I find myself tired a lot lately. Maybe it's a sign of my age, or just general crankiness. I don't know.
I don't mean physically tired. I mean mentally tired. I mean Spiritually tired. I mean emotionally tired.
The latest thing that is taxing me (other than taxes in general) is this:
I'M SICK AND TIRED OF THE WORLD DEFINING CHRISTIANITY
Note: If I knew how to make that last sentence flash in neon lights, I would. I'm totally sick and tired of being told what being a Christian means.
This came up recently as Tim Tebow again was in the news. It seems he's always the poster child for people to decide what it does and does not mean to be a Christian, or maybe more precisely how a Christian is or is not to act.
Believe it or not, but the Bible actually has quite a bit to say on what Christianity is. But I guess actually reading the book would be too much work, so it's easier to just make up your own definitions.
Definition #1- real Christians should be more tolerant. If God is love, then Christians should realize that everyone is just fine the way they are.
Response: Umm, false. In the 3rd chapter of the 1st book of the Bible (i.e. REALLY early in the book) we find this little concept called sin. Sin is so serious that it sent the entire world into a tail spin which will not end until Christ returns. This is a message that needs to be told!
Definition #2- if so-and-so is a Christian, they wouldn't be so "sinful." Christians are all hypocrites because none of them are as perfect as they say they are.
Response: Umm, once again false. One, if you know of a Christian who calls him or herself perfect, please send them to me. I'd love to meet someone like that! Two, because Christians are not perfect and remain human, they will sin. Our goal is to become less sinful, but until we reach heaven there will be times when we don't measure up. We rely on God's grace, through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross when we sin, confess, and repent.
Definition #3- Tim Tebow (and others) should keep their faith to themselves.
Response: The Bible teaches the Christian that we are to tell the world of the good news of Jesus Christ; that without Him you cannot know peace with God, but that through Christ you can be a son or daughter of the Almighty. I understand that it's uncomfortable for a non-Christian to hear about Jesus. However, that does not make it the Christian's responsibility to keep this good news away from them. If I'm asleep during a movie, I probably don't want anyone to wake me up by yelling, "fire!" But if it saves my life I'll be grateful.
Definition #4- Christians should all be poor.
Response: Christians should not worship money or the things that money buys, but having money in and of itself is not sinful. If we hoard it and don't give to the Church (as taught in the Bible), to the poor and downtrodden (as taught in the Bible) or care for our families (as taught in the Bible), then we are not living as Christians should. But assuming that a Christian uses money in God honoring ways, if God blesses and he/she has money left over, then he/she can celebrate with a clear conscience.
I could probably go on, but by now I hope you get the point. If you are a Christian and as tired as I am of these types of arguments, we need to ask for patience and grace to realize that the non-Christian may not be malicious. They may just be ignorant. If you are a non-Christian, I ask you to simply do some research before you go on the attack and tell us how we fall short of your standards for a Christian. Honestly, your standards for my faith mean less than nothing to me anyway. God's standards for my faith are what I need to focus on.
No comments:
Post a Comment