02/28/2024
Written by one of my favorite distopian authors, Stephen Bird
To whoever dreamed up the "Jesus didn't teach hate, Jesus came to wash feet" commercial on the Super Bowl, let me just say that was perfect example of how "one verse theology" can totally twist the meaning of scripture in pursuit of one's own objectives.
Who are you talking to? It seemed to be pointed at Christians specifically as if it's the Christians who are full of hate and who need to be reminded of who Jesus was. If we want to be real about things, Jesus's earthly ministry never told people to be accepting of sinful behavior or lifestyles. Jesus, as part of the triune godhead, is, was, and always will be the same God as the God of the Old Testament. The same God that destroyed entire populations who were wicked, sinful, and deserving of judgment. Jesus didn’t come to change or undo any of that. Anyone with a reasonable amount of knowledge and understanding of the Bible would know and understand that. But again, using one verse theology, all too often people like to paint Jesus as a pacifist liberal hippy type, when in reality, time and time again, he proved with his own words and actions to be the opposite of that. “Do not think I have come to bring peace to earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Mathew 10:34). This wasn’t to say his people were tasked with starting wars in his name. It was rather the fact that those who would not go along with a sinful society and follow his word instead would find themselves at odds with that society and with the people who chose to take sides with that society. Jesus didn’t come to be accepting of sinful lifestyles. He came to fulfill God’s covenant and to pave the way for salvation for all who accept him, regardless of their sin, and repent from their sins. He also talked very seriously about how hard it would be for some on judgment day, even though they conveniently leave those parts out. Should we go on about two-edged swords and blood-covered robes?
But, I digress, I could go on for days, but back to the main point--I think the intent was to wag a finger at Christians who do not want their children sexualized, mutilated, aborted, or indoctrinated, or who stand against the myriad other serious socially driven evils in our world today and somehow paint them as the haters for not wanting to go along with it.
Let me remind you, it’s not the Christians (actual followers of Christ, not governments under that banner) who are committing acts of hatred and violence against those with whom they disagree. It is those who disagree with the teachings of Jesus who are actively persecuting and committing acts of hatred and violence against his followers. One such example occurred just today, and such acts of true hate are becoming all too common. Trying to spread the actual word of God and not just some socially acceptable version of it and trying to get people to leave their sinful ways behind is not hate. It’s the ultimate form of love, and it’s the harder path to take. It’s easy to just look the other way and pretend things aren’t happening…to go along to get along. It’s much harder to tell people the truth when they need to hear it. Speaking the truth today is labeled as hate, and spewing hate against those who speak the truth is somehow considered righteous behavior for the new religion of wokeness.
So, wag that finger elsewhere. You can’t take the lesson Jesus taught to his disciples about acts of service for your brethren and use it to whitewash the atrocities going on in our world today. At least not with any honesty or pure intentions.
