Christians?
Harper Lee in her book to Kill a Mockingbird said,
“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)...” Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird.
This is completely true.
Throughout the years I’ve seen many calling themselves Christians quoting the Bible as a way to justify their actions. Actions that are not in keeping with the teachings of Jesus. The apostle Paul said there would be people who claimed to be believers in Christ Jesus who were not. People who had turned away from the teachings of Christ. The apostle Paul wrote,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4.
Jesus himself said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23.
It is very easy to go to church, read the Bible and claim you are a Christian. But just because you do so does not mean you are a true believer in Christ Jesus.
Sadly many people around the world claiming to be Christians have caused great harm. They have protested against everything “they” see as wrong. Such people it seems lack Love and compassion for those they protested against.
Believers in Christ Jesus are not meant to protest against anything. Jesus and the apostles did not protest. Nor should we.
As believers in Christ Jesus we are called to show love and compassion to those around us.
Jesus said,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:34-46.
I firmly believe we should be known for our love and compassion not for what we are protesting against. Tony Campolo the American Evangelist said,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.” Tony Campolo.
Please think about it.
Harper Lee in her book to Kill a Mockingbird said,
“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)...” Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird.
This is completely true.
Throughout the years I’ve seen many calling themselves Christians quoting the Bible as a way to justify their actions. Actions that are not in keeping with the teachings of Jesus. The apostle Paul said there would be people who claimed to be believers in Christ Jesus who were not. People who had turned away from the teachings of Christ. The apostle Paul wrote,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4.
Jesus himself said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23.
It is very easy to go to church, read the Bible and claim you are a Christian. But just because you do so does not mean you are a true believer in Christ Jesus.
Sadly many people around the world claiming to be Christians have caused great harm. They have protested against everything “they” see as wrong. Such people it seems lack Love and compassion for those they protested against.
Believers in Christ Jesus are not meant to protest against anything. Jesus and the apostles did not protest. Nor should we.
As believers in Christ Jesus we are called to show love and compassion to those around us.
Jesus said,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:34-46.
I firmly believe we should be known for our love and compassion not for what we are protesting against. Tony Campolo the American Evangelist said,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.” Tony Campolo.
Please think about it.
