Do We Do What We Say?
For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
My bible study is currently teaching through Romans, and we are ready to hit this passage. As I read the chapter I see how easy it is to replace the word “Jew” with “Christian”. You can read the full chapter here.
When it comes to church marketing have we blasphemed God among the world? When we talk about the importance of Family, does the world see our divorce rate? When we talk about sexual purity, does the world see us sleeping with each other, and addicted to pornography? When we call for mercy and peace, does the world see our lack of care for those in need. I do not say this to judge churches, but to warn ourselves to what this text says. When we are marketing for our churches, we are held to those same standards, and God will judge us by them. This text should not beat us down, but remind us of our place with God and in the world.
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I don’t think you can replace “Jew” with “Christian” faithfully. But it can still be a challenging passage for hypocrites like me. The overall message Paul is bringing across here is mercy and God’s work of righteousness in sinners.
I’m in California. Coming up to this election I hear a lot about Prop 8 in every church I go to (traveling worship band) with bumper stickers and yard signs galore. (Prop 8 would ban same-sex marriage.) It had me thinking of this exact verse, especially since it follows the only New Testament passage talking about homosexuality. I have been thinking about what the world sees. They see us condemning a specific sin. Us. The Church full of porn addicts, divorcees, gossips, slanderers, lovers of violence, and many other sins. They see hypocrisy.
And Christ said to look into the plank in your own eye. Maybe we should focus on fixing our problems, and bringing the sinners into the Church where they can find the same forgiveness we have found. Clearly the Church has been charged with the task of evangelizing and discipling sinners, not condemning the world.