I am Evangelical, But I Am Not Your Enemy

I confess: 

I am Evangelical, but I am not your enemy.

e·van·gel·i·cal

/ˌēˌvanˈjelək(ə)l,ˌevənˈjelək(ə)l/

adjective

• of or according to the teaching of the gospel or the Christian religion.
• Similar:
• scriptural
• biblical
• Bible-believing
• fundamentalist
• orthodox

noun

• a member of the evangelical tradition in the Christian Church.

These days, Evangelical  has become nearly a curse word in some arenas, particularly on social media. Recently, I was in a face-to-face conversation with a close family member who was belittling the “ignorant Evangelicals” who caused “thus and such.” I responded, “I’m  Evangelical.” To which she shot back, “No, you’re not!!!”

Daily, I see friends on facebook post words like:

“Evangelicals, who are numbered amongst the most undereducated people on the planet, are the main problem. The amount of hate in their hearts is lamentable.”

“… Evangelicals and their orange god …”

“But when Donald Trump says, ‘I’ve never done anything wrong, no reason to be forgiven,’ they [Evangelicals] still fall right in line and say, ‘Oh, he’s the second coming of Christ.’”

“No genuine Christian can defend or support the democrats because they don’t believe in biblical morals–killing babies, homosexuality, etc. “

These are some of the “classroom appropriate” remarks. Many others contain profanity and inappropriate slurs of some sort. 

The really weird thing is that some of them are using the term to blast Conservatives/ Republicans, and some of them are using the term to blast Librals/Democrats. 

I am Evangelical, but I am not your enemy. I am one of 545.9 million people worldwide who claim that faith, one of 7.9% of the global population. I attend church at least once a week, teach Sunday school, and work in a Christian school. I read my Bible and pray and write Christian books.

I am Evangelical. I am a daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother. I am a friend. I am an introvert. More than anything, I love my God and my Christ.

I love my family. Cats are my favorite animals. Cooking, baking, gardening, and sword-collecting are my hobbies. I believe daily laughter is essential to a person’s good health. I chase sunsets and sunrises and the stars and moon.  We certainly have something in common.

I am Evangelical, but I am not your enemy. You do, however, have an enemy. In fact, that is something else we have in common.

“Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

“We war not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against powers of darkness in this world, against evil (Ephesians 6:12).

OK, so I realize that some Evangelicals (we’re not perfect) probably hold their own in the war of insults. May I just say to that group, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God, in Christ, forgives you” (Ephesians 4:32). You owe everyone a debt of grace.

We have a problem, but it’s not an Evangelical problem–it’s a heart problem. May I offer some good medicine here? James 3:3-18 says:

“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

“All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind,  but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

Can I get an Amen?

I am Evangelical, but I am not your enemy. Republicans, Democrats, White, Black, Asian, Latino, Male, Female, Gay, Straight, Conservative, Liberal, young, old–Jesus loves you! He died for you and me alike. We are different, but we are all sinners in a broken world. But maybe this world could begin to heal if we all just take the first steps–not going to lie, it might be a lot of steps–toward knowing one another and praying for one another. It’s hard to hate someone for whom you are praying. Shall we try?

And one more thing, whatever ID you wear, please get your information from someplace other than social media.

God bless you, and may He give you peace.