“I look at the Church landscape and I’m encouraged on some levels: Christians, particularly younger evangelicals, are passionate about issues like poverty and sex trafficking—issues that we should be passionate about; the Gospel compels us to be passionate about. But what I’m concerned with is when I see those same Christians not passionate and more passive about issues like marriage and abortion. So what I want to show to the Church is that we just don’t have that option of picking and choosing which social issues we’re going to address based on what’s most comfortable and least costly to us.”
David Platt spoke these words to an interviewer at Relevant Magazine.
Christian friends, many of us like to confuse refusing to speak truth in order to make people comfortable with love. If we look at Jesus’ life, when did he ever do that? He was the epitome of kindness, compassion and love…and he STILL was able to point people the direction they needed to go. So although I am saddened at the corruption in our legal system and the overall Supreme Court ruling, that’s not my main focus. I have three things I want to say to my fellow believers in Christ.
1. Yes. Love. Love those who are lost and confused, because that is absolutely what Jesus did. How can and why should we expect people who don’t know our Savior to act like him? Love them where they are, be an ear to listen and kindness is key.
2. However, like Platt said above, it is not okay to strive after key social issues and be culture changers there while ignoring what the rest of the Bible says on other HIGHLY important social issues, such as the protection of life and of marriage. Truth is not whacking someone on the head with your Bible over and over-it is being willing to speak some hard words and have a difficult conversation to try to shine a light to a lost person that ultimately points them in the right direction.
Maybe those words need to come completely from the Word of God, maybe they need to come from statistics, medical facts and other areas or maybe there needs to be a combination of both-this is why it is so important to get to know people as well, to know what they really desperately need to hear. But do not EVER think that by denying the Word of God and refusing to speak true words because it makes you uncomfortable that you are glorifying God or being “truly loving”. I’ve seen too many Christians label speaking truth into someone’s life as condemnation and judgement in order to justify their own comfort zone and urge to get along with everyone perfectly. Ephesians 4:15 talks about speaking the truth in love, and that is what we need to be doing.
3. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Even as I write this, I know several readers will despise me for what I say, so I’m just going to cling to that verse above. Others who are standing up for spreading truth in love in a culture permeated with lies, cling to it as well.
Kelvey Vander Hart
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