Blessed are the Persecuted: Responding to Skeptics

After posting the previous blog (here), I received the same objection from several people. Thus, I would like to respond to it formally.

I stated that if it really came down to persecution of Christians or persecution of homosexuals, it would be the most Christ-like response for we Christians to choose our own.

The main objection I got goes something like this:

By standing against homosexuality, we are not persecuting them, but are rather declaring God’s truth, that they are sinning. Furthermore, we must be the responsible citizens who are going to stand up and fight for truth. It has nothing to do with persecution.

(If I could state it better, let me know and I’ll alter my wording)

You may not think it is persecution, but it is persecution in the eyes of homosexuals and of millions of others.

Sure, you could say that we are supposed to present the truth and they can call it what they like, but you’d be missing the point of ministry, and missing the point of God’s truth.

Would a good minister disregard how he/she comes across to those he/she is ministering to?

Paul knew the importance of presenting the Gospel in a way in which his audience could understand and appreciate (Acts 17:16–34).

Furthermore, Christ came to save sinners with his love, not to condemn them into following him.

I was watching a documentary about homosexuality and the church, and in it there was a real story of a Christian mother who found out her daughter was a lesbian. The mother was devastated and told the daughter that, though she would never stop loving her, she could never accept that and would always hate it about her (like “love the sinner, hate the sin”). This mother, in her eyes, was just telling her daughter God’s truth.

A few months later, her daughter committed suicide.
When I got to that part of the story, I couldn't help but cry. And I know Jesus also cried.

We have to learn how to better minister to homosexuals. We have to learn that the way so many Christians adamantly stand against homosexuality makes homosexuals feel persecuted.

When we put up our signs that say “Homosexuality is an abomination,” we are, in their eyes, persecuting them. Doing this will not only cause many to reject God completely, but it can and does make people feel horrible.

This is not at all what Christ looked like.

Not only did Jesus dine with sinners, but they were drawn to him! There was something about him they wanted to pursue.

This drove the Pharisees crazy, because they sought to be moral guardians. They were the ones standing against others because of their sin.

Christ knew how ineffective and unloving this was. Christ was someone who stood with sinners, not against them. 

Furthermore, Paul said, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside of the Church?” (1 Cor. 5:12).

If it isn’t our business to judge the sins of those who are outside the Church, why are we making it our business?

Christianity shouldn't inspire someone to commit suicide.
Christianity should be marked by a salvific, transforming love that inspires people to become disciples of the beautiful Christ.
For that to happen, we need to get rid of our moral guardian mindsets and stop making it our business to judge the sins of others.

Our job is to love sinners like Christ, and love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud, not self-seeking, not easily angered.
Love does not delight in evil, and nor does love keep a record of sins.
Rather, Love rejoices with the truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres; and it never fails.

We should be focusing more on practicing these qualities towards sinners than trying to make their sins illegal (especially if we’re not willing to make our own sins illegal).

Blessed are the Persecuted: A brief note on Christians and Gay Marriage

"God will judge us not on how much we endured, but on how much we could love"

- Richard Wurmbrand, Tortured for Christ

A large number of Conservative Christians today believe that if gay marriage is legalized, it will be the beginning of the end of Christian liberty.
It will lead to persecution of Christians, including the prohibition of saying that homosexuality is a sin.
Though I doubt that it will be anywhere near that drastic, let’s say they’re correct and it will be.

If I had to choose between being persecuted as a Christian, or finding out about another homosexual committing suicide because of persecution, I would choose my own persecution!

If it really came down to our persecution or theirs, it would be the most Christ-like response to choose ours.

Though Christ was equal to God in nature, he emptied himself completely, made himself nothing, became a human servant, and then became obedient to death. And for this he was exalted. (Phil. 2:6-11)

We should seek to be like Christ (v.5).
We should be self-emptying, self-sacrificing, and other-focused.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition” (v.3). The Greek word for ‘selfish ambition’ denotes one who demands his own rights.
“Let your benevolence be evident to all!” (4:5). The Greek word for ‘benevolence’ denotes one who does not care about his own rights.

Rather than demanding our own rights, we should forget about ourselves and focus on the rights and interests and needs of others (2:3-4).
In our lives, we should look like Christ dying on the cross to transform people with infinite, salvific love.
Even if that means sacrificing our religious liberty and accepting persecution!

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you when people persecute you and insult you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you on account of me.
Rejoice and be glad! Your reward in Heaven is great, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” - Matt. 5:10-12

The End of America as We Know It?

Obama's presidency is not the end of America as we know it.
In four years two other candidates will run for president just like all the other elections.
Sure, we'll see changes; perhaps even drastic changes. But Obama can only do so much; he can't take from us Jesus Christ.
Side note: Obama is not against religious liberty. If you're believing that, then you should probably do some re-evaluating.
But even if he was, would there be reason to fear? I suppose by the world's standards there would be; but we Christians do no live by the world's standards, do we?
We are citizens of another kingdom; followers of a different leader.
This government is not our hope. Romney was not America's hope. And America is not the world's hope.
Christ is the one and only hope for all of humanity, and he isn't bound to a president.
Don't spend your time fretting and complaining. Your God is bigger than Obama!
Don't spend your time predicting the doom of America. You have no idea what God can accomplish!
Don't spend your time ranting and raving. Would Christ?
Would Christ fear, complain, rant and rave about who is president?
What would he do?
What did he do?
His work was in the transforming of the world from the inside out, not from the outside in.
The world tries to change things from the outside in. Romney would have tried to, and Obama is going to try to. But that's not the way Christ does things.
He is in the business of transforming people with his powerful love.
Instead of fearing and weeping about who is president, you should, as Ghandi said, be the change you want to see in this world!
Instead of jumping to extremes like "I'm moving to Australia," go out and make a difference with the love of Christ!
Instead of complaining, pray for Obama. Don't pray in anger. Don't pray selfishly. But pray that he would see God and that God would become an influence in his decision-making. Is it not possible?!
Pray that God will invade the White House, and that all those who would listen to him will, and will be empowered to make a difference, not for the Republican party, but for God's will.
Pray for this country. Pray that God will make you a tool for the beautiful transformation he desires in America.
Pray for your attitude toward the president and toward the country. Pray that you will be the salt of the earth, the light of the world; that you would not lose your flavor nor hide your light under a basket, but that you would enrich the world and give light to all who see you; that by witnessing your good works they would glorify the Father in Heaven.
Pray that you would be a glimpse of Christ to all who see you. Pray that God would transform you into the kind of American that he wants you to be.
And TRUST GOD.
If everything the extreme conservatives are saying is true, would that mean that God is no longer sovereign?
Can God not take care of you?
I'm almost glad that Obama was re-elected. This will give Christians another chance to fully trust God and focus more on him than on the government.

Remember in these days to trust God, be the salt and light of the world, be like Christ, be transformed, and pray for Obama and for the country.

God Bless.

Scripture passages for reflection:

"Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save"- Ps. 146:3

"Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him." - II Timothy 2:3-4

"our citizenship is in heaven" - Philippians 3:20

 "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." - John 18:36

"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities . . . Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. . . . clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." - Romans 13:1, 7-8, 14

"Abide in me . . . If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love . . . This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." - John 15:4, 10, 12