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Warning! Contains Controversial Topics for Believers! Part 2

Warning! Contains Controversial Topics for Believers! Part 2

Last updated on: August 13, 2024 at 3:58 pm by Teresa Nichols

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Warning! Contains Controversial Topics for Believers! Part 2 2024-08-13T15:58:02-04:00 Teresa Nichols

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Important Notice about Controversial Content part 2 of a series by Uniquely Constructed

There was too much to share about this controversial topic in one post, so I made it a 2 part series ~ Photo Courtesy of the Author.

I will use this opening statement once again: Warning! Subject Matter May Be Controversial for Those of the Christian Faith!

If you have read part 1, you are either vehemently agreeing or disagreeing with the things I posted. However, I was not finished, so brace yourself for more, before you decide your stance. (If you have not read the first part, I ask you to do so at this link for Part 1, before you read this one, to get the full story!)

Now let’s continue…

That does not mean that we should not pay very careful attention to how we react, or about the way we choose to say regarding the newest issues/attacks on our faith! Quite the contrary in fact!

We need to pray and ask God for discernment before proceeding to discuss, or post about the things the media, and our enemy are trying to use to stir up the division!

One area that is constantly being brought up in an accusing manner, is this one of how we as Christians are passing judgement on others, when we should not be. Sadly, this is an area where believers and non-believers alike are watching to see our reactions, and it is not an easy obstacle to navigate.

The Bible tells us in Matthew 5:16 to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

So, the questions become:

How do we let our lights shine with the love of Jesus, and still stand up to the antagonistic attacks upon our faith?
How do we call out evil for what it is, yet share the hope of Jesus to those involved in perpetrating the heinous acts?
Is it even possible to call wrong “wrong” anymore without being judged ourselves?

I Believe We Must Ask Ourselves, “What Would Jesus Do?”

Great question, don’t you think?! One that, we as believers will almost certainly respond to differently, but isn’t it possible that God intended it to be this way? He did not create us to all think alike, or be alike, and we all fall short when it comes to being like Jesus!

So maybe, just maybe, we are unique enough to see things from different perspectives, yet still not meant to argue with each other in public displays, such as social media platforms? We all know that non-believers are watching. Some are watching for weapons to yield to discredit us, and our faith. Yet others, are watching us and searching for truth and hope, the very things that we are supposed to be sharing with them. (It’s important that I clarify, that all those attacking the Christian faith can still be saved. It is not too late, and Jesus died on the cross for ALL of us. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, if we ask and believe in Him.)

To Speak or Not to Speak About the Wrongs Committed Towards Our Faith ~What is a Believer to do?

There is not a easy answer to this dilemma!

“Are we to allow passivity to become the new norm, allowing others to freely mock our faith, with no retaliation at all? Do we say nothing? Or, do we rise up and find our voices and use them in the right way?”

Let Me Share My Own Personal Thoughts and Opinions ~

My stance is that if I say nothing, I am not standing up for my faith. My thoughts turn to the many times that Jesus casts out demons in the Bible. Jesus commanded them to flee and they obeyed. Then, He gave His disciples the power to cast them out in the authority of His name, too.

Doesn’t this show us a picture of Jesus expecting His disciples (which are anyone who believes in Him) to stand against the enemy?

From my standpoint, Jesus did not ignore evil, or wrong behaviors, but He did identify them. ~ He did not cower from the enemy, He spoke to him with authority. So let’s consider these two options:

What if we “say nothing” to defend our faith?”

SAY NOTHING, and the boldness of the evil opposition continues to spiral out of control with the flagrant contempt that they have for Christian believers. The intentional onslaught of acrimonious ridicule will likely grow more rapidly when not met with resistance of any kind.
SAY NOTHING, and without a doubt, the barrage of attacks intended to disparage everything of repute to the followers of Jesus Christ will become more bold, and more frequent.
SAY NOTHING, and they become more courageous and determined to hit their mark.
SAY NOTHING, and it truly feels like we are allowing the enemy to trample upon the truth of the Gospel.
SAY NOTHING, and it feels like we are not as committed to our faith as we claim to be, because haven’t they shown us often enough just how willing they are to fight for what they believe in?

“What if we rise up and defend our faith?”

RISE UP, and condemn the glaringly obvious injustices against our faith.
RISE UP, in faith and identify the shameless mockery, and attempts to wipe out the Christian faith.
RISE UP, and boldly share the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that every unbeliever is given the chance to accept Jesus as their Savior.

I truly believe, there are right ways to speak out against the attacks on our faith, though none are easy to navigate in a world that is looking for us to fail, or judge others wrongly.

Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to help us be careful with our words, our actions, and our reactions. We need to become unified against the attacks of the enemy, and whether we choose to SAY NOTHING, or RISE UP, we must do it in a way that reflects Jesus living inside our hearts.

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Guard your heart, and your words! Matthew 12:34

After the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, it was easy to see the division among believers. The whole world was watching, evaluating, and eager to see what come next…

So, for reference, I looked up quotes from various resources and wanted to share just a few with you. Whether it was indeed a mockery of “The Last Supper,” or some tribute to another so-called God or deity, it created a chasm of disunity regarding how we should respond. Check out these excerpts:

Pastor Henson Lim stated something in an article written for Salt&Light ministries: “After my emotions settled a little, I pondered: What is the right Christian response? Turn the other cheek? Go the extra mile? Love the enemy? How? What would Jesus do?”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday that it was a “mockery” and “insulting to Christian people around the world,” adding that “the war on our faith and traditional values knows no bounds today. But we know that truth and virtue will always prevail.”
Elon Musk made a profound statement after the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, that Franklin Graham later commented on: One link is here: https://x.com/FoxNews/status/1817560696529273159 another link is here: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1049771859851741&set=a.266581021504166

Franklin Graham said this, “I appreciate Elon Musk bringing this up. He’s right—we must absolutely stand strong for what is right. And I believe we must stand for God’s truth. We should not be cowardly, and we shouldn’t be shy about it. God’s Word tells us there will be a “falling away.” However, I don’t believe Christianity will perish, because Jesus Christ said “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore” (Revelation 1:17-18). He died on the cross for our sins and rose again. He’s alive, and one day, He is coming back. If we receive Him in repentance and faith, we can look forward to spending eternity with Him.”

I Have Given Us All Some Things to Consider…

So, how will you answer my original question?

“How should we, as Christians, react and respond to outright assaults upon our faith?”

I hope to open this up to discussion by adding the ability to comment and communicate with you here on Patheos! Hopefully really soon! If you just happened upon this post, remember to read Part 1 by clicking on this link: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/uniquelyconstructed/?p=1371&preview=true

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About Teresa Holbrooks Nichols

It is a very contentious and slippery slope, that is causing division among believers, and non-believers for sure. There is no doubt that our reactions as believers are being judged, and in my opinion, people will always find a way to twist things toward the desired picture they want to paint, no matter how delicately we treat the matter. One area that is constantly being brought up in an accusing manner, is this one of how we as Christians are passing judgement on others, when we should not be. Sadly, this is an area where believers and non-believers alike are watching to see our reactions, and it is not an easy obstacle to navigate. You can read more about the author here.

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