This is why it is becoming increasingly clear that not everyone is called to divide the Word of Truth. The Pharisees and Sadducees were not the "politicians" of Jesus' day - they were the religious leaders. You know, like Bryan Fischer fancies himself today. Israel was under the rule of Rome. It was Rome that passed the laws, not the religious leaders. They were able to pass laws related to the conduct of their religion but they had no power to pass any laws that governed the people. Yes, they were able to co-opt Rome to do their dirty work sometimes, but his representation here is completely inaccurate. Jesus did not speak truth to political power. He spoke truth in relation to the religion that was practiced and how it ignored the true Spirit of God. When matters of Rome arose Jesus was relatively dismissive because what the society was doing was not why He came. He came to rescue sinners - not speak truth to politics. Fischer continues:
"So let's not hear any more of that nonsense about how Jesus was not involved in politics. He was involved in politics, and in the end it cost Him His life."
Dear Lord are you serious? It was the involvement of Jesus in politics that cost Him His life? I am starting to fear that Mr. Fischer has not heard the Gospel yet. Is there anything other than the will of God that "cost Jesus His life?"
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father." - John 10: 14-18 (ESV)
Jesus laid down His life on His own accord. Even if you want to only look at it from a carnal viewpoint, He was crucified because He spoke against false religion, not the political powers of the day. He even stood before Pilate, who was a high political power, and Pilate found no fault in Him. Maybe Mr. Fischer needs to realize that we cost Jesus His life. My sin cost Jesus His life. Your sin cost Jesus His life. The sins of the very people Bryan Fischer wants us to hate cost Jesus His life. Make no mistake about it though - He laid it down willingly. He is the Lamb of God. The perfect sacrifice for our sins. Not some political operative trying to change society. Fischer concludes this horrific article:
"Bottom line: God has not called us to be nice. He has called us to be good. Nice people never confront evil and error, but good people do. It is the truth that sets men free, and genuine love will drive us to declare the truth no matter the cost. It's time to put on the full armor of God, unsheathe the sword of the Spirit, and go to war."
Let us start by realizing that the armor of God is not for us to go off to war against the world and the unsaved. It is for us to stand firm against the enemy because our battle is not this carnal venture Fischer is selling but rather spiritual in nature:
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. - Ephesians 6: 11-13 (ESV)
Stand against the scheme of the devil and what better scheme can he hatch then to get Christians to hold in utter contempt the very people we are supposed to preach the Gospel to. Fischer also uses the reference to the truth setting men free but yet again misses the point:
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father." - John 8: 31-38 (ESV)
These verses make clear that the truth Jesus speaks about is HIS Word - not ours. Furthermore what it sets us free from is sin, not some political agenda. As for nice people never confronting error, that is also untrue. I am confronting error right now. This whole article is in error. As for evil and God not calling us to be nice I refer Mr. Fischer to the key verses. God does not call upon us to curse at the very people He desires to see saved. If Mr. Fischer feels "persecuted" I suggest he spend some time in a different country so he can experience real persecution. Yet if he insists he is persecuted by the sinners in this country I would recommend that he wear it like a badge of honor. Jesus said we would be persecuted for His name. At no time did Jesus say to slap in the face those who persecute us. It sounds like Bryan Fischer would have gotten along just fine with James and John:
And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. - Luke 9: 51-56 (ESV)
Bryan Fischer sees the way the world thumbs its nose at God and feels righteous enough to call down fire from heaven to consume them. He does not know what manner of spirit he is though. He forgets that Jesus has not come to destroy men but to save them. He forgets that he too once was on the outside looking in thumbing his nose at God. His agenda here is clear. He is stirring up Christian anger against people who do not understand the things of God. In violation of the key verses he writes haughtily. He does not want to live in harmony with people. He has become wise in his own sight and presumes much in trying to turn the Prince of Peace into a violent ill-tempered Savior. He sees the evil in the world and wants to repay it with evil of his own. He leaves nothing for the wrath of God. The only drink he offers the lost is laced with the cyanide of his own personal bitterness and anger. The only food he offers the unsaved is rotting from the inside out, filled with his own derision and forgetting that he too is but a sinner in the hands of a wrathful God.
Reverend Anthony Wade - August 30, 2014
