The results of this past week’s national elections have many Christians in a quandary. Some have shared with me about their “Christian” friends who eagerly voted for the president-elect, have no difficulty with the idea of gay marriage or accepting that abortion is a personal choice. The questions keep coming: is it wrong to separate from these people, even if they are extended family members, neighbors, and associates at work? They want to keep people with these wrongheaded views away from themselves and especially their children, for they don’t want their families to get the idea that such views are consistent with an orthodox application of Scripture.
Is this an overreaction? Or, should they figure this “bad taste in their mouth” will subside with time? Should they get used to the status quo and just accept it?
The crux of the matter is differentiating between those who are brothers and sisters in the Lord and those who are wolves in sheep’s clothing. The ONLY way you are going to differentiate between the two is to have an absolute standard. Those who love the Lord hear His voice (His law-word) and respond. Those who are of another sheepfold don’t. Jesus said that those who love Him will keep His commandments. That would include agreeing with Him and His Word as to what constitutes evil and what constitutes good.
Thus, those “Christian” friends are professing Christians without being confessing Christians.
The next issue is to be sure you are differentiating between those who have been taught poorly and those who are indeed wicked. In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees knew what the Scriptures said and substituted their own laws and ordinances. They were legalists – trying to obtain salvation on their terms. Jesus correctly identified them as vipers and snakes.
My suggestion to those who are in the quandary described above is to embark on a study of Biblical law so that they will not “struggle” with these issues, but have an effective way to view the law-word of God and teach it to their children. Feelings are a poor substitute for an absolute standard. Feelings can come and go, but God’s Word is established forever.
Fed up with not knowing how to think Biblically? It is time to become an expert in knowing and applying the full counsel of God.
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You wrote: "The next issue is to be sure you are differentiating between those who have been taught poorly and those who are indeed wicked."
ReplyDeleteThis is SO important. It breaks my heart when I see people who I believe really do love the Lord and want to serve Him following false teaching because they simply don't know any better. It is so sad that people don't check out everything they hear and read diligently with God's Word.
I remember having pastors who used to challenge us from the pulpit. They would ask where our bibles are and ask if we are comparing what they are saying with what God's Word says. I appreciated how they would remind us of the fact that they are fallible men. Try as they might, they can still make mistakes or misinterpret something. They welcomed anyone challenging them on anything they said that seemed to be in error.
If we are in the habit of learning God's Word and discussing it with our teachers, we will be able to recognize error when it crosses our path. We must make sure our teachers are sound ones who are led by the Holy Spirit!