I'm going to go ahead and warn you from the get-go: This post isn't going to be my typical lighthearted post. As much as I like to laugh and live and let live, sometimes God puts things on my heart that are the direct opposite of "funny." Oftentimes, when he puts world issues on my heart, I tend to keep them to myself..... However, there are certain times when he stays on me until I speak up. I usually hesitate to share what's on my mind before asking myself some simple questions: 1. Is it GOD instructing me to speak on this matter? 2. Will me speaking up help anything or anyone? 3. Can I find the right words to express what I'm hearing, seeing, feeling and/or thinking without completely offending a bunch of people? 4. Is my approach in sharing Jesus a good one? I've usually taken the approach of sharing encouragement, but sadly, not everything going on in the world is "encouraging." Plain and simple: We have some harsh realities taking place right before our very eyes. Some things just simply can't be glamorized. Some things simply need to be discussed.
Everyone who shares their strong beliefs, thoughts and opinions have different audiences and friends' lists. Some controversial posters tend to mostly have a friends list of people who agree with them, who praise them and give them a ton of likes and "agrees." Other controversial posters have a "diverse" friends' list and they tend to light a fire that quickly gets out of control with accusations of bigotry, racism, hate, homophobia, judgement and intolerance.
My friends' list tends to be a big mixture of everyone, as I have friends from back home, friends from the entertainment world, friends from various jobs, friends from college, friends from church and friends I've met here and there. Some of my friends absolutely share my beliefs. Some absolutely do not. Then there are some who seem to share some of my beliefs, but are on a completely different page when you toss them a different issue. It's true: I have some friends all the way to the left, some all the way to the right and some hang out right there in between where I can never predict what their views are going to be on any given issue.
I'm not going to lie: Sometimes various posts and viewpoints take me by surprise. It's not the posts of the non-believers and the people on the other side of the political spectrum that surprise me: It's often my fellow Christians who surprise me most. Why? Well, I'm going to be honest here, okay? I'm seeing and hearing a lot of what I call "Salad Bar Christianity." I define "Salad Bar Christianity" as professing to be a Christian, yet clearly supporting and praising things going on in the world that the Bible clearly defines as "sin." So much of what the world keeps calling "beautiful" and "courageous," the Bible clearly calls "sin" and describes as signs of the "last days."
Before you get angry at me and call me a self-righteous, judgmental person, let me explain: I consider myself a very LOVING and compassionate person, who treats everyone equally no matter who they are or what their story is. However, GOD is the one who spoke and wrote against so much of what the world is glamorizing. It wasn't I, nor any other person, who made the call that certain behaviors would be considered sinful, while certain other behaviors would not. "Salad Bar Christianity" says "Yes Lord, I want your forgiveness, and I want to go to Heaven, but I don't like what you said in such and such verses, so I'm going to do "that" anyways, and/or, I'm going to praise and encourage the ones who do." In fact, it's almost as if "Salad Bar Christianity" pretends certain warnings and commandments don't even exist in the Bible at all. Maybe I'm becoming the minority here, but for me, God's word trumps all - despite what human emotion or human logic says. While we can decide we don't want olives or tomatoes on our salad, because we don't like them - this should not be how we treat our relationship with God. Yes, some verses may remind us of those cucumbers we just don't want as part of the package deal, but that doesn't mean we get to discard them. No, we just don't want to stomach them.....but guess what? If God says these truths are part of living an obedient Christian life, they're part of the obedient Christian life.....even if it's a part we struggle to digest. Different people like different toppings, but as a Christian, we must accept ALL toppings....because GOD said so. YES he said to "LOVE," (and man, do I LOVE all people) but as part of that love, he did not say you can toss 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and other verses you don't like in the trash because you don't like how they taste. Does a certain verse taste like those cucumbers you don't like? Well, it doesn't change the biblical facts.
Why is it that so many people are so shocked when a Bible-believing Christian admits they're not "for" something that the Bible calls "sin?" Why is it so shocking when a Christian says, "I can't support that, because it goes against God's word." Aren't we supposed to acknowledge *ALL* of God's word, not just the parts we "feel" like acknowledging? I know it's easy for us to acknowledge some our personal favorites like Proverbs 3:5-6, Phil 4:13 and Jeremiah 29:11 which make us feel encouraged, but not everything in the Bible is about "what we can get" from God. These verses may feel like the "cheese" of the salad (if you like cheese), but that doesn't mean that's all there is to the salad. Being a Christian isn't just about receiving.....it's of course additionally about giving, but also about obeying....and about standing firm for Christ. I've noticed most of these Christians who praise the "sin" going on in the world have the "love" part down.....but unfortunately they have it so down, that they believe LOVE means AGREEING with the world. Love was NOT intended to mean agreeing with sin. Likewise, the new movement says in a roundabout way that if you stand up for Christ and what his word says that you're spewing "hate." They say, "Well it's my job to love. I'm not here to judge." Should you love everyone? ABSOLUTELY!!! Jesus spoke about "love" so many times in his good book, but NEVER did he say to take love out of context to where it means AGREEING with sin. He also never said to take the "judge not" verse out of context. By calling something sin because God said so, you're not judging anyone - you're saying what IS. I don't understand what part of this my fellow Christians are becoming confused by.
