Dear Christian Hate Doesn’t Fit You
By Phillip Greene
Avery County
Dear Christian:
Hate doesn’t fit you. It isn’t your color.
What I am seeing is not an attack on Christians from the outside…but it is an attack from the inside of each one (James 4:1-3). The battle to be right, to taste the same fruit that Adam and Eve partook of, the lies of the enemy being told to each of us that we need to pursue power and strength. It’s the literal pursuit to “be like God.”(Genesis 3:5)
Question: When did the pursuit of our rights and freedoms mean that we could ignore the core of Jesus’ teaching?
Sure, we want to fight and defend, but when it comes to our “rights and freedoms,” those come from God. Why would we expect a world that put Christ on a cross to be any less brutal to those who follow him? Why would they show us respect and love?
NEWSFLASH: Stop trying to change the world to be like you or see things like you. THEY HATE YOU AND THE GOD YOU SERVE!
Why should we expect comfort and ease? Jesus said it would be troublesome. Jesus told us to have no fear because He had already won (John 16:33). So why fight against one another for our opinions and earthly alliances? I would rather not argue about earthly powers or rights, and I hope you would feel the same. We are citizens of the Kingdom of God, and one day we will be with Him. Until then, we are charged to bring as many with us as we can… (Matthew 28)
How?
LOVE.
Not arguments and pushing agendas…love.
Not force and anger…love.
This is why all of this is so hard. We are losing our minds over a battle that has already ended. Let’s take a look at history. Remember the Pharisees and Sadducees?
The “Religious Right” has become today’s Pharisee order, seeking the militant Messiah that they feel will change the world and win it on the back of war…Fighting the modern Sadducee for control of a government that is evil, and blasting those who believe God when He says He is in control (IE – “You can’t be a Christian if…”, etc.). And yet, they do not see it. Both sides claiming to have a religious belief, touting a God who supports their agenda, and neither following the Word of God…it is evil. All of it.
What are we afraid of? Losing our comfortable religion? He never said it would be easy. He never said we wouldn’t face troubles and trials. He never said we wouldn’t be challenged. What He did say was, “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15)
What is that love?
It is not name-calling. It is not race-baiting. It is not breaking and entering. It is not burning down the world until someone sees things your way. It is not evil.
Love is patient. It is Kind. It is peaceful. It doesn’t brag on itself. It holds no records of wrong. It is not arrogant, rude, or self-seeking. Love endures all things. Love hopes for a brighter day. God is Love, and Love NEVER fails. (1 Corinthians 13 and 1 John 4)
That love went to a cross and gave His life for those He came to save…
That love.
Sacrificial love.
True love.
What we are seeing is not love.
The “Right” is evil. The “Left” is evil. It is all evil. We are claiming it is a spiritual war…that war is inside of you right now. Using God’s name in vain to push your political ideas and agendas is not right. It is evil…and the saddest part? Decent people are falling victim.
What have we become? We have become like Babylon.
The flag has become a graven image that we would rather worship than the one who died to give us true freedom, and we are worshipping it as such. Our rights, our freedoms, all idols, we would rather save those than love our brother.
Just remember. The “Religious” of the day missed it when Jesus came because He was not the Messiah they were looking for. What are you expecting to happen?
Is it too much to put politics aside and love one another? Is it too much to stop dividing the body of Christ over worldly issues? Is it too much to have a love for your fellow man?
We are told they will know us by our love…not our agendas. It is okay to love your country. It is not okay to put that love above the love for your brother or sister in Christ.
What are THEY seeing today?
I love you…
Your Brother in Christ
PS – “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became a man I put away childish things…”(1 Corinthians 13:11)
Phillip Greene has been Pastor at Newland Christian Church since 2016. He has been Station Manager at Glory1130 in Newland since 2012 and is active in the local community as a Coach and Public Address Announcer for Avery Athletics. You can access Newland’s sermons online at www.newlandchristianchurch.com/sermons or an archive of his articles at phillipgreene.wordpress.com.
You can read more good Christian News from Phillip HERE.
