Christian Unity | The Recovering Legalist

Being that it is in the news everywhere, I couldn’t help but weigh in on this story.

Has anyone ever stopped to ask, “Why are we so worried about what Pastor Terry Jones does?” Sure, there have been many, from Franklin Graham to President Obama, who have stated their opinions. People in the news all the world over have commented about it saying, “Nothing good can come of this…” and all that. The main reason that is stated by Christians is that this Florida pastor, by burning Korans, will not only incite violence, but turn people away from Christ. The “Christians” say that this pastor is not acting according to Scripture. Maybe.

I would like to submit that the real reason that most people are against this pastor burning Korans in public, which he has a right to do, is because they are AFRAID! Did you read what I just said? People are AFRAID of what Muslims, the “peaceful” people, will do. Now, would someone tell me, prior to 9/11, would this have been an issue?

It seems to me that terrorism is winning, and winning big!

Why is it that Terry Jones is/was wanting to burn the Koran? The reason probably rests in the desire to see some resolution to the inequity in the world. Just recently I showed to my congregation the video, Obsession – Radical Islam’s War Against the West, in which there were multiple scenes of Muslims burning American flags, crosses, etc., and speaking publicly of how Christians, Jews, and anyone else that differs with them are just “cattle.” In one of the scenes there was an Islamic group standing in New York City, speaking English, proving their loyalty to the Qua-ran and Islam by walking on an American flag and saying, “Allah Akbar!” Not one person did a thing to stop them. But could you even imagine the opposite happening? Death and mayhem would take place, not just on the streets of New York, but all over the world. So it’s ok to burn a Bible, but not a Koran. RIIIGHT!

Protesting in Afghanistan

Protests have taken place all over the world over the POTENTIAL burning of Korans at the Florida church. Nothing had even happened, yet people were rioting, burning stuff, threatening to kill. Where are the protests, the riots, the murders, the fires of destruction when crucifixes were dipped in urine (see picture at left) by Andres Surrano and called art? Did Catholics march through Rome burning American flags? Did Baptists burn art studios? When Christians did speak out in this country over the funding of such art with tax dollars, the media accused the Christians of being bigoted and incapable of “understanding true art.” What happens when a cartoonist just draws a picture of Mohammed? Oh, well, cutting his head off is the only logicgal thing for “peace-loving” people to do. Just doesn’t seem too fair, does it?

So, you see, Pastor Terry Jones is feeling the frustration that comes with seeing others do things that offend you, but never being allowed to speak out. If everything was fair, Christians should be able to burn Korans just as easily as Jihadists can cut of the heads of people they don’t agree with (Kaafir).

But let me be fair, there are, supposedly, Muslims who do not believe in what the so-called “radicals” are doing. The don’t believe in terrorism. They hate what happened on 9/11. They say that the Koran is being misused in order to justify killing. For example, here are some verses from the Koran:

(Qur’an 60:7-8):

“It may be that God will grant love (and friendship) between you and those whom ye (now) hold as enemies. For God has power (over all things), and God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

God does not forbid you, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for God loves those who are just.”

(I don’t want to sound like a pessimist, but really, does not the Muslim world consider us as those who “DO fight you for your faith, and DO fight you for your homes?“)

The fact is that most of the world runs in fear at the thought of offending a Muslim, but Christians can be made fun of at every turn. Islam is on the rise, and it is primarily because FEAR that they are able to grow. Even if there are “peaceful” Muslims around us, their sympathies still lie with their brethren, and few will stand up and condemn groups such as Hamas, the PLO, etc. The average Muslim, whether he likes it or not, is benefiting from terrorism in its purest form. The world, including America, is changing its habits, beliefs, and customs, not to mention the Constitution, in order to placate a TERRORIST religion.

Well, back to Terry Jones. Does he have the right to burn the Koran? Yes, he does. Should he? I don’t think so. The reason for not doing it should not be based in fear, though. The reason for not doing it should be based on the Bible. Not a Bible of milk-toast, wimpy, cowering Christianity; but a Bible filled with the courage of Christ. Jesus was the MOST offended of all people. He came to love and to save the lost, but they mocked and crucified Him. He, of all people, could have poured out unspeakable horrors upon the earth in a matter of seconds, calling ten thousand angels to His defense. However, He did not. He knew that His purpose had to be completed, to die for sinful man, so that those who “know not what they do” could be saved.

Even though we have the right to be angry and demand justice, we should show Biblical love.

Ephesians 5:1-2 tells us to “be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. And walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.” And as verse 15 says, we should “pay careful attention” to how we walk, “because the days are evil.” Fact is, people of the world, including Muslims, are watching us. Even though Satan would blind their eyes to the Truth of the Gospel, they can still see the love of Christ when it is expressed through the life of a Christian. Admittedly, giving up our right to respond to injustice, as with burning the Koran, might seem unfair, but doing such things, just to make the other side angry, defeats the command of Romans 12:14, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Further more, verse 17 says, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.”

