My whole life, I’ve been a Christian. I was raised Christian by my family, baptized when I was young, confirmed when I was in middle school, and I chose to go to a Christian school for college when the time came. My parents led by example for me their whole lives, having the family attend church almost every Sunday and encouraging me in my faith, especially when it became challenging in high school. During a time when I was learning and developing a relationship with God, I was going to school with a group of kids who were devout atheists. They made jokes just about all day, every day, that hurt greatly to hear. How could someone speak too lightly and recklessly about the Lord?
I always wondered why people were so turned off and turned away from the church. I’d had a great experience growing up with it. It wasn’t until I got a little older and was able to understand more things that were being said around me by self-proclaimed fellow Christians that I began to realize an unfortunate truth slowly. There are many reasons why people decide to turn away from God, but what I’ve come to find from experience can be one of the more popular is that it’s the Christians themselves that make people question the faith.
How Christians act is often considered a direct reflection of people who don’t know better how God acts. I’m sure many of you saw the immediate issue with that statement. God doesn’t act like people. We are imperfect; He is perfect. We make mistakes; He doesn’t. We fall short; He never will.
What Does it Mean to Weaponize God?
Have you ever heard statements like this coming out of someone you know’s mouth?
- “I just feel like you probably haven’t prayed about it enough.”
- “God told me to pursue this guy that you like.”
- “God said I need to go after this opportunity that you’re also competing for and have been for a while, but I just feel like it’s what He’s calling me to do.”
I have. I have actually heard these statements and plenty of others in a similar vain. They weren’t always directed at me, but it took me aback just the same. They were always delivered with the same condescending tone and a look that I think was meant to look genuine and concerned but just came off as patronizing.
What I’m not saying is that we should never, as Christians, help others in their faith if we think they need it or encourage others to pray. What I am saying, though, is that a blunt statement like this is often not the best way to do it. This comes across as a call-out. What person would be open to receiving this kind of blatant criticism, which was often based on assumptions? There’s a better way to do it.
Another thing about using “God told me to…” statements is that God does speak to His people through His Word and guides us every day. There is nothing we do that God doesn’t have a hand in and no decision we can make that would catch Him off guard. But that doesn’t mean He approves of every action we take, and it certainly doesn’t mean He’s the one who made you do it. Take responsibility for your actions.
The thing about these statements, though, was that to me, they weren’t even being used to help the receiver or coming from a place of love. They were used with the intention of accomplishing whatever that person was hoping to get. The number of Christians I’ve seen or heard say some kind of a “God told me to…” statement to one of their friends completely is mind-boggling. I understand why that would turn people away from the church.
That’s weaponizing God. It challenges any rebuttal with, “Well, this was what God said, and you wouldn’t argue with God, right?” Actually, God didn’t say it; you did! It represents God in a poor and false light, and it’s very problematic. It comes across as dismissive, and even if the goal was to help, it was by insult and by making a snap judgment.
Exercising Judgement Damages the Body of Christ.
We have no place in this world to judge. God is the ultimate judge. Making snap judgments is something that I know I sometimes do, and I’m sure everyone falls prey to it on occasion. Obviously, it’s not an ideal reaction, but it becomes exponentially worse when you voice these judgments to the person in a way that is not loving. Harsh judgement is a key ingredient in what scares people away from the church. This is one of my favorite verses when judgment in the church is discussed.
“'Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.'” Matthew 7:1-5
I just get chills. It’s such a great reminder for everyone, but particularly the people who, for some reason, believe that they can use God when they’re pushing their own agendas. Why are you worried about a speck in someone else’s eye when there’s a plank in yours? It’s hypocritical. Not one of us is blameless or sinless, and we are told here in the Bible not to judge. By judging, even if a person thinks it’s justified from a biblical perspective, they’re putting themselves in the same bucket as someone who they believe is behaving wrongly. Let God be God. Let Him judge when the day comes.
What Is a “Good” Christian?
Kind of a funny and ironic sentiment since we all fall short of the glory of God every day. Regardless, God doesn’t want us to descend into hedonism. Our salvation is not based on works, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still aim to be as Christlike as we can.
Like I said before, coming straight out to someone and stating that you think they need to pray more or that their faith isn’t as strong as it can be is not always the best way to help them. Let’s all try not to be that person. Be wary of how you do it, especially because one key thing to remember is that you have no idea where they’re actually at in their journey. You don’t know how developed their faith is or how much they actually pray.
Instead of making staunch statements, ask questions. See if there’s even a space where it would be appropriate for you to offer assistance. Pray for guidance on how to serve your friends best. And most importantly, refrain from judgments or falling into a trap of superiority because of how developed your faith is compared to someone else’s
“Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.” Romans 14:1-3
If God has accepted them, you must, too. Our job is not to preach to people who aren’t open to or ready to receive it; it’s to lead by example. Be Christlike, but remember you are not Christ.
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:8
God is glorified when we bear the fruits, and what are those fruits?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
Live life in a way that draws people in and makes them wonder why you are the way you are. Times where you don’t even need to ask the questions, where someone or a friend who wants to know more asks you about Jesus? Those are special times.
One of my professors told a story in college about how influential it can be just to try to live in a way that makes Jesus’s character known. He’d always had a friend who was agnostic, and they had an annual dirt biking trip with all of their buddies in Colorado. He said one night, he and that friend were laying in their bunks, about to go to sleep, when through the dark, his friend said, “You’re so happy all the time. How do you do it?”. My professor answered simply, “God.” After a pause, his friend said, “Tell me about God.” The opportunity presented itself because of the way my professor carried himself! What a way to evangelize!
“Be imitators of God…and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us” Ephesians 5:1-2
We, as mere people, can only do our best on Earth, and that goes for all of us. If you are new to the faith or a long-time believer who’s grown tired of behaviors in the church, please don’t let people weaponizing God and judging others turn you away from the Lord. They are not reflections of Christ. The Lord knows you, made you, and loves you. He wants good things for you. God is God, and they are not.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Kadirdemir
