How are Christians to respond to those who Blaspheme the name of Jesus? In the light of recent Muslim responses to Frances Charlie Hebdo cartoons of Mohamed we Christians need to reflect on how we are to respond to those who Blaspheme the name of Jesus. Jesus teaches us to Love our neighbor as our selves. This sounds reasonable but He goes beyond that. He commands us to love our enemies! Mat 5:43-48 43 You have heard the law that says, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. (NLT) Christians are first responders. The first to help, the first to give, the first to forgive. When someone curses the name of Jesus our first response is to feed your children, give you medical help and then rebuild your house. Christians in Indonesia are persecuted and killed every day by Muslims but when Indonesia was hit by a terrible tsunami, Christians were the first to respond with medical teams, food, water and reconstruction. In Saint Louis they Blaspheme the name of Jesus every year at Mardi Gras but when a hurricane hit Christians were the first to respond with medical teams, food, water and reconstruction. Blaspheme the name of Jesus and we will be the first to help you in need. Burn down our house and we will build you a house. Kill our families and we will feed yours. Christians are children of our Heavenly Father. His love flows through us. This is in direct contrast to Jihadist and Terrorists. Luke 6:43-45 43 A good tree cant produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cant produce good fruit. 44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. 45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. John 8:41-47 (The Jihadist and Terrorists say…) They replied, We arent illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father. 42 Jesus told them, If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why cant you understand what I am saying? Its because you cant even hear me! 44 For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 So when I tell the truth, you just naturally dont believe me! 46 Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why dont you believe me? 47 Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you dont listen because you dont belong to God. So in conclusion: Rom 5:6-11 6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in Gods sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from Gods condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.(NLT)
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 18:15:55 +0000