Church Must stop apologizing : Francis Chan

Life
#1

In a postmodern culture obsessed with feelings and political correctness, the Church must stop apologizing for “the way that God thinks and acts and what He says is right and wrong,” Francis Chan recently said.

But amid the push to be inclusive and understanding, Chan said “one of the most important passages for our generation” is Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”

‘“I’ve read a couple of modern books where people will say, ‘Why would God do this? I wouldn’t do it,’” he said. “It’s coming from this mindset where, whether you know it or not, you believe your mind is the ultimate. And what God’s saying is, ‘I don’t think like you.’”

“I read the Old Testament and so many times I go, 'I wouldn’t have done that’. And God says, ‘there is a reason you wouldn’t, because you don’t think like I do.’”

The pastor warned that in its compassion for people, the Church has “lost this understanding that ‘yes, I feel your hurt, but my biggest concern is you’re not seeing the center of it all and you’re not seeing this Being who is so far beyond you that you have to answer to. And that’s bigger than the hurt that you’re currently facing, and His thoughts are so far beyond ours.’”

“There needs to be a way in which the Church no longer apologizes for the way that God thinks and acts and what He says is right and wrong,” he emphasized.

Half of Christian pastors say they frequently (11%) or occasionally (39%) feel limited in their ability to speak out on moral and social issues because people will take offense.

“The stakes are high in the public square,” the researchers wrote. “The issues pastors feel most pressured to speak out on are the same ones they feel limited to speak on."

There are times when Christians are amidst situation where they do not open their opinion before others though they knew it is true. Rather they feel the other person might feel hurt or offended if they share the truth out.

Do you face similar issue? How do you confront it or what is your usual response in these situations?

#2

The first thing I do is check myself. Pray. Repent if need be. Ask the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Then I start looking into Scripture.

Scripture is what all of us as Christians must heed or we miss the whole point. Our little human “feelings” no matter how painful, are no where near as painful as hell for all eternity will be.

If it doesn’t fall in the basic necessary beliefs in the Trinitarian God, in “we are saved by Grace alone” in “faith alone” through “Christ alone” or the fact that the Scriptures are God’s infallible Word to us, then there may be room for disagreement that we can disagree on and it threatens no one’s eternal security.

So often people just hear “scripture is infallible” yeah, okay, whatever that means. Then argue that “men” actually wrote it. This is a complete misunderstanding of God and His Word. They need to read the WHOLE Bible not cherry pick verses without understanding or context.

See > 2 Timothy 2:15 New International Version (NIV)
> 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

NKJV MacArthur Study Bible

2:15 Be diligent. This word denotes zealous persistence in accomplishing a goal. Timothy, like all who preach or teach the Word, was to give his maximum effort to impart God’s Word completely, accurately, and clearly to his hearers. This is crucial to counter the disastrous effects of false teaching (vv. 14, 16, 17). rightly dividing. Lit. “cutting it straight”—a reference to the exactness demanded by such trades as carpentry, masonry, and Paul’s trade of leather working and tentmaking. Precision and accuracy are required in biblical interpretation, beyond all other enterprises, because the interpreter is handling God’s Word. Anything less is shameful. the word of truth. All of Scripture in general (John 17:17), and the gospel message in particular (Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5).

But, for instance, when I hear say, T.D. Jakes claim that we are “little gods” I go to my Bible and find that there is ONE reference in the Old Testament (Psalm 82:6) and ONE reference in the New Testament (John 10:34) and that is all, I must understand that before I say “Hey, this teacher is wrong.”

However, there is more to understand.
See this link ----> Are Christians “little gods”? Got Questions dot org

In this case, however, if one listens just a little more to T.D. Jakes’ teachings, it becomes obvious that he does not read Scripture or use it as it is meant to be read and used. Therefore, his teachings are wrong. I pray he will REPENT!

In this case, I agree with Francis Chan. But I don’t agree with him in that he does not continue to explain mortal men who represent God in the mortal world is who God was talking about when He used the term “little gods”.

That is similar to the fact that Jews called their human masters “Lord” and they called Jesus Christ “Lord”. But these two are different. Please, please check out the link above. This is not my teaching, but the teaching of those who are Biblical scholars.