Intimidation and Emotional Manipulation Will Not Work On Me

To my friends who are into politics, the ones who say things like “you can't follow Jesus and believe X, Y or Z,” you’re full of yourselves. You might even have “preachers” and “pastors” who support your belief system, but you’re into telling me how to be a Christian while not following Jesus yourself. And I say “preachers” and “pastors” sarcastically, because many, if not most of the ones my friends cite, deny the divinity of Christ, the authorship of Scripture and its inerrancy, and they live in ways that deny basic biblical truths. So let’s be real, it’s not about any moral high ground: these tactics are about emotional manipulation and intimidation, and I will not bend knee to anyone but Christ.

You might say “how can you be a Christian and say such things?” I’m glad you asked.  Jesus said, publicly and directly,

Matthew 7:4, “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Matthew 15:7, “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.” 9 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’”

Matthew 23:13, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from men; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”

Matthew 23:15, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites…”

Matthew 23:16-17, “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’ You fools and blind men; which is more important, the gold, or the temple that sanctified the gold?”

Matthew 23:23-24, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!”

Matthew 23:25, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”

Matthew 23:27-28, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.  “Even so you too outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Matthew 23:29, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”

Matthew 23:33, “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how shall you escape the sentence of hell?”

Mark 12:38-40, “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets, 40 who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”

Luke 11:39, “You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also?”

Luke 11:43, “Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the front seats in the synagogues, and the respectful greetings in the market places. 44 “Woe to you! For you are like concealed tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it.”

Luke 11:52, “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

Luke 12:1, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father…”

John 8:49, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.”

John 8:55, “and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know Him, and keep His word.”

Some of us would accuse Jesus of not being Christ like, wouldn’t we? But He did not mince words! His Apostles were no better; Peter, Paul John and Jude called people out, and most people avoid the book of James. My point is this, Christian: we’re not called to be nice. We’re not called to fall in line. We’re called to follow Jesus, and people who see us being outspoken in our words, actions and values, especially if they do not align with what they want to believe, will do everything they can to intimidate us, shame us, and shut us up. Do not fall for it. Be bold, call people to repentance (and begin with yourself) by calling out sin and declaring the Good News: that Jesus died on the cross for our sin, taking the punishment for our rebellion, he was buried and rose on the third day conquering death itself. Those who love to live in death hate this message because it shows God is still in control in spite of their best efforts. Preach it boldly.