All this attention on Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty has got me thinking. For those who are unaware, Phil is a Christian backwoods kind-of-guy whose life was a mess until he “got saved” and who eventually landed a reality show that became wildly popular due to its raw honesty and morals, recently did an interview with GQ magazine in which he was very candid about his beliefs and experiences and what the Bible says about sin (as well as love), and offended gay rights groups which likely put pressure on A&E, and resulted in his suspension from the show.
As I’ve been discussing things with my husband, I’ve been
struck especially by how the message of Christian beliefs gets stuck at the
point of naming sin. It’s not
necessarily what is coming out of Christian’s mouths (although, sadly, it is sometimes
the case), but it’s what gets through.
The rest of the story, which Phil talked about openly in his interview, gets missed.
For, although the Bible tells us that sins like greed,
stealing, abusiveness, adultery, and practicing homosexuality will keep us from God and end in death ultimately (1Cor. 6:10), there’s
more to the story. That’s not the way it
has to end. In fact, the next sentence
in this letter to the church people in Corinth, said this, “Some of you were once like that.
But you were…made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 6:11).
What’s missing is the rescue. No one needs to stay stuck in things that
aren’t good for them, things that destroy trust, contentment, health, and
safety. Things that rob people of hope, peace, joy, and love.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and
only Son [Jesus], so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have
eternal life (1John 3:16, NLT). That’s
the well-known Bible verse, but there’s one following that speaks even more
plainly to the issue at hand,
“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world,
but to save the world through him.” (1 John 3:17).
Jesus didn’t come to condemn. He came to save. A Christmas carol says it well,
“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world,
but to save the world through him.” (1 John 3:17).
Jesus didn’t come to condemn. He came to save. A Christmas carol says it well,
“Light and life to all he brings
Ris’n with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die.”(Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Charles Wesley)
I wish I could say that Christians have lived this out well,
following Christ’s example. Too often,
we have proclaimed the truth of our beliefs without love. Love is what sent Jesus to save people from
destruction and death. That same love
should motivate us, as his followers, never to stop at pointing out sin, but to
give of ourselves sacrificially in love, prayer, and effort in order that
people may be saved from their sin into a full life, un-separated from God and
lasting on into heaven.
As our culture gets farther and farther from God, the Bible's words
sound more and more foreign, while at the same time, political correctness and
so-called tolerance become the norm. I
applaud Phil for his bold honesty and for proclaiming a message of love.
I hope the world’s eyes will be opened to Jesus’ purpose when he came as one of us: to save, not to condemn. He gave up his position and power to show us he understands us and has our best in mind. He had compassion on those who were in bondage to disease and demons. He was hard on the hypocrites and pious religious figures. He spent long nights in prayer.
I’ve written two songs about Jesus’ life in the last couple of years. Go have a listen if you like. One is more a Christmas-y song that I've not taken into the studio yet, and the other I released this year.
I hope the world’s eyes will be opened to Jesus’ purpose when he came as one of us: to save, not to condemn. He gave up his position and power to show us he understands us and has our best in mind. He had compassion on those who were in bondage to disease and demons. He was hard on the hypocrites and pious religious figures. He spent long nights in prayer.
I’ve written two songs about Jesus’ life in the last couple of years. Go have a listen if you like. One is more a Christmas-y song that I've not taken into the studio yet, and the other I released this year.
It’s getting harder to speak openly about God and what He
says. Some of my friends (Christian or
not) may not like that I agree with Mr. Duck Dynasty. I believe that when the whole truth about God
is revealed, it is the most loving thing that could be said to anyone. For we’re all messed up, but there is hope
for us through Jesus. That is the
message I want to proclaim this Christmas.
https://soundcloud.com/sonyajoy/this-is-jesus/
P.S. I've never watched Duck Dynasty before, but now I'd like to...
1 comment:
THANKS FOR SPEAKING OUT. ALTHOUGH IT'S HARD WE STILL HAVE TO. GREAT INSIGHT ON JOHN 3:17.
PERHAPS IF OUR CHURCHES WERE REAL WE WOULD BE ABLE TO OPENLY TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS NOT IN A PRESCRIPTIVE MANNER BUT AS ENGAGED LISTENERS, EMPATHETIC AND OPEN TO STRUGGLES OF PEOPLE. I KNOW CHRISTIANS WHO STRUGGLE WITH HOMOSEXUAL ORIENTATION. AND I KNOW A LOT MORE WHO STRUGGLE WITH GREED, ENVY, LUST, SELFISHNESS, IDOLATORY...
PERHAPS IF WE COULD FIND A SAFE PLACE TO SPEAK WITHIN OUR CHURCHES WE WOULD ACTUALLY KNOW HOW TO SPEAK OUT SIDE OF IT.
WE NEED TO ARTICULATE WHAT IS INSIDE SOMETIMES TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING BETTER.
I ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT CHURCH WAS GOD'S IDEA OF TRAINING GROUND BEFORE WE GO INTO THE WORLD.
BUT IF WE ARE NOT GIVEN THE SAFETY TO TRAIN IN SIDE, WHEN WE GO OUTSIDE, NO WONDER WE ARE SEEN AS A DISTORTION OF THE TRUTH OF GOD'S SAVING MESSAGE OF GRACE.
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