Will Christians be Liked or Hated?
Electoral polls have a tendency not to get the results of an election correct. The polls said that Ed Milliband would beat David Cameron but on the night the opposite occurred. The polls suggested that Hilary Clinton would beat Donald Trump in the American presidential election but surprisingly Trump won. It was expected from the polls that Biden would annihilate Trump in the recent Presidential election but in the end the win was very close. The reason for this was suggested by Lionel Shriber in an article, ‘Shy Conservatism’ in the Guardian, written after the 2015 General Election. She wrote,
“One stock explanation for why opinion polls wildly underestimated Conservative supporters in last week’s election is the “shy Tory”. But “shy” isn’t quite the right word, is it? “Shamefaced” comes closer.
Broadly speaking – and forgive the generalisations, but they’re irresistibly entertaining – across the western world, leftists tend to be political extroverts, who often literally wear the T-shirt. Anything but ashamed, they’re apt to broadcast their opinions to anyone who will listen (just look at the Guardian letters page). For the left-leaning, political identity is liable to be closely intertwined with personal identity. . . Mainstream conservatives are more circumspect. They are aware that everyone disagrees with them, and so are socially cautious, if not wary or, outside their territory, paranoid. Thus Tories are more likely to feel out their company before advocating a political position in public. In this sense they are indeed “shy”, and on discovering that they are speaking to an opposition supporter more inclined to flight than fight. At a dinner party, they will often opt for keeping their mouths shut.”
Could this be an explanation why so few Christians today speak up for Jesus? A patient of mine was the Church Warden of a local village church. After the medical consultation was over I asked how the church was going.
“Oh, it is getting difficult. We are getting older and we are getting smaller.”
“Tell me,” I replied, “Do people in the church talk about the Lord Jesus with others in the village?”
“Good gracious me, no! We don’t talk about him amongst ourselves!”
I couldn’t think think of an immediate reply but then concluded,
“If that is really so, if that is all Jesus means to people, then the church must die.”
Lionel Shriber noticed that those on the left were more willing to speak up than those on the right – their politics are all bound up with their personal identity. If my personal identity is all bound up with the Lord Jesus, I won’t be able to stop speaking out.
One of the most prominent African-American civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr, said,
“A man who won’t die for something, is not fit to live.”
Under orders
Jesus commissioned his disciples and subsequent Christians with these words,
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20
Paul understood that all Christians should be involved in living for Christ,
“He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:15
“And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” 2 Corinthians 5:20
There are many groups in the world that are antagonistic to this message; in fact, they often violently oppose what Jesus taught. Many communist countries, such as Stalin’s Russia, North Korea and Mao Tse Tung’s China, as well as many radical Islamic societies have violently persecuted Christians. Why do they do this when Christians tend to be the most caring and principled of people?
The Experience of Jesus
Crowds followed him
Reading through the gospels leaves the impression that Jesus was very popular with the common people. They loved the miracles he performed and the teaching he gave them. The crowds followed him wherever he went as the following texts confirm.
“Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.” Matthew 4:25
“And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them.” Matthew 15:30
“And the whole city had gathered at the door.” Mark 1:33
“And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.” Mark 2:13
“Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Luke 12:1
“And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them.” Mark 2:2
“And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him.” Mark 5:24
“Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret;” Luke 5:1
“And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.” Mark 12:37
“The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead.” John 12:9
The Bible also makes it clear that there were, at the same time, many who were opposed to Jesus. The Pharisees hated him because he rejected their understanding of the Jewish Law and the Sadducees hated him because, amongst other things, he was against their use of the temple for business interests. Jesus was seen to be undermining the authority of both groups.
Rejected at home
On one occasion Jesus revisited Nazareth with his disciples and on the sabbath he preached in their synagogue. Those listening were amazed at his wisdom but could not understand how he was able to speak in that way,
“Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us? And they took offence at him. Jesus said to them, ‘Only in his home town, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honour.’ He could not do any miracles there, except lay hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.” Mark 6:3-6
Luke records this public reading of Scripture in the synagogue at Nazareth. Jesus read from Isaiah 61:1-2, which was a known Messianic prophecy. He then said to all present,
“Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:21
At first people spoke well of Jesus but that changed as he continued to say,
“Surely you will quote this proverb to me: Physician heal yourself! Do here in your home town what we have heard you did in Capernaum.” Luke 4:23
Jesus then said that ‘no prophet is accepted in his home town’ and then continued to say that during Elijah’s time, only a Sidonian woman was saved and during Elisha’s time, only a Syrian was cleansed. This apparent rejection led to all the people in the synagogue attacking Jesus. He was chased to the top of a local precipice to throw him down but somehow Jesus walked through the crowd and escaped.
Rejected in Jerusalem
Jesus had expelled the money changes and animal sellers from the temple, but later he returned to teach in the temple courts. The Chief Priests and elders of the people then complained, asking by what authority he was acting. In reply, Jesus asked them by what authority John the Baptist baptised and followed this with two parables. Jesus then reminded them of what a psalm said,
“The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this and it is marvellous in our eyes.” Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” Matthew 21:42
The chief priests and the Pharisees knew that Jesus was speaking of them.