Burning the Koran is either an act of revenge, or an attempt at justice.

I would say to all of those like Pastor Jones that I understand your frustration and pain, not to mention your anger at obvious inequities in what is considered fair and just. But to intentionally provoke, knowing the consequences, would be stirring up unnecessary strife in an already troubled world. There may come a time when one can no longer “turn the other cheek,” but Romans 12:18 tells us, “whenever it is possible, live at peace with all men…” What is the reason for this? Because as verse 19 says, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” The best thing that we can do in this world to reach the lost, including the Muslim, is to love them. Granted, that may be easier said than done. On the other hand, consider God knows what He is doing, and He makes a promise that is found both in Proverbs and in Romans 12:20-21:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in doing so you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.”

Maybe, instead of burning Korans, we should be “heaping coals.”

There are so many destructive teachings that are simply corruptions of actual truth. One of those is the doctrine of separation. Practiced within the more independent and fundamental sects of Christianity, this doctrine is mainly derived from 2 Corinthians 6:17, ” Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you…” The idea is that if one group does not agree with another in all areas, then association is considered sinful, or at least liberal.

I personally believe that this has been taken way too far within the body of Christ.

A few Sundays ago I was at a church where a missionary was speaking. I really enjoyed hearing what he had to say. What disappointed me was what was on his prayer card. Listed on the back, in his statement of beliefs, was the “doctrine of separation.” However, during the message that he preached, he spoke of how it was good to be able to talk to a Charistmatic believer in Mongolia. He spoke of how it was good, in a land that so few missionaries frequented, to find anyone to talk to that was a Christian. But when it came to working together, that was a different story.

Years ago, in 1992, I was given the opportunity to travel to Romania for a month. Long story short, in order to do some first-time evangelical work in a small village, two other young guys and myself were priviledged to hire a young interpreter to help us. Actually, he was helping a Pentecostal church group rebuilding grain silos during the day. Because he was free in the evening, he helped us. He even helped us make friends with the Pentecostal group. We didn’t have services together, but we did get to have friendly contact. Ultimately, because of this unplanned cooperation (the Church of God folk paid the interpreter for us) around 80 souls came to accept Christ as their Saviour in one week.

When I got back to the U.S., thoughts crossed my mind about how Baptist missionaries could develope ways to work together with other Christian missionaries in third-world countries, especially where the work was great. Pooling local resources and manpower for mutual benefit seemed something totally logical to me; but not to BIMI, the mission agency with which I had traveled. Unlike Southern Baptist missionaries, independent Baptist missionaries have to raise their own funds to reach the field and to stay there. To me it seemed that being able to work with other Christians to accomplish like goals was a no-brainer, but not according to the doctrine of separation which BIMI held true to, as do most independent Baptists with which I have been aquainted.

The belief that Christians cannot work together, worship together, or evangelize together to reach a common desired goal is crazy. There are areas that make Baptists (of which I am) different from other denominations, and rightfully so. These differences, however, are more often than not of little eternal significance. Baptists believe in baptism by submersion, for instance, while Presbyterians normally do not. Is that worth saying that when it comes to winning the lost for Christ that we must remain separate in all things? Even if a friend of mine is a five-point Calvinist, does that mean that I can’t walk down a street with him as we both preach salvation through Jesus alone? I like what article XIV of the 2000 edition of theBaptist Faith and Message has to say on the subject:

“Members of New Testament churches should cooperate with one another in carrying forward the missionary, educational, and benevolent ministries for the extention of Christ’s Kingdom. Christian unity in the New Testament sense is spiritual harmony and voluntary cooperation for common ends by various groups of Christ’s people. Cooperation is desirable between the various Christian denominations, when the end to be attained is itself justified, and when such cooperation involves no violation of conscience or compromise of loyalty to Christ and His Word as revealed in the New Testament.”

When it comes to the legalists and the Pharisaical crowd that promotes separation to the extent of mutual exclusion, finger pointing and self-glorification (i.e., “I am right with God and you are not, because you don’t believe the same as me.”), maybe isolation isn’t that bad. More people than not, I truly believe, think that working together for the greater good of the Kingdom is biblical. Only a small minority of so-called “fundamentalists” within the Christian faith feel otherwise. However, the problem is not so much that we believe that working together is good as long as there is no compromise, it’s getting us to actually DO it. Let the “separatists” stay separate if they wish, but let the rest of us unite where possible to form a true Nation of Christians, the body of Christ.

Say what you will about the “herd mentality,” but it is the loners that the lions and wolves look for first. There truly is strength in unity.