Misguided "Christian" Targets That Undermine the Way of Jesus (part 1)
TOUGHNESS - Would Jesus Take a Stand Like That?
I was a pretty big DC Talk fan back in the ’90s. I remember listening to one of their songs that opened with a voiceover of this Brennan Manning quote:
“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”1
I don’t know the reason Manning made the statement and I also don’t know how ever to quantify if duplicitous living is indeed the greatest cause of atheism. Still, I do know it is a relevant consideration given the aims of the Evangelical movement in recent years. Three factors, in particular, have caused onlookers to scratch their heads and question our sincerity to the gospel. I have placed these factors under three headings, all starting with T: Toughness, Trump, and Talent. The organized church has held these up as standards to the detriment of our witness to the world, and they have become the unbelievable evidence that an unbelieving world can point to.
First, TOUGHNESS.
“I want a pastor who preaches the truth!”
“The Church needs to take a stand and not back down!”
“Christians need to stand up for what is right!”
These are sentiments I often hear people express, especially in regard to political or social issues, such as abortion, illegal immigration, marriage, criminal justice reform, and more. It seems the new litmus test for sincere faith in Christ is whether someone will “take a stand.” Evangelical leaders often use this as the measure of discipleship, the mark of a true believer.
As is often the case, when we are confronted with the teachings and actions of Jesus Himself it is easy to see the real marks of genuine discipleship. He needs to be our litmus test. Does Jesus want people on both sides of the abortion debate, for example, to take a stand against the other side “in the name of Christ” as the proof of their faith? Did Jesus tell His disciples to love one another as He had loved them while thinking someday in a future place called America there will be Christians who defend their legal 2nd Amendment right to bear arms and other pacifist Christians who are activists against gun violence?
There is nothing wrong with being outspoken about an issue or taking a tough stand on a controversial subject, but there is a different measure of discipleship. Because we have projected this false notion that true Christians are the ones who stand up for certain issues or laws or rights, we have presented a false gospel. At least, we have demonstrated misplaced priorities, and as the McKenzie quote illustrates, it has caused harm to our Christian witness.
“A lot of the political passions that are swirling today are convincing individuals that they should be opposed to Christianity for reasons having nothing to do with the message of the gospel and everything to do with the political alliances we are entering into.”
—Robert Tracy McKenzie2
The problem with this “take a stand” metric is that it subtly shifts our mindset from partnering with Christ to partnering with power, state power. Well-intentioned Christians are turned from the humility of the gospel to believing that kingdom work is using the government forces to impose one’s beliefs on to others. By golly, if we can’t love people, then we will just make this a Christian nation through lobbyists, legislation, and litigation.
Please don’t hear what I am not saying. I am not trying to persuade people to step down from their convictions. Not at all. If you are pro-life because of sincere beliefs in the sanctity of life, then stand for that. If the humane treatment of immigrants is a major priority for you, then boldly advocate for that. All I am saying is that if you do so by vilifying those who think differently, then you miss out on opportunities to engage people in a Christlike manner. Moreover, if you use your stance as the measure of your Christian faith, then you have missed the target entirely. Holiness is not measured by how you take a stand on a political or social issue. That is not how true discipleship is identified. We will be known as followers of Christ by our love. I heard that an important guy once said that.
“I give you a new command. Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. If you love one another, everyone will know you are my disciples.”
—John 13:34-35 (words of Jesus)
Once we aim at the wrong target, then we enter into the wrong alliances, thinking worldly power is mightier than sacrificial love (the way of Jesus). Enemies of flesh and blood are more clearly defined and caricatured for us. It looks right if we squint and blur our vision just enough, but it is still antithetical to the message and ministry of Jesus. When we open our eyes fully to see clearly, we see this is true. We know better.
Perhaps there is no starker public figure to illustrate this point than Donald Trump, which brings us to the second misguided focus of American Evangelical Christianity (coming in part 2).
Footnote: Coincidentally, the Holy Post released a podcast episode that featured a discussion about the “Mohler vs. French” battle over contemporary social issues in light of a conservative mindset. It serves as a perfect illustration of how this misguided target of toughness, in the form of taking a stand, lands on the wrong runway. Christianity ends up becoming about something other than Christ.3
https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/brennan-manning-quotes