Genesis 4:3-5 (ESV)
3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
1 John 3:12-13 (ESV)
12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.
I recall an instruction once given to me by a preaching professor at Southern Seminary. It came after one of my better attempts at preaching in the classroom. Before I made a particular point, I told the class that I knew that I was about to do something that we generally know not to do. Dr. York told me at the end of that message, “Don’t apologize for something you are going to do anyway.” His point was that, if I believed in an idea enough to say it, I shouldn’t take weight away from it by pretending that I don’t like it.
If you have spent much time watching political news over the past year, you have probably been privy to the way in which conservative commentators and many Americans were appalled at the way they perceived that our president traveled the globe apologizing to the world for his country. One of the earliest moves that the president made was an attempt to strengthen foreign relations by doing what he believed would be the right and humble thing and admit what he saw as the nation’s shortcomings. Whether such a strategy has worked is for you to ponder.
The president is not, however, the only one who has gone on an apology tour of sorts. Have you read any of the writings of the more emergent crowd? One of the hip new facets of emergent “Christianity” is to apologize to the world for everything that they perceive to be wrong with Christians. These folks take shots at institutional religion, at the way some religious folks carry themselves, at the way some religious folks speak, or at the way that some religious folks seem closed-minded. If you catch one of them on the right day, they will write a full diatribe on how wrong the crusades were.
Much like the president’s attempt to gain friends by humbly apologizing for what others perceive as our shortcomings, some among Christianity are trying to redeem the reputation of the church by telling the world that they agree, we are too goodie goodie, too high and mighty, too closed-minded, too right wing, or whatever. And in fact, some of these folks make friends, at least friends in the short term, through these strategies.
Here is the problem: There is just no way that Christians will ever truly make friends with the world at large. Why do I say this? Take a look at the passages above. They lead us to something that we have to acknowledge. People who live outside of the will of God will, by their very nature, dislike those who follow God. Cane hated Abel for the simple reason that Abel was approved by God while Cane was not. In pondering this issue, the apostle John wrote, “Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you” ((1 John 3:13). Doing that which pleases God is a prescription to have those who dishonor God dislike you.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Some Christians have people dislike them because they are jerks, not because of their righteousness. If you are a jerk, stop being one. If you are hated for being a jerk, well, you have a way to change that. However, the moment that you start truly living to display the glory of God to a lost and dying world, that world which hates God will hate you by association.
Part of being a Christian is to be at odds with the rest of the world. Part of being a Christian is what the Bible refers to as the “stumbling block” of the cross. The lost think the cross foolishness and offensive. They think the concept that Christians think they are going to heaven and that those who do not have Christ are going to hell to be the height of arrogance. They think that a Christian’s opposition to abortion, to homosexuality, or to sexual immorality is a step backward in human development. And, if we are to follow Christ faithfully, there is just no way to take away those stumbling blocks.
Christians, we most certainly can live with love and kindness. We can speak and carry ourselves in such a way that we do not bring upon ourselves undo criticism. However, we also need to learn to live with the fact that the world will eventually grow to hate us if we truly live to please God. They will hate us, not because we are mean, but because we represent the very God that they reject.
Personally, I don’t think that the US president’s attempt at foreign relations through apology will work. Instead, I think it will make those who oppose the US perceive the nation as weak and unsettled. Similarly, I know that no ground will truly be gained by supposed Christians apologizing for the truths of the Bible by which we live. Christians, if you believe it, don’t apologize for it.
Pastor Travis Peterson 