“They looked for a way to arrest him, but were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.” Matthew 21:46
Jesus warns people
When Jesus gave his final instructions to the disciples, just before his execution, he changed his common analogy. Instead of reminding therm that they were to sbe ent out as ‘fishers of men’ he told them that they were to ‘go and bear fruit – fruit that will last’ (John 15:16). He then warns them that there will inevitably be very unpleasant consequences,
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to this world, it would love you as its own. . . That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you, ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” John 15:18
Jesus then explained that some were opposed to him because of what he said, yet both what he said and the miracles he did amongst them made them culpable. He finishes this section with another quote used in the Psalms,
“They hated me without reason.” John 15:25, Psalm 35:19, 69:4
Jesus was uncompromising in what he said - there is only one way to be right with God and that is to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
“I am the way, and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
It was this self centredness as well as his opposition to their understanding of the Jewish Law that so irritated the authorities.
On one occasion, when Jesus spoke to his disciples, his whole emphasis was that they would inevitably suffer as members of God’s kingdom. Luke stresses that Jesus followers could face poverty, hunger and unhappiness and hatred but that they will be blessed in the end.
“Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.” Luke 6:22
Jesus then warned those who have an easy life now, those who are rich, well fed, happy and are spoken well off,
“Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.” Luke 6:26
Christians who are active for Christ will receive similar treatment to that of Jesus. We will inevitably make enemies. Jesus agrees, but then tells us how we should react,
“But I tell you who hear me: Love you enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic . . . do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:27-31
We are not called to have easy lives but to be effective for Christ and to be such will entail much self discipline. Peter later said,
“Make every effort to add to your faith, goodness . . . knowledge . . . self control . . . perseverance . . . godliness . . . brotherly kindness . . . love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will prevent you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8
Why should we make such an effort and be pleasantly outspoken for Christ if we are going to suffer for doing so? The simple answer is that this world is not our objective. We are living for the real world, the world to come. Jesus explained that God is kind to those opposed to him, so we should be also. He said,
“Then you reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:35
Soon after Jesus had met Saul, soon to be Paul, on the Damascus road, he sent Ananias to say to Paul,
“Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Acts 9:15-16
Later in his life Paul wrote,
“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:24-28
The disciples teaching
This same doctrine about the centrality of Jesus was emphasised by Peter and John when they were brought before the Sanhedrin, the same group that had recently arranged for Jesus’ cruel death. They courageously said,
“He is ‘The stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven, given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12
They were ordered not to ‘speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus’ but such a directive was rightly rejected,
“Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:19-20
After further threats they let them go.
Many years later John wrote about the uniqueness of Jesus, whom he acknowledged to have been rejected by many Jews,
“He came to that which was his known, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:11-12
“Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” John 3:36
Both Jesus and his disciples were uncompromising. Jesus alone can save people and they taught this to everyone who would listen. No wonder they were persecuted.
The modern church
Too often there is a feeling that Christians should be popular and do all they can to be liked. This controls how they relate to others, thinking that nothing should be done that might disturb our relationships. This mindset is so common amongst Christians today. Few will take risks to further the cause of Christ; speaking openly about him may cause friction so people think it best to keep quiet.
Charles Mackay (1814 – 24) was a Scottish writer who was also a Chartist, a political movement that wanted ordinary people to have the vote. He spoke up for what he believed in and wrote the following about those who don’t want to cause waves or friction, who are unwilling to fight for a cause they say they believe in.
No Enemies
You have no enemies, you say?
Alas! my friend, the boast is poor;
He who has mingled in the fray
Of duty, that the brave endure,
Must have made foes! If you have none,
Small is the work that you have done.
You’ve hit no traitor on the hip,
You’ve dashed no cup from perjured lip,
You’ve never turned the wrong to right,
You’ve been a coward in the fight.
St Paul wrestled with the dilemma of being gospel focused and yet relating well with others. He wrote to the Colossians with this in mind,
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should. Be wise in the way you act towards 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 everybody.” Colossians 4:2-6
The priority of sharing the gospel individually is clearly central. However, to do this requires us to relate well to those around us. We must be gracious in how we talk with people, yet not be insipid by failing to talk about Jesus, that is surely what ‘seasoned with salt’ means. There must be purpose behind all we do. Our purpose is to point people to Jesus by what we do and say. Paul realises that prayer is the solution. God will then help each of us make wise decisions in how we resolve these tensions.
Man’s answer to the problem of sin is religion. Religion is what I do to try and salve my conscience and better my society. But sin is essentially the offence against God. Our attempts to redeem ourselves by social and political activities, for many a form of religion, or by involvement in church activities, whether these are liturgical or non-conformist, can never satisfy God. Only God can forgive my sin against him. The only way to be right with God is to live personally under the authority of Jesus, as my Saviour and my Lord. This is why Jesus and his apostles stressed the need for all Christians to be open about their commitment to him.
‘Shy conservatism’ is not what our Lord wants of his people, instead he wants Christians to be open enthusiasts who long to introduce others to Jesus, and are therefore constantly praying to this end.
BVP
November 2020
