Sinners - those people that should be avoided at all cost so that our church friends won’t think we hang out with the wrong crowd, besides Jesus would never hang out with sinners, right?

Witnessing. Three verses in the Bible that say a lot to me on the topic are listed below. The first one everyone uses to witness. It is the most well known verse in the whole Bible. I believe the two verses that follow should mold and shape the way we witness to others.

“ 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
- John 3: 16-18 New King James Version

Thank God for the grace to allows us to have eternal life. Did you catch the other parts though? The part about God making salvation possible because of his love for each of us. What about the part about salvation coming from belief in Jesus? It isn’t through condemnation of our sins or imperfections. It is through belief in Jesus brought about by God’s love.

What does this say about the way we should witness? If Jesus came to bring salvation through love and not condemnation shouldn’t our witness follow that example? Yet, how often do we use condemnation of someone’s sins as a starting point for our witness? Every time you start pointing out what you perceive as someone’s sins you are taking part in condemnation. Verse 18 tells us that not believing in Jesus is condemnation all by itself. In other words we could be sinless and still be condemned if we don’t believe in Jesus. So it is pointless to tell a non-Christian about all the sins they are committing. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring about conviction. That’s his job. Your job as a witness is to show them the way to salvation so they can understand God’s love. The Holy Spirit can convict and condemn much more loving than you ever could anyway. If you really feel the need to point out to someone that they are a sinner just show them that in Romans 5:8 it says Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. At least then you put a positive spin on things.

Why do you think it is important that John 3:17 pointed out that salvation does not come through condemnation? Think about it. I’ll use a over the top example as illustration. Imagine you are introduced to two people. One of them immediately starts pointing out everything they perceive to be your faults and wrongdoings. The other accepts you and loves you despite your shortcomings. You then find out they are both part of differing clubs. They are each representative of the people in their particular club. Both have asked you to join. Which one would you join? We would all join the club with the person that loves and respects us no matter what. You wouldn’t want to be like the obnoxious people in the first group that expect you to make multiple changes before they accept you, right? The same thing applies to your witness. If your witness makes Christianity look like a stuck-up country club I can promise that you are pushing people away.

In my experience the most important part of witnessing is timing. Are you one of those Christians that anytime you are around a non-Christian you think you must be witnessing to them? There are times people simply are not going to be receptive to any witness. Maybe they have so much on their mind at that moment that not only do they not want something else to think, but they simply couldn’t process it at that time anyway. Maybe they are just in a bad mood. The best witness in these situations might simply be to show them God’s love instead of telling them about it. Your actions can be much stronger than your words. God made every person different. That means you can’t use a cookie-cutter approach to witnessing. What works for one person may not work for everyone. So you have to let the Holy Spirit lead you. There are times when you will be prompted to speak about Jesus and salvation. There will be times when you are prompted to simply take action to help or love someone. There will even be times when your witness would be best served to set back, shut your mouth and give someone the time and space they need at that moment.

If you never give a spoken witness shame on you. God has not called any of us to silence when it comes to telling others about him. There is a flip side of this coin though. If you always give a spoken witness to everyone there is a good chance you have pushed people in the wrong direction. Because a word spoken at the wrong time no matter how well intended can have disastrous results. So, yes timing is important.

When the chance to tell someone about Jesus and the salvation he offers presents itself don’t overdo it. It’s a fairly simple message. Adding extra to it doesn’t help get the message across. You may even find you have added something that causes a problem for the person you are witnessing to. You should make it seem simple, because it is. This is definitely a situation where less is more. As you go about your witnessing from now on remember one thing. By witnessing to someone you are presenting yourself as an example of Jesus to that person. If you are going to be someone’s example of Jesus it better be loving.

19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. - New Living Translation

19 Therefore, stay put in your churches and pray that people will walk through your doors. In this way your pastor can preach to them so that they will become disciples. Baptize the rare convert that walks through your door in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Choose a method and ritual for your baptisms. Ensure that you criticize those whose method differs from yours. You may even choose to question the salvation of those that were not baptized by your preferred method. - Modern Church Translation

Jonathan Brink at Missio Dei has a great post today titled “Guy Walks Into A Bar“. Read it below.

