Some SPUR OF THE MOMENT THOUGHTS I had the other day. Someone mentioned something about polite CHristians and it got me thinking.
"Hmm...Should Christianity be polite? Is that true? Jesus was offensive. Not maliciously, and he wasn't mean, but he challenged the social standard which always leads to people taking offense. Did he worry about being offensive? Did he worry about what people thought? When someone's ideals are being challenged they get defensive, angry, offended (even Christians...especially Christians) - by the very nature of living a Christ-like life you are challenging the world's ideals. If we are living a Christ-like life should we then be interpreted as offensive?
Why don't we say the important things? Because they're offensive? Two important things no Christian says anymore because it's too "offensive": 1) You're going to hell. 2) What you're doing is wrong. Two true statements, but we don't say them.
Didn't Christ say for us not to worry about being hated by the world since it also hate him? Doesn't that mean we, like Christ, should be living in a fashion that makes the world at least take notice, maybe even hate us?
What does that look like today?
It does NOT look like hate. There is abig difference between challenging the worlds ideals and spewing hate. I think so many Christians have stopped living offensively for fear of being confused with the Christians living hatefully.
Litmus test for if you're living like Christ: do the unsaved people in your life a) know you're saved; b) know you think how they live is wrong; AND c) know you believe that without Christ they will spend eternity in hell? What does it mean if we answered no? That we're accepting? Non judgemental? Or just too scared to live a life that offends.
How do we reconcile an offensive life with a life of love? How do we incorporate both the way that Christ did?
What have we done to the church by watering ourselves down so much? How can we mature spiritually if we don't strive for that Christ-likeness that does so often offend....
Personally I feel the answer is relational. Christ was a relational leader. "Offensive" words said in the context of a loving relationship are usually received with love. "Offensive" words said out of that context just come off as hateful.
Where do I stand?
Where do we find balance?"
I have more I would like to say about this, just not the time.
And an update on Ascension Convention is forthcoming.
The Smiths
