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Tuesday, April 08, 2014

What Christians Should Do

"Why can't you be more loving?" they will ask (demand). "Why can't you be more like Jesus was? He embraced everyone!" That's what they'll tell you. Funny thing. Although it appears to be a truism, I can't seem to find it in my Bible.

Remember when they came to Him to ask Him about a nasty incident Pilate perpetrated on some of their people?
There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:1-5).
They came to Jesus with a fairly simple, even understandable question. I mean, a really horrible thing happened. "Was it due to their sin??!!" Jesus's response was not, "Let's not dwell on their sin; let's just love one another." It was "Repent or die!" And He repeated it! You know, somehow this doesn't look like "He embraced everyone."

Most are aware of the story of Jesus cleansing the Temple, but many aren't clear on the fact that it happened twice. That's right. In John's Gospel, it happened right after the wedding at Cana (John 2) and in Matthew it happened again after the Triumphal Entry (Matt 21). So, here we have not one but two times when Jesus goes into the Temple, overturns tables, and drives people out of the area. Now, I have to say, this does not sound like a warm-and-friendly "Jesus warmly loves everybody" kind of thing.

Whenever they want to assure us that Jesus embraced everyone, they point to the woman caught in adultery. Now, to be clear up front, this passage is problematic. That is, John 7:53-8:11 it isn't contained in the most reliable documents. And there is a serious problem with the story. If, as they say, the woman was caught in the act, where was the man? So there is a real reason to question the truthfulness of the accusers. Having laid all that out, however, what does the story tell us about Jesus embracing sin? Here's what we read (because this is what warms the cockles of their hearts): "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more" (John 8:11). But, wait, that's not what you will hear. What you will hear is "Jesus didn't condemn the woman caught in adultery." And it is, for whatever reason (Perhaps the absence of the man was reason to question the accusation?), true that Jesus at that time indicated no condemnation. But He did not say, "It's okay; I'm not worried about sin." He said the reverse. "Go and sin no more."

And who can forget the harshest language Jesus used? It was against the Pharisees and people seem to think that it was justified in this case. Because, you see, they're the ones that kept telling people that they were doing bad things, and that was bad, right? Right? Well, apparently not. Jesus said, "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 5:20). That meant that they had a standard of righteousness that was pretty high. Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life" (John 5:39). Surely searching the Scriptures is a good thing. Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others" (Matt 23:23). "Ah, now!" you say, "See? They neglected the weightier matters of the law." Yes, indeed, but Jesus said of their tithing, "These you ought to have done." Do you? If not, it would appear that their righteousness exceeds yours. No, Jesus didn't give them the toughest tongue-lashing of His earthly ministry because they held people to a high standard. He did it because they were hypocrites. Hypocrites hold others to a standard they themselves aren't willing to meet. It's not that the standard was the problem; it was that they refused to aim for it themselves.

You will hear time and time again that we ought to be more like Jesus. By that they mean that we ought to be less concerned about sin and more willing to embrace everyone, sin and all. I am pointing out here that that Jesus didn't exist. The real Jesus warned about the need for repentance. The real Jesus warned about Hell (e.g., Matt 5:22; 7:19; 13:40; 18:8; 25:41; Mark 9:42-48). Jesus commanded, "Sin no more." Jesus warned against not meeting the standards God has set. So, by all means, check yourself according to Jesus's commands. Remove the log from your own eye. Don't be a hypocrite. And then be like Jesus, urging repentance and an end to sin, and warn against Hell. It's what a Christian should do.

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