While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." - Matthew 9: 10-13 (NIV)
It seems that there is a new story every day regarding Christians taking what they view as a righteous stance against the sinful world. We had the story of the 5th grader demanding an apology from a teacher who refused to let him read his Bible during free reading time. This week we saw a Long Island High School be threatened by a lawsuit because they would not allow students to form a Christian club. Then there was the big story out of Oregon last year involving the Christian owned bakery that refused to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple. Aaron and Melissa Klein are back in the news because they appeared at a Values Voters Summit to let everyone know that the case which they lost may result in a fine from the government, which will bankrupt the family. The bakery is long gone, also a victim of this debacle.
I feel bad for the Kleins because they obviously are not being taught the Bible very well. I cannot blame them necessarily because this is how Christianity is represented by so many "Christian" leaders today. It is this us against them mentality. It is preached by far too many preachers with a microphone. Franklin Graham calls preachers who do not openly condemn people cowards. John Hagee arrogantly tells all atheists to leave "his" country. "We don't want you here," he snarls. Every time there is a natural disaster some idiot attributes it to God judging those horrible sinners in the world. Every day another wannabe prophet is claiming revival for America if only those pesky unbelievers would stop their sinful ways. I am starting to wonder if anyone is reading their Bible anymore"
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. - 1Corinthians 2: 14 (ESV)
What part of this are we not understanding? The people Graham wants to condemn are walking in darkness and the things of God are foolishness to them. The atheists Hagee so casually berates to leave the country are the very people that need the Gospel. Revival must start in the church. The people in the world are in the world. They cannot understand the things of God - including the lesbian couple that wanted a wedding cake made for them. If you want to have a civil discourse about the rights of business owners, fine; but do not think you are doing anything for the cause of Christ. If you want to sue your high school so you can meet because it is only fair representation, fine; but to not think you are doing anything for the cause of Christ. If you want to teach your five year old the lesson of being petulant by demanding his teacher apologize, fine; but do not think you are doing anything for the cause of Christ. Aaron Klein told a local news station that he felt he was only living according to his religious beliefs by denying the cake to the couple. Read that real slow and see if you can spot the error. These are his religious beliefs, not theirs. This is the mistake we keep making in Christianity. The doctrinal do's and don'ts are meant for our walk. How we carry out our Christianity. Not to force them upon other people who are walking in darkness and think we are fools for even believing in God! In a similar case out of Iowa, Victoria Childress defended her decision to not bake a gay cake by saying, "I didn't do the cake because of my convictions for their lifestyle. It is my right, and it's not to discriminate against them. It's not so much to do with them, it's to do with me and my walk with God and what I will answer [to] Him for."
Apparently Ms. Childress knows as much about law as she does about the Bible and it really is sad. To think that you will stand before God one day and be judged for baking a cake. This is sheer unbiblical lunacy. Does anyone really think that if a gay couple came to Jesus and asked Him to make them a bench for their wedding that He would shun them? Turn them away? Did He turn away Zacchaeus? Did He turn away Peter? Even after Peter betrayed Him? Did He stone the woman at the well or show her mercy? What about Matthew the tax collector? That profession was the most reviled. Not only did they work for the enemy but they routinely gouged their own brethren with extra charges. They were hated. Yet in our key verses do we see Jesus refusing to speak to Matthew? Of course not. We see Him eating dinner with Matthew. Joining Matthew were many other tax collectors and sinners. What is the answer from religiosity? Why does He eat with sinners! I can't make a cake for a sinner! Dear Lord, have we forgotten why we are here?
Beloved it is not the healthy who need a doctor. The sick need the doctor. Do we understand what this means? Have we broken ourselves off into such a self righteous bubble that we do nothing but cast stones at people who are blind? Is that the Jesus they need to see? Remember the Bible says that none are righteous, not even one. All have turned away. Our righteousness is but filthy rags before a holy God. We have the righteousness of Christ but Christ would sit down with the sinners of the world. He would not sue His teacher. He would bake the cake. Would there be the Gospel with it? Sure. That couple would have left knowing God loved them. I came across this short testimony today on an apologetics website:
I know a Christian who years ago worked with an unbeliever. For two years, this Christian answered the unbelievers questions; he was gentle and kind in his conduct in all situations and always tried to point his friend to Christ. He sought to be wise and gracious. Today that unbeliever has become a pastor. The Lord used that Christian--his wise conduct, his gracious speech--to help bring another into His kingdom. To Jesus be the glory. Amen.
Wise and gracious and slowly but surely the Spirit was drawing him. Listen, it does not always work. Most people like their sin and the darkness is what they know. Maybe it takes some more watering by someone else down the line to produce a harvest from what we plant today. Maybe it never comes to fruition but at the least we did not bring harm to the cause and shame to His name. We act sometimes as if the Bible has not expressly given us instruction on how to behave with people who do not share our faith:
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. - Colossians 4: 5-6 (NIV)
I know that the Kleins must have felt they were taking a stand for the Lord but they were not. They sacrificed a lot for this stand. They sacrificed their business which is now gone. They sacrificed their finances and possibly their future with a bankruptcy now impending. They may have had to sacrifice their integrity as they are forced to do a dog and pony show for politicians at a Values Voters Summit. The thing is when we read the key verses God makes it clear that He does not desire sacrifice but rather, mercy. God did not need the Kleins to forfeit their lives over a cake.
When are we going to get this? Our job here on earth is not to bash the unsaved over the head with a Bible they think is utter foolishness and then think we have done God's bidding. We have to stop acting like the Sons of Thunder who wanted to rain fire down upon the unbelieving Samaritans. We have to stop casting stones at the people who need the Gospel. Pop the bubble.
Rev. Anthony.
