Editorial: Why do we care what unbelievers think?

A Christian who cares for unbelievers the way Jesus cares for them will care what they thinkā€”of Christians and of Jesus. (Photo: Thinking by Luis Marina / CC BY 2.0 via flickr)

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How much should Christians care what non-Christians think about them, their faith and their actions?

knox newMarv KnoxSeveral readers raised a version of that question in their response to last weekā€™s editorial, ā€œThe ā€˜downward death spiralā€™ of hypocrisy.ā€ The editorial called a prominent Dallas pastor, Robert Jeffress, a hypocrite for claiming to ā€œnot officially endorseā€ Donald Trump for president while appearing at a Trump campaign rally and calling Trump ā€œthe one leader who can reverse the downward death spiral of this nation we love so dearly.ā€

ā€œChristians wonder why unbelievers think weā€™re all a bunch of hypocrites,ā€ the editorial observed. It lamented the skepticism and disbelief Christiansā€™ actions foster in unbelievers: ā€œWhatā€™s to stop unbelievers from projecting such questionable ethics upon everything Jeffress says he believes? And ā€¦ whatā€™s to stop unbelievers from thinking all Baptists and other Christians behave that way? ā€¦

ā€œThe presidential primaries and the run-up to the general election are going to be harsher and more trying than what weā€™ve experienced for years and years. Weā€™ll all be tempted to say and do things that do not reflect the Spirit of Christ. Politics isnā€™t worth the risk of ruining Jesusā€™ reputation.ā€

Some liked it; some, not so much

Thanks to several Facebook reposts, the editorial circulated widely and generated emails, as well. Some came from former Baptists and unbelievers, who expressed (a) surprise a Baptist editor would counter the public political expression they hear from prominent Baptists and (b) appreciation for the editorialā€™s call for living consistently with Jesusā€™ grace.

But those messages did not express a unanimous view. Several affirmed the call-ā€™em-as-you-see-ā€™em approach to engagement with non-Christians. Here are a couple of statements that appeared on Facebook walls:

ā€¢ ā€œWhy would we allow what nonbelievers may or may not say about us to influence what we do? Permitting our actions to be swayed by nonbelievers would be a sure sign of following the wrong leader.ā€

ā€¢ ā€œIsnā€™t it more hypocritical if we are to allow our concern for how our actions are viewed by nonbelievers dictate our actions?ā€


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Questions like that reflect the self-righteous, self-congratulatory condemnation of the Pharisees rather than the self-sacrificial love of Jesus.

Of course, we get it. Some Christians are so proud of holding onto ā€œthe truthā€ they donā€™t care much about souls. Theyā€™re right, and everyone else is wrongā€”dead wrong. And by their actions, we can tell theyā€™re happy about it.

Smugly satisfied

In fact, far too many Christians who hold to strongly orthodox views of sin and damnation seem smugly satisfied in their assurance people who disagree with them will roast in hell.

Thatā€™s the reason the ā€œWhy do we care what heathen think?ā€ questions are so heart-breaking. Theyā€™re antithetical to the Spirit of Jesus, who changed people by love and grace and compassion, not antagonism, judgment and condemnation.

What if ā€¦?

Have you ever stopped to thinkā€”and shudderedā€”about how your life would be different if just a few of your circumstances were different? What if all you knew about Christianity you heard from culture-hating Christians who step in front of public microphones today?

If Jesus were like heā€™s portrayed by so many Christiansā€”Christians, mind you, Christiansā€”on television and podcasts and in the print media today, I wouldnā€™t want to have anything to do with him, either.

So, thatā€™s why I care what unbelievers think. That doesnā€™t require me to deny my faith. To the contrary, it requires me to live out my faith. To try as best I canā€”knowing Iā€™m weak, timid and fallibleā€”to treat people as Jesus did when he walked the earth. Jesus cared what people think; what they ultimately think. And his love redeemed them.

Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole. ā€¦

Jesus! I do now receive Him,
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness,
I am His, and He is mine.


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