Christians are sometimes not seen as the most kind, loving and compassionate people by non Christians. I know that some of that is inherent as Jesus told us that the world would hate us because they hated Him. The origin of the hate that Jesus talked about comes from a clash of world views and the natural bent of Satan to protect the realm that he was given dominion over. I don’t think that people are necessarily evil in their approach to this hatred as much as it just develops from a clash of perspectives that I touched on in my last post before this one. I also think there is a natural inclination to develop animosity towards views that are different than our own. I don’t think that our human sin nature lends itself to want to be accepting and tolerant.

With that being said, I think, as Christians, we are supposed to be different. We are not supposed to do what our emotions lead us to do and we are to be spirit led. I think that sometimes Christians think that they are being Christlike when they criticize unbelievers and an unbelieving world. It is difficult because Jesus told us to be in the world but not of it. Sometimes, it is very difficult to maintain that boundary of being in the world enough to make a difference and maintain separation from the ideals that drive it. Often, a way that we do that is to come out against lifestyle and habit that is contradictory to a Christian world view. with that we maintain that separation, but then we also loose any connection and opportunity to reach a lost world.

The problem is that it’s easy to reject the message that we are trying to share when we are not connected because it’s easy for non believers to poke holes in our character and then just label us as hypocrites. Truth be told the only difference between non Christians and Christians in many cases is destiny and while as a Christian I understand that a non believing world just sees it as off putting and exclusive. Jesus was inclusive. It is what got Him in trouble. When you break it down Jesus was crucified for challenging the beliefs of the religious leaders of the day and a main belief that he constantly challenged was that all people matter especially those that are struggling.

I believe that we can be much more effective in ministering to a lost world by not focusing on their negative behaviors, but to focus on the positive attributes of a loving God. It’s an attitude that I like to call for not against. As Christians, we spend a lot of time bringing to light the negative qualities of the world and the people that live in it. I don’t think that this is at all necessary. Everybody knows that the world is a messed up place and becoming more depraved on a daily basis. Jesus said this would happen in the end times and I believe that we are quickly approaching the end. He also said that there would be a greater gulf between ideologies in this world and I believe if the church is to remain relevant then we will have to not let that gap widen and even close it.

I think that it is hard enough to reach a lost world without alienating them and proving to them what they already think that they know. Christians are often seen as just self righteous people that don’t know how to relate to those that are struggling with sin. By the way we all struggle with sin. Some of us just have a better future as it relates to it. The issue, in my opinion, is humility and a proper understanding of grace. If we truly have a grasp on the fact that we are so undeserving of God’s favor and that He yet still loves us and has provided a way for us to be saved then we will not be condemning, but we will be compassionate to those that are condemned as we once were. We need to be for God’s love not against sinners.