Friday, June 16, 2023
There is clearly a worsening trend in Western evangelical Christianity of professing Christians inserting themselves into the business of others where they do not belong. And then when things go south, or they suffer some degree of harm, those very believers who shamelessly, and in false humility inserted themselves into the business of others, cry foul. That kind of false Christianity occurs all over the free world, and it serves no purpose but to give Christ and the true Christian a worse name, causing the unbelieving world to blaspheme to an even greater extent.
God did not call believers to judge the business of unbelievers who violate Christian principles and values. Ungodliness is what unbelievers do by nature. God called Christians to judge those inside the church, not those outside. The Apostle Paul clearly said by the Holy Spirit “For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? [Meaning outside the church] Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges” (1 Cor. 5:12–13). Believers have a clear mandate from God to mind their own business. “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17). We believers must stay in our own lane of faith.
God called believers to “also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, that you may walk properly [KJV “honestly” and is Strong’s #G2156 and means “in a seemly manner, decently”] toward those who are outside, [Outside the church] and that you may lack nothing” (1 Thess. 4:11–12). Making oneself a target that one knows irks the unbeliever is not acting “in a seemly manner, decently”, but provokes the wrath of unbelievers. The wrath of Satan and his spirits who naturally inhabit unbelievers is quite sufficient without the help of professing Christians adding fuel to Satan’s fire. True believers make the Gospel of Christ attractive by their peaceful, seemly, and decent manner. And beyond that, believers in prayer ask the Holy Spirit to convict the hearts of unbelievers, to call them to faith in Christ.
That Christians walk among unbelievers, quietly, seemly and decently, is central to the Gospel and epistles of Paul. The Spirit says again “Let us walk properly, [Again, Strong’s #G2156] as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife [Strong’s #G2054 meaning “contention, strife, wrangling”] and envy” (Rom. 13:13). But when believers violate the commands of God and disobediently insert themselves into the businesses of unbelievers, it will create contention, strife and wrangling, and any Christian with common sense knows that’s true. So, why go looking outside the church for trouble when every believer has enough trouble of his own to tend to inside the church! The organized church is filled with ungodly contamination and needs not look outside itself for places to cleanse toward Godliness and holiness.
God commands believers to “Let all things be done decently [Strong’s #G2156 and means “in a seemly manner, decently…decorously:—decently, honestly] and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40). But I am concerned for the plethora of rage Christianity receives just because certain believers insert themselves where they have no business. It’s a scourge upon the cross of Christ. Unbelievers do what they do by nature. And believers must do what believers do by nature of being born again, having the Spirit of Christ, living a life of peace and quiet to the glory and honor of God.
Marlin J. Yoder