Now on the flip side, I do notice that certain sins get more spotlight time and more finger pointing than other sins. I have noticed that adultery is hardly ever talked about, while certain other sins are always showcased. Adultery is a sin that society seems to let slide. I have noticed that the very people condemning someone for some other sin just happens to be the very person in an adulterous relationship not looking at the plank in their own eye. They seem to forget that the Bible speaks against that too. THEIR behavior needs forgiveness too - just like the gossiper, and the slanderer, etc. etc.
I know all about needing forgiveness in various areas of my life. I think we all have our own highlighted struggles, different temptations and personal triggers. I know what mine are, and they may very well be different than yours. I don't minimize my sins or justify them because I don't like to face the truth of what God's word says. He convicts me, and since I'm striving to follow him, I have to own up to my sins and try to avoid committing them again in the future. I know what his word says about the areas that I fall short in...so when I fall short, I have to confess and repent just like anyone else. Just because I want to do something or don't want to do something doesn't mean I get to give myself a free pass in that one area, because I'm faithful in other areas. When God convicts me about certain areas of my life, I feel like I'm swallowing ranch dressing (YUCK - yes, I'm a weirdo who doesn't like ranch), but since it's his will that I quit or that I change, I have to accept the "ranch." Without the ranch, I can't enjoy the tomatoes and olives I love so much. He can't continue to truly bless me with the toppings I love if I'm rejecting the ones I don't love so much.
Sure sometimes well-intentioned, BIble-believing Christians say some things in too harsh of a manner. Some professing Christians show anything but love and some unfortunately drive people away. Sometimes the poor wording seems more hurtful than helpful and more arrogant than humble, but at the end of the day, if you're truly following Christ, you KNOW what he says on ALL issues and you can't truly have any indifference on that. I don't think he's asked me to constantly preach or to constantly send a "brimstone and fire," message but it seems to me that this indifference to sin and this "taking love out of context movement" could very well be expediting the path to hell for many. Praising a person in their rebellious behavior can be the biggest detriment of all to them.. What seems like "support" and the thing to do, may be the WORST thing you can do for that person. Biblical love, loves the person right where they are, BUT biblical love WANTS the sinner to come to repentance.
You can say....."Well I respect your "opinion," Holly"......but if you're a Christian too....HOW is God's word EVER an OPINION?" This is another thing I've noticed fellow Christians doing....calling God's word an opinion!? None of us are perfect, but man y'all....all of the above is really really troubling me.
Are we fans or followers here? Are we half-Christians or whole-Christians? Yes, LOVE is vital, but don't forget that BIBLICAL TRUTH is vital as well. As Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates to the dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." It's a fine line, but we must walk it.
Everyone who shares their strong beliefs, thoughts and opinions have different audiences and friends' lists. Some controversial posters tend to mostly have a friends list of people who agree with them, who praise them and give them a ton of likes and "agrees." Other controversial posters have a "diverse" friends' list and they tend to light a fire that quickly gets out of control with accusations of bigotry, racism, hate, homophobia, judgement and intolerance.
My friends' list tends to be a big mixture of everyone, as I have friends from back home, friends from the entertainment world, friends from various jobs, friends from college, friends from church and friends I've met here and there. Some of my friends absolutely share my beliefs. Some absolutely do not. Then there are some who seem to share some of my beliefs, but are on a completely different page when you toss them a different issue. It's true: I have some friends all the way to the left, some all the way to the right and some hang out right there in between where I can never predict what their views are going to be on any given issue.
I'm not going to lie: Sometimes various posts and viewpoints take me by surprise. It's not the posts of the non-believers and the people on the other side of the political spectrum that surprise me: It's often my fellow Christians who surprise me most. Why? Well, I'm going to be honest here, okay? I'm seeing and hearing a lot of what I call "Salad Bar Christianity." I define "Salad Bar Christianity" as professing to be a Christian, yet clearly supporting and praising things going on in the world that the Bible clearly defines as "sin." So much of what the world keeps calling "beautiful" and "courageous," the Bible clearly calls "sin" and describes as signs of the "last days."
