Several months ago I learned via a phone call that a particular religious group was going to be picketing at our Cross Point Nashville campus. This religious group based out of Kansas is famous for showing up at churches, religious organizations, and funerals of service men with what I consider to be vulgar picket signs. A few of the signs I’ve read before have said…
-Thank God for 9/11
-God hates fags
-God hates Jews
-You’re going to hell
I don’t know any other way to describe them but as religious bigots.
They didn’t show on that particular Sunday. They did come to Nashville, as expected, but stopped at another church. There was a part of me that was really looking forward to confronting them. I’ve rehearsed my speech to them in my head over and over. I was a bit embarrassed though by just how harsh my rehearsed speech had become.
I remember hearing Matt Chandler say, “We must be gracious to the grace killers.”
I honestly hate that. I really do. I deeply struggle with this concept.
Grace to sinners? Yep.
Grace to screw ups? No problem.
Grace to self righteous, pride filled, judgmental types? Ummmmmm, not so quick.
I’ve found that it’s much easier for me to show grace to the homeless drug addict then it is the person who thinks our music is too loud at church.
It’s easier to show grace to the unwed pregnant mom then it is the lady whose barking about the church not doing enough for her kids.
It’s easier to show grace to the guy whose had the affair then it is the person who thinks Christians should never watch TV.
The problem is if you don’t extend grace to the grace killers….well…. you are them.
Here was my comment:
I think I am with Jared here. We are not Jesus in that we can’t perfectly know anyone’s heart but there has to be a place for rebuke. What is most loving for those guys is not to smile and “show them grace” but to rebuke them, warn them, and have nothing to do with them. They are false teachers and wolves and the NT is very clear how to handle those people. So I would advocate for the rebuke and/or ignore them position. God shows grace to the humble and opposes the proud. He unleashes his strongest rebuke on religious people.What do you think?
Your caution though is greatly needed. My heart is ever prone to self-righteousness and if I did unleash the best rebuke sermon ever into the face of Fred Phelps, I’m sure that pride would be quickly knocking at my heart’s door. We need to rebuke and fight pride all at the same time. The bible exhorts us to do both.
9 comments:
I think a good approach is actually exemplified in Derek Webb's song, "Freddie Please", which is what he imagines Jesus would say to Fred Phelps.
There's the appeal that's at the heart of the Gospel that has both rebuke and grace: "I appeal to you: BE RECONCILED TO GOD!" In aiming to reconcile, we recognize that the true rift is the one between them and God, we call out that rift and then point to the grace that would heal it.
What immediately comes to mind is this: don't kill the Gospel. The Gospel is grace, and to kill it needs to be dealt with. Don't minimize that need! We must be gentle in our admonition, but I'd rather be harsh in my rebuke than let the Gospel be twisted. I'll check my own eye before going after the other guy's, but it's good and right to hold the Gospel higher. We can let harmony be an idol here.
Sometimes an honest rebuke IS offering grace. Also, a rebuke does not equal judgmentalism. Judging someone in your heart and believing that they are more in need of grace than you is judmentalism.
Thanks for your honest words in this post.
Okay, so what would happen if they came to your church and you took some hot chocolate and donuts to them. What if you invited them to come into the church and worship with you? What if you offered to have dinner with the tax collectors or Pharisees or crazy Kansasans? I wonder what that kind of unexpected kindness might produce?
I agree. We can't know their hearts perfectly. But we can use discernment and in this case, it seems rather plain that these people need rebuke. They are claiming, in some sense, the name of Jesus, and yet in reality they are completely stomping on it and His Gospel message. Rebuke is needed because they THINK they know the Gospel, but their actions demonstrate that they do not. "Grace" - in the sense of smiling and letting their actions go un-checked, would only serve to let them believe that their view of the Gospel is correct. To allow this would not be loving at all.
Again, as has been mentioned by everyone, much care and thought must be put into such a rebuke such that it be loving (and TRULY grace filled). If this is not done, then we are just as guilty.
I'm not sure that there are many that have ever been guilty of showing "too much grace," to anyone. Rebuking, and oftentimes judging, then having nothing to do with them is really the easy way out. And, we oftentimes walk away feeling a little better about ourselves for doing the "Lord's work."
Yes, there are DEFINITELY times that a healthy rebuke is needed. I have been the recipient of a MUCH needed rebuke in my own life and have benefited from it. But really, how many evangelical Christians can rightly be accused of offering TOO MUCH grace? ....
Well, it looks as though having lists of "grace killers" is alive and well. The group you refer to in the beginning of your article cannot be considered anything but "grace killers" because the "kill the gospel" as stated. But my eyes stopped aat your reference to music in the church. It is interesting because my feelings about that is just the reverse. I consider the loud "music" to be an enormous "grace killer" for me. What is important is for both of us to look upon the heart of the person we disagree with while trying to understand where they are coming from and what we might be doing to disturb the worship of that person.
Sandra,
I would assume you would agree then, that you who do NOT like the louder music, would offer the same grace to those that DO like the louder music. So it comes down to preference, right? And neither side of the fence would really be a "grace killer?"
Is it bad to say that there would be no point to a loving rebuke of the ol' Phelps clan? That its a lost cause? Not that God Himself couldn't change that "church", but I have no doubt that their hearts are so hardened, and minds so determined, that there's no honest rebuke that could be heard. Have you researched the group? Yes, it's sad, and he might be crazy, but he is convinced in his theology. I think this is more of one of those "dust off your feet and move on" kinda situations....
But pray for them. fervently.
I thought hard about this when they picketed my church. But our pastors knew ahead of time and warned everyone to completely ignore them, literally, head down, don't look at them or their signs. It seemed harsh but I think it was truly the right thing. They've seen every kind of reaction possible to no avail...
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