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Christian Bigotry
Intro: What is Christian bigotry? A few days ago, I was visited by a pastor starting a new church in my area. He was from Africa and, from what he said, it seemed he was not connected to any established denomination.
He testified to his faith in Jesus as the Christ and was trying to reach the lost. What I am saying is that he was doing what every Christian should be doing. Yet the fact that he was not connected to one of the groups I knew made me doubt him.
Did his not belonging to one of the many conservative denominations make him any less a Christian? He was doing what all the churches should be doing. So why did I question or doubt what he was doing?
I was participating in Christian bigotry.
This is not new among Christians.
We see a constant battle between the myriad denominations. Each church has a little different view of Bible Doctrine and often maintains that if you don’t accept their view, you are not a Christian.
On the other hand, some claim to be Christian because they live in the United States or their parents were Christian.
Without question, some individual ministers and churches deny Bible truths.
However, most preach good solid Bible doctrine. Each one emphasizes some Scriptures more than others. At times, the Holy Spirit brings a Scripture to mind in a way we have not seen before. This fact should not divide the house of God.
Those who are not against us are for us.
Before the church was established, while Jesus was still with His disciples, He gave us an example.
In Luke 9:49-50 NKJV we find, Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.”
This is a lesson that the Church needs to learn today.
As Christians, our job is to proclaim God’s Grace through His Son Jesus to everyone we meet. We are to share what God did for us when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Jesus told His disciples that the harvest is plentiful.
While teaching them not to be bigoted and accept those who are proclaiming His Name, He expanded this teaching of acceptance to one of seeking more workers.
Matthew 9:37-38 NKJV tells us, Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
Jesus does not want us fighting among ourselves about who has the most truth. He gave us all a job to do. We are to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen from the grave.
If we decide to be completely honest, none of us are in total agreement on every Scripture. The real point is, do you know Jesus as your Lord?
Will you pray to God for more workers to help with the harvest? It is a better use of your time than pointing out the wrongs in other’s walk with the Lord.
Christian bigotry says, I am always right and you are wrong.
Paul has a lot to say about bigotry.
First, he points out a guiding truth. In 1 Corinthians 12:3 NKJV, he says, Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
We can only preach God’s truth by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Preaching may be for the wrong reasons. However, when we preach Jesus as Lord over all, we do so by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts us of sin.
In Philippians 1:15-18 NIV, Paul makes this argument: 15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Some preach for the wrong reasons, but Christ is still preached.
Often we forget that our job is to preach Jesus. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict. We can not argue anyone into the Kingdom. It is not important if it is a Baptist, Methodist, or Catholic who tells a person how to be saved. The important thing is that they are told about salvation through Jesus.
Jesus prays this prayer for His disciples and I believe for us today. In John 17:22-23 NKJV He prays, And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
Jesus wants us to be one in Him.
All of us would like to be right in all things. That is our nature. However, God created all of us to be unique. We will not think the same or act the same, and yet we are still His creation.
As Christians, we should not surrender to bigotry. Even if we are right on some part of God’s Word that is seen differently by other believers, we should still love them as part of God’s family.
We need to follow Jesus’ Commandment!
Jesus instructs us in John 13:34-35 NKJV. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Being a Christian is putting our faith in Jesus and following Him. It is not a club for those who understand one Scripture differently from someone else.
My prayer for each of us is that we love and respect everyone who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They may be wrong on some issues, as I believe we all are, but they are still part of the family of God through Jesus.
Let us treat all believers with respect and love.