When Professing Christians Throw Remnant Christians Under the Bus

Anti-Christian propaganda is growing, and we must learn to recognize it and refute it biblically (John 15:18-25). 

You may be tired of hearing about the “He Gets Us” commercial, but bear with me because I'm simply using it as an example of the way some professing Christians are siding with culture and criticizing Christians who take an unpopular stand.

If you want some background, you can read Superbowl Commercials Present False Christ where I share my concerns about the Superbowl commercial. But for a brief explanation, the commercials illustrated Jesus loving everyone including those involved in ungodly lifestyles. It was vague at best and deceptive at worst giving most people the impression that God approves of ungodly lifestyles.

Many Christians expressed their concern, and, as usual they were criticized by non-Christians and Christians alike. One article called Get Over He Gets Us was written by Kathryn Lopez who described herself as a Catholic. She disagreed with any concerns about the ads, claiming the “He Gets Us” Super bowl ads were “lifesaving” offering a “window into the Gospel and the Beatitudes.” She said the reason Christians didn't like the ad was because it featured people who don't “pass traditional Christian muster.” 

 

Her criticisms used the same tactics found in many anti-Christian propaganda so let's examine them:

✔ First Tactic: Make inaccurate claims about Jesus or Scripture.

Perhaps the most popular claim made against Christians is that Jesus never judged anyone so we shouldn't judge people. See Did Jesus Come to Judge? 

 

But this author didn't use that tactic directly. Instead, she referenced several Bible passages and claimed they were evident in the He Gets Us commercials saying the ads were “lifesaving,” and a “window into the gospel.” 

But no one is saved by thinking God loves them no matter what the believe.

The gospel is lifesaving because it calls us to repentance, forgiveness, and belief in the salvation that comes through Christ alone. And the He Gets Us commercials did none of those things.

 

Christ didn't come to earth simply to love people. He came to save us from our sins. 

 

And claiming the He Gets Us commercials were a window into the Beatitudes shows that Lopez hasn't done her homework. If she read the beatitudes in Matthew 5, she'd know they are blessings for doing the right things, and refusing to sin. In that same chapter where they are shared, Jesus clearly addresses sin. For example, He not only condemns adultery, he condemns lustful thoughts. Nothing in the He Gets Us commercials illustrated the blessings of obedience or the persecution of true belief in Christ.

✔ Second tactic: Make Christians look as if they have no compassion but are exclusive, judgmental, and narrow-minded. 

Claiming Christians didn't like the ad because it featured people who don't “pass traditional Christian muster” is an immature remark based on a bigoted stereotype of Christianity.

The Superbowl ad featured people involved in sinful lifestyles such as a gay man and a woman getting an abortion and it showed their need for love and acceptance, but it never even hinted that these sins are condemned in Scripture or that Christ could set them free from such sins that would destroy their souls and send them to Hell if they didn't repent and follow Him. 

I'm so grateful that someone told me I was a sinner, called me to repentance, and explained that I needed to trust Christ as my Savior. The He Gets Us ad did none of those things, and the He Gets Us website is equally evasive, vague, and critical of Christianity for failing to love people.

✔ Third Tactic: Make ridiculous and unsubstantiated accusations against Christians.

 

Lopez quoted a secular sociologist who gave his very biased opinion that Christians would solve most of the world’s problems if they lived the gospel, a gospel he doesn't profess himself. 

Christ didn't solve world problems when He walked the earth, and He told us we wouldn't bring peace to our world either (Matthew 10:34).

And a non-Christian blaming Christians for world problems is not only bigoted and hypocritical; it's uninformed.

It's sad to see the biased, untruthful claims made against Christians in our culture, and it's especially hard to get thrown under the bus by those who claim to be Christians. But we serve the Lord, not man, so let's crawl out from under that bus and stand firm!

It's no wonder that Paul began his condemnation of evil lifestyles by saying “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16-32). Whenever we disagree with culture or show concern that the gospel is misrepresented, we need to remember the purpose of the gospel. It isn't meant to comfort people in their sins. It's meant to save them.

Please take a few minutes to watch The Super Bowl Ad that Should Have Been Made. It shares genuine examples of “lifesaving” truth that offers an accurate and inspiring “window into the Gospel and the Beatitudes.”