Before you get angry at me and call me a self-righteous, judgmental person, let me explain: I consider myself a very LOVING and compassionate person, who treats everyone equally no matter who they are or what their story is. However, GOD is the one who spoke and wrote against so much of what the world is glamorizing. It wasn't I, nor any other person, who made the call that certain behaviors would be considered sinful, while certain other behaviors would not. "Salad Bar Christianity" says "Yes Lord, I want your forgiveness, and I want to go to Heaven, but I don't like what you said in such and such verses, so I'm going to do "that" anyways, and/or, I'm going to praise and encourage the ones who do." In fact, it's almost as if "Salad Bar Christianity" pretends certain warnings and commandments don't even exist in the Bible at all. Maybe I'm becoming the minority here, but for me, God's word trumps all - despite what human emotion or human logic says. While we can decide we don't want olives or tomatoes on our salad, because we don't like them - this should not be how we treat our relationship with God. Yes, some verses may remind us of those cucumbers we just don't want as part of the package deal, but that doesn't mean we get to discard them. No, we just don't want to stomach them.....but guess what? If God says these truths are part of living an obedient Christian life, they're part of the obedient Christian life.....even if it's a part we struggle to digest. Different people like different toppings, but as a Christian, we must accept ALL toppings....because GOD said so. YES he said to "LOVE," (and man, do I LOVE all people) but as part of that love, he did not say you can toss 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and other verses you don't like in the trash because you don't like how they taste. Does a certain verse taste like those cucumbers you don't like? Well, it doesn't change the biblical facts.
Why is it that so many people are so shocked when a Bible-believing Christian admits they're not "for" something that the Bible calls "sin?" Why is it so shocking when a Christian says, "I can't support that, because it goes against God's word." Aren't we supposed to acknowledge *ALL* of God's word, not just the parts we "feel" like acknowledging? I know it's easy for us to acknowledge some our personal favorites like Proverbs 3:5-6, Phil 4:13 and Jeremiah 29:11 which make us feel encouraged, but not everything in the Bible is about "what we can get" from God. These verses may feel like the "cheese" of the salad (if you like cheese), but that doesn't mean that's all there is to the salad. Being a Christian isn't just about receiving.....it's of course additionally about giving, but also about obeying....and about standing firm for Christ. I've noticed most of these Christians who praise the "sin" going on in the world have the "love" part down.....but unfortunately they have it so down, that they believe LOVE means AGREEING with the world. Love was NOT intended to mean agreeing with sin. Likewise, the new movement says in a roundabout way that if you stand up for Christ and what his word says that you're spewing "hate." They say, "Well it's my job to love. I'm not here to judge." Should you love everyone? ABSOLUTELY!!! Jesus spoke about "love" so many times in his good book, but NEVER did he say to take love out of context to where it means AGREEING with sin. He also never said to take the "judge not" verse out of context. By calling something sin because God said so, you're not judging anyone - you're saying what IS. I don't understand what part of this my fellow Christians are becoming confused by.
Now on the flip side, I do notice that certain sins get more spotlight time and more finger pointing than other sins. I have noticed that adultery is hardly ever talked about, while certain other sins are always showcased. Adultery is a sin that society seems to let slide. I have noticed that the very people condemning someone for some other sin just happens to be the very person in an adulterous relationship not looking at the plank in their own eye. They seem to forget that the Bible speaks against that too. THEIR behavior needs forgiveness too - just like the gossiper, and the slanderer, etc. etc.
I know all about needing forgiveness in various areas of my life. I think we all have our own highlighted struggles, different temptations and personal triggers. I know what mine are, and they may very well be different than yours. I don't minimize my sins or justify them because I don't like to face the truth of what God's word says. He convicts me, and since I'm striving to follow him, I have to own up to my sins and try to avoid committing them again in the future. I know what his word says about the areas that I fall short in...so when I fall short, I have to confess and repent just like anyone else. Just because I want to do something or don't want to do something doesn't mean I get to give myself a free pass in that one area, because I'm faithful in other areas. When God convicts me about certain areas of my life, I feel like I'm swallowing ranch dressing (YUCK - yes, I'm a weirdo who doesn't like ranch), but since it's his will that I quit or that I change, I have to accept the "ranch." Without the ranch, I can't enjoy the tomatoes and olives I love so much. He can't continue to truly bless me with the toppings I love if I'm rejecting the ones I don't love so much.
Sure sometimes well-intentioned, BIble-believing Christians say some things in too harsh of a manner. Some professing Christians show anything but love and some unfortunately drive people away. Sometimes the poor wording seems more hurtful than helpful and more arrogant than humble, but at the end of the day, if you're truly following Christ, you KNOW what he says on ALL issues and you can't truly have any indifference on that. I don't think he's asked me to constantly preach or to constantly send a "brimstone and fire," message but it seems to me that this indifference to sin and this "taking love out of context movement" could very well be expediting the path to hell for many. Praising a person in their rebellious behavior can be the biggest detriment of all to them.. What seems like "support" and the thing to do, may be the WORST thing you can do for that person. Biblical love, loves the person right where they are, BUT biblical love WANTS the sinner to come to repentance.
You can say....."Well I respect your "opinion," Holly"......but if you're a Christian too....HOW is God's word EVER an OPINION?" This is another thing I've noticed fellow Christians doing....calling God's word an opinion!? None of us are perfect, but man y'all....all of the above is really really troubling me.
Are we fans or followers here? Are we half-Christians or whole-Christians? Yes, LOVE is vital, but don't forget that BIBLICAL TRUTH is vital as well. As Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates to the dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." It's a fine line, but we must walk it.