This is what happens when you believe people can only be instrumentally valuable and not intrinsically valuable—it becomes inhumane to keep a disabled child alive.
Even the disabled are image bearers of God and worthy of our love and protection (Gen 1:27, Prov. 31:8-9).
A lot of Christians think being nice is being good.
Mind you, the vast majority of the time, you should be kind and nice to other people. Treat them with respect.
But being nice in the face of evil is sinful cowardice, and the American church better buckle up for a bumpy ride.
For too long we’ve been more worried about how others perceive us than what God demands. Abortion made law? Gay curriculum in classroom? Drag queen story hour? Fear of offending Muslims who wouldn’t even attempt to respect you?
There is nothing “nice” about enabling bullies to push you around and allow evil to triumph. Yet generation after generation seems to think making others uncomfortable is the greatest of all sins.
Have you read Jesus’ 7 woes to the Pharisees? Have you heard him quote Jeremiah to the temple money changers (den of robbers)?
I don’t give a fiddler’s fart if you’re too afraid to speak the truth and get kicked out of your country club.
We have allowed far too much evil to triumph without much pushback because we must be nice more than we need to obey Christ.
I don’t know who read the bible or early church history and concluded that “we shouldn’t rock the boat”. People died for Christ just so your church could exist today. Saints throughout history kept the faith and likewise died because they threatened the ruling elites.
Who in the heck is afraid of offending American evangelicals? Catholics? Orthodox? Meanwhile, who is too afraid of the LGBTQ agenda?
If you want a nice and easy religion, try Scientology.
If you want to obey Jesus, prepare to make enemies, just like He said you will.
And if you’re too afraid to do it, get out of the way for those who will.
Day 157 - June 6 - Bible in a Year - NIV Edition
June 6: Deuteronomy 10, Psalm 94, Isaiah 38, Revelation 8
Listen or read along with me as I read through the Bible in a year. This is the M'Cheyne reading plan on the New International Version (NIV-1984) translation.
@ion_eyes@TheMuppetPastor@djneyoru We move a lot, normally for my work. Married for 28 years, moved 22 times. Every church we attend we talk to parents and most of them were told the exact same things, but they didn't abort and their kids had no developmental issues.
@TheMuppetPastor@djneyoru Both of my kids tested positive for downs in the womb. We were pressured to abort. Neither had it when they were born. I asked how many choose to abort when they hear that their kids likely had downs and the response was 90%.
If he used people who were good at their jobs, who never struggled in their sin, who were inherently consistent, then those people would get the glory for what God does, not God. Those same people would also be terrible elders, as they could not come alongside and help others.
I'm reminded most about this when John MacArthur and John Piper were talking about the struggles of depression. Someone in the crowd asked both of them how to deal with it and John MacArthur acted like the guy had two heads. He had never had a "period of melancholy" so it was entirely foreign to him. John Piper, however, has struggled with this all his life. He was able to respond in a way that was encouraging to the guy in the crowd and centered it on Christ.
Sometimes God lets you go through a hard time in your life so you will learn to lean on him harder in that moment. The side benefit of this is that you are now equipped to help someone else in your church when they have the same issue.
@AmazonMGMStudio I hear you, but have you considered giving the millions of Stargate fans what they want, instead of pandering to people who largely don't care about sci-fi?
Day 156 - June 5 - Bible in a Year - NIV Edition
June 5: Deuteronomy 9, Psalm 92–93, Isaiah 37, Revelation 7
Listen or read along with me as I read through the Bible in a year. This is the M'Cheyne reading plan on the New International Version (NIV-1984) translation.