. Most Christians hold conservative positions on social issues like LGBTQ+ rights, drinking alcohol, capital punishment, (big one) abortion, divorce, etc. which clash with more liberal perspectives, causing conflict.
Ecclesiastes 7:18 states, "It is good that you grasp this, and also not remove your hand from the other; for he who fears God will escape them all.” One translation says, “whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.”
The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7), and Solomon understands the connection of wisdom to righteousness (Proverbs 10:31).
Consider food. The Bible says that excessive eating leads to poverty (Proverbs 23:20-21) and is characteristic of the wicked (Proverbs 28:7). Also, we find several places in scripture where Paul and other writers condemn people who call certain foods unholy, or try to bind dietary laws.
Another illustration that applies to many gurus who practically worship physical fitness. I Timothy 4:8 says “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.”
Consider money. In balance, it’s good. We all need it. But Scripture warns in 1 Timothy 6:10 that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
With all that being said, there are some views that may be considered extreme, but we must stand firm on the word of God. We cannot allow compromise when it comes to sin. However, it is important that we look at the soul of an individual and realize that there is none righteous, not one (Romans 3:10).
4) “Christians Are Self-Righteous“
You may have heard the term “holier than now“. Just to put it bluntly, our moral integrity is often annoying to non-believers. Many Christians do not use curse words, we prefer not to watch inappropriate things on TV, we are guarded in our entertainment, we discipline our children, and we are often sickened by the wicked lifestyle of others.
We take strong stances on homosexuality, alcoholism, drug use, gambling, tobacco, and dozens of other items. We might agree that strong beliefs and a strong commitment to live by them is godly living. The problem is not what we choose to do, but when it is perceived that we are forcing our views on others.
Proselytizing is also frowned upon by non-Christians, atheist, and even some denominational people. Christians are active in trying to convert others, which can be seen as intrusive or disrespectful by those of other faiths or no faith. Of course, we have to cite the commands of Jesus and the great commission. We are called to be fishers of men and share a faith with others. They usually lump us together with Jehovah witnesses, Mormons, and other religious groups that knock on doors and shout from the street corners.
Proverbs 30:12 reveals that self-righteousness can lead people to believe they are pure, blinding them to their need for God's cleansing.
Isaiah 64:6 says even good deeds fall short of God's standards.
Ezekiel 33:13 reminds us that people cannot trust in their own righteousness.
Matthew 23:27-28 says “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.”
Galatians 1:8–9 says Paul calls those who advocate self-righteousness “accursed” and if righteousness could come from people's own actions, then Jesus died for no purpose (Galatians 2:21).
Luke 18:9–14 recounts the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in which Jesus called for sincerity and humility before God.
5) “Christians Are Unhappy“
Christians ought to be some of the most inwardly peaceful & genuinely happy people on the planet. Where’s the joy? Paul says in Philippians 4:11-13 “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
We do have the tendency to be odd. We have our own lingo, music, and movies, and that can isolate us from the rest of the world. The longer we stay in our ‘holy huddles,’ the more bizarre we become to the people around us. It’s quite common for followers of Jesus to not have many, if any, close relationships with non-Christians. We should be filled with joy! We’re need to learn to relate to people and invite them into our lives. That’s when we break down barriers and give people an opportunity to see who Jesus really is.
Psalms 34:18 says "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit"
Psalm 51:12 says “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me"
Proverbs 17:12 says “Laughter is good medicine.”
Isaiah 58:11 says “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame"
Matthew 5:4 says "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted"
II Corinthians 7:10 says "Godly sorrow produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death"
II Corrections 3:18 says “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
Standing up for what is good and true in society is noble. But shouting, insulting, and holding up signs with graphic images or slurs against the LGBTQ+ community is distasteful. Some might say it’s downright hateful. There can be a wrong way to do the right thing.
We ought to disagree with the others where we feel compelled by scripture and conscience. In some cases, we should disagree very strongly and unequivocally. But the message that should permeate every disagreement is this: “I love you, even though I think you are deeply wrong.”
Without love, we’re no better than those who act hatefully toward us. We can’t say we’re being persecuted for the cause of Christ when we ourselves are standing in hate.
Jesus didn’t come full of hate. He came full of grace and truth. That’s the line we walk. Don’t back down… but don’t go looking for a fight.
Daniel was an influential government official, and the other officials in the empire couldn’t stand how much God seemed to bless everything he did. So they conspired to bring him down. They just needed to find a weakness they could exploit. The same thing is true of Jospeh, who was despised by his brothers.
We don’t want to cause any unnecessary stumbling blocks to the good news of Jesus. May the only complaint that can legitimately be levied against us be this: that we love our God more than anyone can understand.
The kingdom of darkness will not prevail against the kingdom that Jesus brings. The kingdom of light and life will come and destroy darkness and death. This is our mission. So we can expect to ruffle a few feathers along the way.
We have to remember who the real enemy is… the devil. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). We may not have the answer for every criticism but we do have God’s word to help us face the critics with confidence.
The reason we feel this pressure is because we are in the midst of a spiritual battle and it’s pressing in on us. Jesus once said that the gates of Hades will not prevail against the Church. This image is not meant to be one of protection, but of conquest. The church is on a mission not only to survive the darkness of this world, but to cast darkness out entirely. We do this by shining our light!
You are loved.
Ray Reynolds, PhD
#ReynoldsRap #ReclaimingHope #RayReynolds #MistyReynolds #counseling #PeachtreePress #inspiration #encourage #positive #rayreynoldsrap #reclaiminghopeministry #summerdale #churchofchrist #bible #didaskobibleinstitute #dailyBiblereading #WixBlog #authentic #Christian #positive #practical #community #God #Jesus #Facebook #Twitter #Instagram #YouTube #Reddit #TikTok #WWJD #GTKYB #Christianity #criticism
コメント