I hate to hear of people doing rude, mean-spirited, self-righteous things while calling themselves Christians.
It’s not a fair representation of Christ and gives genuine believers a bad name.(1)
But I’m also concerned about a contrasting error.
It’s the belief that if we accurately represent Christ, we won’t offend anyone.
This belief has led many Christians to accept things which Christ didn’t accept and remain silent about things which Christ clearly and unashamedly rebuked.
If we are being light and salt, we’ll be sharing God’s love, comfort, and joy. But it’s impossible to share those things accurately without explaining that we are sinners in need of a Savior.(2)
If we love Christ, we’ll follow where He leads, even when it makes us unpopular.(3) We'll surely experience rejection, but we'll also experience great joy when people listen and receive Christ!
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(1) Colossians 4:6: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” This passage shows that while our conversation should be "seasoned" with the salt of truth, we should present that truth graciously, not rudely.
(2) Matthew 5:13-16 tells us to be salt and light in our world. We do this by living and teaching the Gospel. Because addressing sin is central to the Gospel, this will make us unpopular. Please read “Why Following Christ Will Never Make Us Popular” for multiple Scriptures about this subject. See also Mark 9:50
(3) Luke 21:17: "Everyone will hate you because of me." John 15:18-19: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."
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Thank you so much! This is the sort Bible Study I am longing for.
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