Here’s a quick thought. In the New Testament we read of two Jewish Leaders who probably had a high position amongst the Pharisees and Sadducees: Joseph of Arimathea (the man who requested for Jesus’ body after the Crucifixion) and Nicodemus (the man who went to Jesus for counsel). Although these two men were apparently Disciples of Christ, a deeper look into their actions reveals a devotion that may have only been superficial.
Now one thing was certain about those who truly followed Christ was they had a boldness to speak out against anything that was contrary to His teachings. Although Peter cowardly hid himself after the Sanhedrin took Christ away, and denied Jesus three times, he along with John later boldly professed Christ in front of the Jewish Leaders (Acts 4:13). We see this same courageous act in the lives of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:46), and Jude the half-brother of Christ dedicated his entire letter to a Defense of the Faith.
But these two men seem to HIDE their true feelings about Christ. We read Joseph “…was a disciple of Jesus, but IN SECRET because he FEARED the Jewish leaders.” (John 19:38) And Nicodemus went to Christ “at night…” (John 3:2, John 19:39)…it was likely he did this to avoid anyone seeing him and also feared the Jewish Leaders as well.
How many of us are like this today? Are we afraid of what others may think regarding our stand for TRUTH? Do we cowardly hide and ignore certain parts of God’s Word to keep from offending anyone? Shouldn’t the Faith and Hope we profess to have create unflinching Christians (Eph. 3:12, Acts 28:31, Acts 4:29)? When did God’s Word become all about us, isn’t it all about Him and His message?
When we cower away from certain parts of Scripture to avoid animosity and hostility, or simply for the sake of not offending the person next to us, then we truly need to ask ourselves is our love for Christ genuine or superficial? Many leaders today refuse to speak of anything that is considered negative or offensive, so much so the Jesus they preach is a completely different Jesus from Scripture. How can they genuinely say they love Christ yet teach another version of Him, or like Joseph and Nicodemus HIDE the truth to save themselves?
We seem to avoid passages that rebuke, correct, and exhort us because truthfully we ourselves are condemned by it as well. This is probably why so many of us quickly run to things like this in our defense: “No one is perfect or righteous…”, and “Don’t judge me and I won’t judge you.” But John reminds us: “…if our hearts do not condemn us, we have CONFIDENCE before God” (1 John 3:21)
The writer of Proverbs wrote: “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” (Prov. 28:1) Like Christ who was meek and humble to those broken and willing to repent, yet bold and courageous in the midst of falsehood and fake religious leaders, we too are to be the same. This is not an academic duty for the Theologian or a spiritual duty for the Pastor or Leader, but a command for all who claim to love and worship Him as Lord and Savior.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and TEACH THEM to OBEY ALL THAT I COMMANDED YOU, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:19,20)
Think About It.
Marc
1 Thess. 5:21 