5:17 church

Sometimes we say things that are unpopular, or embarrassing, or not politically correct. Telling someone their fly is undone or they’ve got parsley in their teeth is embarrassing – for them and you. But the idea is that you both suffer some mild embarrassment now for the sake of minimising the other person’s possibly severe embarrassment later.

Sometimes saying something unpopular or politically incorrect is like this. Like when Christians repeat things Jesus said that were most definitely unpopular and un-PC. Like when Christians talk about sin or hell or judgement like they’re real, and refuse to pretend that God is so ‘loving’ He arbitrarily accepts all people in heaven.

Several weeks ago, we displayed a series of 4 signs on our church signboard that were probably both unpopular and un-PC to most onlookers.

School violence, racism, GFC

- do society’s problems run

deeper than our solutions?

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Does a solution exist

that runs as deeply

as the problem?

—

GK Chesterton said -

‘the problem is I’.

Will anyone else agree?!

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Biblical Christianity offers

both diagnosis and solution -

Sinners need a Saviour.

Hardly politically correct,

but worth investigating?

But we were trying to be carefully confronting, because what good is being popular, palatable, and PC, if it also means being deceptive? If Jesus presented his Father in words that were comfortable to his hearers but not actually true, what good would that do them when they came to meet God in judgement? So as Jesus showed integrity to his mission by being ruthlessly true to his message, we believe as Christians we have to show integrity to Jesus by not mincing our words either.*

So back to our church signs. In one sense we are sorry if they caused offence. We don’t want to turn people off or away from Jesus and his message, because he said that it’s only through trusting in him that we can have forgiveness and Life. But we acknowledge these can be difficult ideas to swallow. Heck, many of us in this church found this to be the case and wrestled hard against them before being won over by them.

Ultimately that’s our hope (and prayer) for you if you’ve come across our signs or this blog post and find yourself offended by biblical Christianity. Could we humbly, respectfully, sincerely ask you to not just dismiss Jesus’ claims, but to wrestle with them?

Because we truly don’t like being unpopular in presenting them to you; we don’t enjoy the feeling of causing offence! But we’re bound by the spirit of integrity to risk our mutual embarrassment now, for the sake of minimising some awful repercussions later.

Because Jesus said -

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

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*Contrary to popular opinion, this doesn’t equate with being judgemental. Judgementalism has to do with standing above another person by showing personal disrespect or disdain to them or their beliefs. However, respectfully disagreeing with another is simply that (unfortunately seen as intolerant and unpopular when Christians do it, but acceptable practice otherwise!).