By Pastor John
Oh the effigy, a marvel of our times, A conduit for our ire, a target for our rhymes. With fists clenched tight, we vent our anger, Upon this lifeless form, oh so eager. Behind screens, arrows fly, venom stings. In our echo chambers, oh how loudly we sing. With each blow we land, a false sense of power, But do we truly listen, in this divisive hour? Through streets we drag, a spectacle of scorn, Yet pause we to ponder what we've sworn. In our passionate fervor, do we truly see, The error of our own trackless sea Oh, Ephagie, you symbol of our discord, A mirror to our souls, our unity ignored. In our rush to judge, to condemn and deride, Have we lost the art of listening, of walking side by side?
How easy it is to make caricatures out of the individuals and philosophies with which we disagree. I am certainly guilty of falling into this trap far more often than my pride would care to admit. Perhaps it is due to the short attention spans of “moderns” like us. After all, goldfish have a longer attention span than the average American. We don’t want stories, we want soundbites.
The Temptation of Labels: Opposing Union with Christ
How tempting it is to reduce our conversations in public forums, private meetings, or from pulpits into a collection of soundbites and talking points. How often do we witness individuals and beliefs swiftly categorized, leading to unproductive oversimplifications? “God and Guns,” “Progressive,” “Conservative,” “Liberal,” “Christian Nationalist,” “Charismatic,” “Calvinist,” “Zionist,” “Anti-Semite,” “Dispy,” “Boomer”, “Millennial” depending on the camp you stake your tent in, these labels are frequently used in a disparaging manner, while some proudly embrace them as badges of honor.
We idolize individual autonomy. We often prioritize the simplicity of labels over the complexity of individual beliefs and identities. We overlook nuances preferring instead to assign rigid categories that do not fully capture the richness of thought and experience.
This is why heathens rage against God, labeling Him the chief narcissist, claiming He is only concerned with His glory, cannot be blamed for evil, demands worship, and punishes those who do not worship Him, are misrepresentations of God’s character. Our resistance to God’s sovereignty stems from our idolization of autonomy. God deserves worship and doesn’t share His glory for the sake of the good of the cosmos, essential to prevent ruin. History warns us of the dangers of mob rule. Would it be just for a murderer to judge their own guilt? Would it be kind for me to let my toddler drive our family on the interstate? Just as the sun shines and the rain falls without our direction, God’s sovereignty is for the benefit of all creation.
Living Among the Heathen: King Jesus’ Call for Peace and Division
There is nothing new under the sun. God spoke through the prophet Jerimiah instructing the people to seek the welfare of the city by building houses and living in them, plant gardens, and eat the produce, to take wives, have children, and give their children in marriage (Jer 29:1-7). It was not only possible but expected that God’s people would build multi-generational lives among the heathens. God desired that his ways of peace would expand and not decrease because this is in the best interest of society. God was giving them a life and had a plan to prosper them, so they were not afraid (v. 11). They were to pray to the LORD for the city’s welfare because their own welfare was tied to it.
In Christ, we have a perfect example for how to engage a hostile culture. Jesus made it a practice to ask great questions. His questions made people question what they had accepted to be true and it challenged their worldviews. There is a common posture within the church to embrace hostility toward the culture and to either shrink back or shake our fists.
I have watched as this anger is turned inward as we quickly pick up the familiar stones of culture and hurl them at one another. How quickly our individualism and autonomy are exposed and we forget King Jesus is reigning. We rush to label those who show concern and outrage as “culture warriors” or mistake restraint and silence as “cold” or heartless. In the process, we overlook real needs of discipleship growth and opportunity for unity.
United in Christ: Practicing Love and Compassion
The idea that Christians are in opposition to non-Christians is a misnomer. In reality, as Christians, we are called to love and serve all people, regardless of their beliefs. However, this does not mean that we ignore the clear distinction between the covenant people of God and the nations. Jesus said he did not come to bring peace, but a sword (Matt 10:34). Jeremiah was mocked for preaching repentance and was accused of coworking against the welfare of the city (Jer 38). There will be opposition to the gospel and the kingdom of Christ because we reject what is good for us. We value our autonomy more than God’s glory.
Feeling angry when we witness injustice is a natural and right response. David cried out:
O LORD, God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve! O LORD, how long shall the wicked exult? They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. They crush your people, O LORD, and afflict your heritage. They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless; and they say, ‘The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.’
Psalms 94:1-7
How do we respond in a faithful, Christ-exalting way, seeking the welfare of the city all while keeping a Kingdom-first mindset? Here are some practical ways we can recognize this distinction while still seeking the welfare of our city:
- Remember that we are all created in the image of God. This means that all people have inherent value and dignity, regardless of beliefs and we should stand for them even if no one else will
- Focus on our common humanity. We all share the same basic needs and desires, such as food, shelter, and love. More so, we all share a basic need for a redeemer. We were all once far off from God but in Christ, we have been brought near (united in Christ). Not because we deserve to be or by our social standing but by the grace of God (Eph 2).
- Emphasize the importance of love and compassion. Jesus taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves. This means that we should treat all people with kindness and respect but not shrink back from calling them to repentance and to pledge their allegiance to King Jesus.
- Be willing to learn from others. We can learn a lot from other people with different worldviews listening to and understanding them and asking questions. In doing so, you may cause them to question their worldview and see the bedrock hope of salvation and be called to union (relationship) with Jesus!
- Be a witness to the love of God. Jesus said: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
Let’s be curious, compassionate, careful, and Christ-exalting, asking others why they believe what they believe and loving our city. Let us commit to living out our faith in love, breaking down barriers, and building bridges into our community. Will we be opposed along the way and accused of seeking the harm of our city? Possibly. Brothers and Sisters, if we encounter resistance, let it be because we were boldly proclaiming Christ and His crucifixion, rather than boasting in our own autonomy.