Guy walks into a bar and sees three guys engaging a passionate conversation about something. Curious that he is, he walks up to them and asks, “What’s the ruckus?”
“We’re trying to figure out what kind of beer this is,” the first guy says, a little taken aback by the interruption, but immediately turning back to his two friends. “It’s amber color reveals the rich texture of an bass pale ale.”
“I would say it’s a porter,” the second man says. “I’ve had porters before and they look just like that. I’ve even made porter’s. I used to make them in my house.”
I know it’s a dark lager,” the third man says. “The rich color is closer to a darker amber color. The rich pigmentation from the darker malts does that to it.”
“No it’s not,” the first man said, his voice rising in temperament. “Dark lager is darker than that.”
“A bass pale ale doesn’t sit in the glass like that,” the third man said, exhausting his disgust as he pointed to the pint.
“What’s that supposed to mean,” the first man said, throwing out a guffaw in furious passion.
“What do you think?” the second man said, looking at the guy who was still watching the conversation. All attention was turned on him.
The guy looked at the beer, picked it up and drank it. Set it down on the bar and said, “It’s good.”
————————————————————–
I want to be the guy who drinks the beer in life.

That says a lot. I know I have been guilty myself of trying so hard to debate and classify something that I should have just be enjoying.

I started a new blog.  Modern Church Translations.  Check it out.  It’s fun.

I was reading the story of Jonah and it struck me that the whole culture of modern Christianity has very much the same attitude. When God called Jonah to go to Nineveh he didn’t want to go. He took it much further than that though. He ran the oppopsite direction of Nineveh. He went to the port city of Joppa and found a boat to take him to Tarshish.

Jonah was willing to let the people of Nineveh suffer. He was willing to let them go without hearing the message that God had for them. He did not want to be around the people from Nineveh. He was scared and repulsed by these people.

Look at what is happening with todays’ Christian culture. As followers of Christ we are called to be his witnesses. Just as Jonah was. It would be great if the similarity ended there, but it doesn’t. Christians today are doing very much the same thing as Jonah. They are actively running away from the world they are called to minister to. Christian culture today has surrounded itself with everything Christian. Chuch, Christian music, Christian schools, Christian clothing, special events at our churches on all the holidays, and whatever other stuff carrying a Christian label we can possible cram in to our lives.

It is taboo to hang out with the “secular world”. Somehow, those who need Jesus have become as repulsive to modern Christianity as the Ninevites were to Jonah. Christians have found their own port of Joppa in their church buildings. They have found their transport to Tarshish in all the various “Christian” activites they surround themselves with to keep out the secular.

Just like Jonah the culture of modern Christianity is willing to let the “secular world” suffer. The majority of Christians don’t care who is going to take the message of God to those who need it. As long as it isn’t them. The acceptable culture in the Christian world is so scared and repulsed of anything un-Christian it even applauds those who are the most successful at keeping from spreading the good news of Jesus to those who need it.

Who is going to take the message of Christ to those who need it if Christians are going to hide it from them? Preachers? Evangelists? Radio and TV programming? Most non-Christians pay little to no attention to those things, and when they do all they usually see are the charlatans and shams begging for their money. The best witness is for them to see Christ alive and well through our lives. When they see it lived out each and every day in the lives of the Christians around them maybe we will start reaching the world for Jesus. They aren’t going to see Jesus when we act scared and disgusted of them because they are “sinners”.

It’s time for each and every Christian to quit running to their own personal Joppas trying to reach Tarshish. It’s time to go back to the Ninevehs in our own lives, and then let our actions show Jesus to those who need so desperately to see him.

Is it gonna take God throwing all the Christians in the belly of a big fish to shake things up enough that we are willing to take his message to those who need it?

I realize when people put up what they think are cute sayings on their church signs they have good intentions. However, they have no clue what it is they are really saying to those who actually read it as they pass by. Especially those who do not follow Jesus. I passed a sign a couple of days ago that makes this point.

“To get to heaven, turn right and stay straight”

What is this really saying?
1) You gotta get perfect and stay perfect to make it to heaven.
2) Getting to heaven (salvation) is all about what you do.

In other words they have just taken salvation and made it all about works and totally removed grace from the picture. How is this supposed to appeal to anyone? This is bound to make people think Christians are arrogant to believe we have got it “right” and are keeping it “straight”. It even smacks of condemnation.

It would serve churches and Christians everywhere very well to remember the words to one of the all time classic hymns when trying to present Christ to the world around us. Read these words from Just As I Am:

Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Maybe the language is a little outdated, but wouldn’t that be a better message to send to those who need Jesus?

I have been really studying Romans 14 a lot recently. No, I’m not thinking of becoming a vegetarian. Ever since I was a kid I could never reconcile the things I was always taught about “stumbling blocks” with the actual words I was reading in this chapter.

