American Christians spend a lot of time trying to protect the culture from the onslaught of sin and liberalism that we see in our generation and every generation. Indeed, this seems to be the fulfillment of the great commission for many. This idea suggest that if only we could elect a Christian to City Council or elect a Christian Mayor, Governor, or President we could use legislation to slow this proverbial handbasket’s journey to hell.

At the heart of this goal is selfishness. If we are honest, winning others to Christ by keeping the F-word off of public air ways and keeping pornography on the top shelf in Barnes in Nobles is ridiculous. You do not win others to Christ by inmposing Christless morality on culture. (In truth, none of us “win” anyone to Christ. This concept contradicts the saving power that God solely posseses.)

The true goal of this movement is often to protect ourselves. We don’t want to see sex on TV, so we lobby the FCC to ban it. We don’t want gays to marry because it makes us uncomfortable…so we band against it.

But this misses the entire point of the New Testament. Nowhere in Paul’s letters do you see him exhorting churches to change their culture or hold sinners to a higher standard.

Sinners sin. It’s what they do. It’s what we all do apart from God. Boycotting those who do, protesting their actions, feigning horror when they blaspheme (Kathy Griffin anyone?) is ridiculous. 

As Christians, we should expect the unbeliever to behave as such. We should not expect them to tiptoe around our belief system and pay homage to our truths.  This is not a Christian nation and we cannot make it such.

Now, just to be clear: I’m not saying we should not be outraged when someone blasphemes the one true, living God. We should…but that better be the real source. It better not be our own desire to censor unpleasantness.  For a biblical analogy, think of the tearing of clothes as a response to blasphemy. It was an insincere theatrical gesture as often as it was an expression of legitimate grief.  

Our response to public blaspheme and sin…public or private…should be compassion. Compassion for the lost souls that do not know what they say or do.  Sound familiar? It’s how Jesus responded directly to blasphemy as he hung on the cross.

The apostles did not band together and protest Jesus’ crucifixion, nor did Jesus encourage them to.  They tried to lovingly bring others into the light that they had been shown.

That’s what we should do. Any other reaction is a waste of energy and more harmful to the Kingdom than good.

Thoughtfully,
Clifton