Common Myths About Christians, Part 2
Last week I wrote some of my thoughts on two common myths about Christians. I discussed whether or not Christians are “anti-science” and if they can have any fun. Check it out if you missed it. Today I am going to continue with two more myths. These two are very relevant in today’s culture, and they usually lead to anger and unprofitable conversations between opposing sides of the issues, especially on social media. So, I suppose they’re like all issues on social media. A hot mess. Let’s continue on and tackle these misconceptions.
3. Christians Are Racist.
Well, this myth is a landmine. I was going to leave it on the table, but these are not the days to shy away from tough topics. No, as a general rule, Christians are not racist. Some racists are Christian, but not all Christians are racist. Logic 101, folks. Where did this myth come from? Unfortunately, it came from a history riddled with people who commit terrible acts and espouse horrible ideas in the name of Christ. Here’s the problem. Lots of people claim Christ who don’t know Him. Also, lots of people accept the Lord (allegedly) and don’t get discipled. Essentially, they hold onto sinful thoughts about others partially because they do not know better. Meanwhile, they make Christians (and God) look abhorrent.
Anyone who knows even thismuch about God knows that He loves all people. The verse almost everyone knows says as much. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Salvation through Christ is for everyone. Racism and Jesus just don’t mix.
In Matthew 22 someone challenges Jesus and asks which commandment is the greatest. Jesus replies in verses 37-40, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Did you catch the second commandment? Love your neighbor. As we discover throughout Scripture, your neighbor is, like, everyone. Yes, even the people whose skin looks different than yours. The classic Biblical example of loving our neighbor is the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) also instructs believers to love their neighbors. It is a command to reach the whole world with the gospel. That certainly did not have a caveat involved about skin color.
Let’s not forget, as well, that the Great Commission is not to simply preach the gospel and move on. Rather, it involves connecting with the people who come to know the Lord and teaching them more about their new faith. It’s discipleship. If anything, Christians who understand the Word know that to love others is to love them as people, share Christ, and invest in them. None of Christianity and the gospel have anything to do with race. They have everything to do with Christ. We are all sinners and in need of salvation. All of us are equal at the cross, and God’s love, grace, and salvation are for us all.
If you are struggling with the idea of racism and how it relates to the gospel, please read Voddie Baucham’s new book Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe. You can also see my thoughts on his book and Critical Race Theory HERE.
4. Christians Should Not Judge
Every time I hear some variation of “judge not lest ye be judged” I scream silently in my mind. I’m not sure there is a verse more frequently taken out of context and misapplied than that one. Let’s take a look at this oft quoted portion of the Sermon on the Mount.
Judge Not…
Matthew 7:1-5 – “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
People tend to stop after the first verse, but they are woefully missing the point of the text. Jesus is instructing us on how to properly judge. He tells us not to judge hypocritically but instead take a look at our own lives first. For example, if I were engaged in an extramarital affair then I would have no business confronting another concerning his/her affair. I would definitely need to handle the situation in my life first. Yes, that’s a dramatic example, but I think just about everyone can see the hypocrisy in a situation like that.
John 7:24 also gives instruction for judgment. It says, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” Jesus didn’t say do not judge, but rather, He tells us to do so according to God’s ways (i.e., righteously). If this righteous judgment becomes self-righteous, though, it is no longer in accord with the Bible’s teaching. So, we need to take care when we judge because the Bible is clear that there are right and wrong ways.
Judging Is Mean
I hear the condemnation of judgment all the time. You might say I hear people judging people’s judgment… Maybe we need to back up. What is judgment? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as “the process of forming an opinion or evaluation by discerning and comparing.” Hmmm. Doesn’t sound so wicked now, eh? We judge constantly. Sometimes we need to make judgments about a meal or movie to watch. Other times there is more weight behind the judgment as we consider a job offer, choose a babysitter for our toddler, or decide if we want to pursue a relationship. Judging is necessary to avoid living in a paralyzed state of indecision. Though, admittedly, judgment is sometimes much more confrontational than when my friends correct me for putting pineapple on my pizza or when I decide which movie my husband and I will watch on date night.
I submit to you that judgment is only seen as mean, however, when the other person disagrees or feels convicted by it. That’s still no reason not to do it, though. The Bible is rife with references to the importance of judgment or rebuke (i.e., sternly reprimand, scold, criticize sharply).
Side Note
Rebuke and judge are technically different things. I am using rebuke in this conversation for two reasons. First, when someone rebukes somebody else a judgment has been made which has led to the rebuke. These two actions can sometimes be difficult to separate. Second, when people complain that someone is judging them and being mean, it’s the rebuke that they are usually referring to. For example, if I told someone that having a sexually intimate relationship prior to marriage is a sin and strongly urged that person to stop, then where is the offense? Typically, the person is offended that I have been critical and scolded them. They don’t care if I made a quiet judgment in my mind.
Scriptural Support
Proverbs 27:5-6 – “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Here, we are encouraged to rebuke because it is the loving thing to do. A friend rebukes, but an enemy will “kindly” let you continue in sin and dangerous decisions.
Luke 17:3-4 – “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” These verses instruct us to forgive…a lot. However, we are not free from the responsibility to rebuke. In fact, rebuke gives the person an opportunity to see their sin and to ask for and receive forgiveness.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” One of the Bible’s purposes is correction! And yes, judgment is necessary for that to occur.
Judgment is not unloving and anti-Christian. It is one of the most loving things we can do if we do it Biblically. Christians don’t point to sin because they hate or think they are better than others. They do it because they love Jesus, and they love the people they are telling.
Offended anyway? Well, your willful misunderstanding and lack of teachability don’t dictate what is and is not sin. God does that because He is the one true Judge.
Isaiah 33:22 – “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.”
Final Thought
I have only addressed four misconceptions about Christians in the last two weeks. I promise there are so many more, though, but don’t be discouraged. See people’s misunderstanding about you as an opportunity to share Christ and see you as a real person and not some caricature they recognize from sitcoms. Take the time to search the Bible for answers to myths you come across in the future so you are ready to respond lovingly and knowledgably. Finally, don’t get too caught up in what other people think. Serve the Lord faithfully and continue to grow in your understanding of Him. Ultimately, let your daily walk with Him be your continual witness.
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