1) I was always taught that if a Christian did something “questionable” and a non-Christian saw them we might prevent them from becoming a Christian. As I read this chapter over and over I don’t see this. The discourse is in reference to others who are already Christians. It calls them weaker brothers, but it never once mentions someone that does not believe in Christ. As a matter of fact that stumbling referred to is that we cause someone who is already following Christ to do something they believe to be wrong because they don’t have the same freedom we have. Which in that case it says both have sinned. Sin itself points to this only being about other Christians. Why would a non-Christian view these things in terms of sin. They aren’t playing by the same rule book that we are. Sin comes from our rule book, not theirs. Which brings me to point #2

2) Of course I was also taught that a “questionable” action around another Christian that does not agree with it was also a stumbling block. I see this as only partly right. In verses 3 and 4 Paul says:
“Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won’t. And those who won’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn God’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord’s power will help them do as they should.”
This simply says don’t condemn someone who believes differently than you. It specifically says God has accepted them. It even says each person is responsible to the Lord. There is no directive here to stop doing something just because someone else doesn’t agree with it. Read verse 10:
“So don’t condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian’s path. ”
Again, we find an admonishment here not to condemn another Christian for believing different than we do. It doesn’t say those who don’t believe in something must stop everyone else from doing it. It doesn’t say that those who do believe in it should force others to do it with them. It gives some latitude. It gives some personal freedom. It appears that the stumbling block here is not the act itself. It is condemnation of someone who does not agree with your interpretation.

3) So, am I saying I believe it is OK to do anything I want, anytime I want? No, I do think there comes a point where certain acts can be sinful even if they aren’t wrong. Read verse 21:
“Don’t eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another Christian to stumble.”
At first glance that appears to be a blanket statement against doing anything another Christian might disagree with, although the above verses simply don’t agree with that. It is important however to understand the context. Paul is writing to the Roman believers about issues that have arisen when they gather. The issues of eating meat or drinking wine were only issues because eating is part of what these believers did when they gathered together. This was common practice. They understood this. That means Paul was not issuing a blanket condemnation. It seems he was saying if certain people believe eating meat is wrong but they can’t stop themselves from eating it when available then don’t make it available to them. Don’t give them reason to sin against their own conscience. It doesn’t say don’t have something around just because someone else thinks it is wrong. If someone believes it is wrong and is strong enough to refrain even if available then I can find no condemnation to have it around.

In conclusion, from what I read in this chapter the church has cherry picked a couple of verses to come up with a meaning that simply isn’t there. It seems that there are 2 stumbling blocks listed in this chapter:
1) Condemnation of other Christians for not agreeing with you interpretations of right and wrong.
2) Providing another Christian with the means to do something which would cause them to sin against their own conscience and morals.

Any thoughts?

Politics - a way to force others to live by Christian principles because we are too cowardly to show them Jesus in our own life

Last week, the Journey gathered at The Creme Coffee House in downtown Owensboro. We had a great time visiting, drinking coffee, and discussing the Bible together. You should join us at a gathering sometime . . . it’s fun . . . really.

Anyway, as we were leaving, Graham noticed what looked like a $100 bill in the “fishbowl” tip jar on the counter. So he said, “Is that a hundred dollar bill?” The barista immediately fished it out of the bowl, only to discover that it was a fake. But not just a fake bill . . . a Christian evangelistic tract dressed up as a $100 bill. How disgusting!

It was such a poor fake you knew it almost instantly. Then it opened to reveal it’s real purpose—to influence its reader to become a Christian. And get this . . . the first word on the inside of the fake bill asks: “Disappointed?” Well, duh . . . who wouldn’t be?

What kind of knucklehead would leave this in the tip bowl? Did he/she think it was amusing? Did he/she really think this was the way to make people impressed with Christianity? What world are they living in? Wouldn’t a real $50 (or a $20, or a $10, or even a $5, for that matter) be a more effective witness, than a fake $100?

Here I am, a follower of Jesus, standing at the counter when the barista opens the fake bill. I feel for her. I’m thinking, this sucks! Suddenly I’m embarrassed to call myself a Christian, to be associated (if only in name) with this sham artist.

There’s got to be a better way to tell people about the love of God than to stiff them on their tip with a fake $100 bill!

[And I secretly wish there were a way to turn the tables on this "counterfeiting Christian" . . . let him/her know what a jerk he/she is. Any ideas?]