Learning How to Confront Evil
Denial has a serious negative impact on each of us—one which we rarely consider. Sometimes, we don’t think about it at all. Denial of God’s reality darkens our understanding, while simultaneously hardening our hearts. This is something no Christian desires or expects, but it is definitely what happens.
Perpetuating denial, just to be less offensive, also provides a disservice to our non-Christian friends. It deprives them of the opportunity to be told the truth. We think we are sparing them by being nice, but this isn’t true. Instead, by refusing to be straightforward, we refuse to point others to the light of God’s wisdom. Doing so actually champions the darkness.
We might not like to admit that this is what we do but, not wanting to be offensive, most of us do this frequently. It’s a bad strategy. Mitigating God’s truth to be politically correct may make us more popular, but there’s a hidden danger involved that we don’t recognize. It makes us disloyal to Almighty God.
Tragically, in the twenty-first century, we have come to apologize for God’s truth about nearly every societal issue that confronts Christians. We have done this so much and so often that our ability to stand for righteousness has been seriously diminished.
As bad as this problem has become, being legalistic about biblical truth isn’t the way to fix it. It only makes things worse. Unfortunately, a large number of Christians confront false beliefs in the power of their own strength. In the process, they make a large number of needless enemies, including their fellow believers.
They either forget or don’t take into consideration that truth delivered without love is by nature abusive. When we stand for what God says, but do so in the power of our flesh, we do not produce the fruit the Holy Spirit intends. Instead, we generate hardhearted-ness that repulses everyone. We alienate, embitter and antagonize those we seek to help. There is nothing attractive about a person who is legalistic. Callous legalism is never God’s will.
Nevertheless, in the twenty-first century, more people are apologetic about their Christian beliefs than legalistic. Not taking God at His word is our greatest failure. It’s important to realize that refusing to take God’s truth literally will darken our understanding and make discerning His truth far more problematic. Additionally, denying God’s truth repeatedly will eventually result in a person developing a heart incapable of discerning His will correctly.