Holy War!

In her column, Connie Schultz reports, "St. John's Reformed United Church of Christ is a 225-year-old church in rural Middlebrook, Va. On Wednesday, the outgoing message on the church phone still invited you to buy tickets for May's spaghetti supper, but that has to be the last thing on the minds of its grieving congregation. Vandals set fire to St. John's just five days after the United Church of Christ's General Synod met in Atlanta and passed a nonbinding resolution to endorse gay and lesbian marriages. ... 'Why,' church members asked. 'Why would they do this to us?' They found their answer in the anti-gay graffiti left behind. After The Associated Press reported the fire, one Web blog led with the headline, "Christians Prefer to Burn Churches Than to Let Gays Marry." What Christians might these be?" (http://www.cleveland.com/schultz/index.ssf?/base/living/1121333444316850.xml&coll=2 )

Indeed, I ask - What kind of Christians might these be that burn down churches, that shoot doctors who perform abortions, who go to the funerals of AIDS victims to wave placards that say, "God hates FAGS," that killed young men who marched for civil rights for black Americans in the 1960's?

It would not be for me to judge whether or not those who do such things are Christians, but I can say, without reservation or hesitation, they have lost their way from the Way of Christ. All Christians, including this writer, err in their understanding of how to apply the Bible to life at some points. It is part of what Paul called, 'seeing through a glass darkly.' Our vision is imperfect, fogged by fear, marred by sin's corruption of our minds. Walking in that fog, those who choose to resist what they see as 'sin' with violent acts, sin themselves. Somewhere deep in their hearts the Spirit informs them that what they are doing is wrong, but His still, small voice is silenced with arguments of expedience - the end justifies the means. But it doesn't!

I do not believe that men or women who practice homosexuality should be according the covenant of marriage, no matter how compassionate our impulse towards them might be. The Bible is quite clear on that issue despite the twisting of its texts by some 'scholars' that allows for affirmation of homosexual practice. But, Christians will not stop the practice by burning churches! No heart is turned to the Truth by such a hateful action. Love cannot be proclaimed with hatred. That is not only unbiblical, it is illogical.

The Bible calls us to be willing to die for righteousness when we take a stand for what's true and right; but not as we swing the sword, or point a gun. Christians who know the Way, know that Jesus calls on us to 'lay down our lives' for His cause. When we surrender ourselves to Christ, we give up our rights to power. His word is that we 'turn the other cheek,' stand tall and brave in the face of withering opposition. We do not conquer but Christus Victor (The Conquering Christ) wins the battle for us. His greatest victory appeared in the moment of His greatest apparent defeat. As He died on the Cross, it looked as though the forces of evil had silenced the Son of God, but 3 days later, He arose and announced the defeat of Darkness - forever. This is our model in the face of evil. We conquer by death.

Those who have concluded that violent and confrontational methods are called for by the times, need to be led to a thorough study of Christianity as practiced from the time of Jesus through the first 3 centuries of the faith. Though often hated, persecuted, and driven from family and home, they loved in the Name of the One who loved them. They fed the hungry, took orphans into their homes, nursed the sick even as their world hated them! Their power was their selfless love, not their swords.

Here's a word from the Word for your thoughts today. May the Truth of His love, bring us steady confidence in these sinful, troubled times, so that we will always bear witness to Jesus Christ in a way that is consistent with His true nature.

"God is love. If we keep on loving others, we will stay one in our hearts with God, and he will stay one with us. If we truly love others and live as Christ did in this world, we won’t be worried about the day of judgment. A real love for others will chase those worries away. The thought of being punished is what makes us afraid. It shows that we have not really learned to love. We love because God loved us first. But if we say we love God and don’t love each other, we are liars. We cannot see God. So how can we love God, if we don’t love the people we can see? The commandment that God has given us is: “Love God and love each other!”" (1 John 4:16-21, CEV)