If You Were Doing Right, You Wouldn't Mind the Light

Recently, a comment was made about me and my writings. This person (whom I don't believe reads the blogs, but rather my social media) called my opinions offensive and claimed that they are turning non-Christians away from the Gospel. They used the same argument I have heard a million times regarding my straight-forward style. They said that Jesus just loved people and didn't judge people by their choices. The problem with this oft-used argument is that it proves that the accuser doesn't know much about the life and ministry of Jesus.

Yes, Jesus loved. He loved infinitely, but He loved truthfully. He was especially truthful to the Pharisees. The New Testament is riddled with Christ correcting the religious people of His day. I know that the majority of my audience is comprised of fellow Christians. When I write about the things I see that aren't right in the church, I am doing what Christ did. He pushed the religious people!  He corrected them when they were wrong. He was spurring them towards holiness. And that is what my writing is meant to do. You see, part of the purpose of Jesus's death on the cross was to make us holy. That is why I will never apologize for holiness; not in my own life and not when I encourage others to push towards it. We are called to be holy as Christ is holy. It is a daily battle, and I have found, as Jesus found, that being mealy-mouthed about this fact doesn't work. We have to be direct, we have to be honest, we have to be blunt.

The tirade against me included references to the fact that I will write rebukes against things I see in the body of Christ and then later write about the love of Christ. This person felt those two things were counter to one another. But throughout the Gospels, we find Jesus extended love and mercy and then immediately following up with "harsh rebukes". Let's look at a few examples.

In John chapter 3 we find Jesus having a conversation with a Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus. In the course of their discussion we find Jesus extending grace to all when He says, "'For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.'" (v.16-17 NLT) "See?! Jesus is all about love!" some would say "He doesn't condemn people!" But keep reading on and you will see the rest of the story that most people leave out. “'There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.'” (v.18-21 NLT) With the second part of the story Jesus is saying that people condemn themselves because they run from the light. When people tell me they don't like being confronted with truth about their sins, I have to wonder what they are doing that has them so scared to be exposed? Jesus made it clear, if you were doing right, you wouldn't mind the light. Jesus's honesty about why they are scared of the truth kinda puts a dent in the whole "Jesus just loves everybody and shoots rainbows out of His eyes" theory.

A little bit further into the book of John we encounter the story most popular with the "you can't judge me" crowd: the story of the woman caught in adultery. In this story the Pharisees bring a woman caught in adultery to Jesus. Thanks to His quick thinking she is saved when He tells her stoning-eager accusers that they can kill her, but that the first stone must come from the one who had never sinned. And again, this is where most people stop reading. But that isn't the end of the story. He says to the woman "go and sin no more" in verse 11. Wait. What? Jesus actually expected a pardoned sinner to live differently? But that's not loving! Loving would have been to say, "I got you out of trouble, and if you sin again tomorrow I'll be here to do it again." Can't you see? Jesus requires there to be a difference in the life of the redeemed. The Christian can't live like they used to. Jesus made that clear, He didn't pacify the woman with soothing words. He demanded change.

Keep reading and you find the story of Jesus healing the blind man. After He healed this man, blind since birth, the Pharisees became angry and after some argument, they kick the man out of the synagogue. When Jesus finds out, Jesus returns to the man and they have a discussion regarding the man's belief in Jesus. Jesus tells the man " 'I have come to judge the world. I have come to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they can see that they are blind.'" (John 9:39 NLT) My bible must have a typo, because that makes it sound like Jesus DID come as judge. Yikes! After the Pharisees heard this, they asked in verse 40 "'Are you saying we are blind?" And Jesus replied, "'If you were blind, you wouldn't be guilty, but you remain guilty because you claim you can see.'" (v.41 NLT) Does that not describe many Christians today? They think they are perfect and above reproach, but truly, they are terrified of the light! The same people who call others "judgmental" or "holier than thou" are the ones who refuse to accept guidance and advice as to how to be more effective because they think they have it all together.

I guess my point is this, Jesus is love, but He is also justice. Many times we see Him exhibiting both of these traits at the same time. So no, I won't apologize for being both at once. As far as my brashness, here is the reason: I HATE sin. I hate sin in all forms when being committed by any type of person. I am at a point at which I can look back at my life in sin and realize just how detrimental sin is. When I see others being deceived as I was, I want to grab them and shake them and say "don't you see where this is leading?" But doesn't that turn people away? In my experience, the people becoming infuriated with me aren't the "sinners", they are the ones who should know better in the first place (which consequently was Jesus's problem too, the sinners weren't His demise, the religious people were."

So when you hear a commentary that infuriates you, I suggest you ask the following questions:

1. Is this bible based? Do the scriptures line up with the opinion? If they don't, ask the writer about them. Whenever I write something, I make sure I can defend it. Any good writer will do this. And if they have done this, they won't have a problem with being questioned as long as it is respectfully done. If their words are scriptural, and you still don't like it, then ask yourself question #2

2. Is there something in me that is scared of this word? Why am I so defensive when confronted with scripture? Maybe Jesus is using that person to help shine the light that will help you become better. Just as it hurts when you turn on the lights in a room you've been in that has been dark, it may hurt at first, but it is necessary.