The problem of not knowing.
“Not knowing what you believe (especially on a matter as essential to Christianity as the gospel) is by definition a kind of unbelief. Refusing to acknowledge and defend the revealed truth of God is a particularly stubborn and pernicious kind of unbelief. Advocating ambiguity, exalting uncertainty, or otherwise deliberately clouding the truth is a sinful way of nurturing unbelief.”
from The Truth War by John MacArthur
The quote above is true – Christians should know what we believe in.
But there’s another truth as well.
God sent His prophet Jonah to the great city of Nineveh. A city where the people were the enemy of God’s people.
God wanted to reach them – to have them know the truth about Him. And He wanted His prophet to deliver the message. As you may know, Jonah tried to run away from this task. God put Jonah through some interesting circumstances to get the task completed. Jonah did eventually complete the task – He gave God’s message to the people of Nineveh – people that Jonah hated and wanted put to death, because they hated his people and wanted to kill them. The people of Nineveh did end up turning to God. Jonah was angry. As I said – Jonah wanted them dead – but thanks to his own actions of delivering God’s message – the city and its people were not destroyed – at least not at that time.
And God’s answer to Jonah’s anger was the quote in the image –
Jnh 4:11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
So – that other truth –
We should all know what we believe. Not just Christians. Everyone.
Christians.
Jews.
Muslims.
Atheists.
Agnostics.
Buddhists.
Hindus.
Undecideds.
Jedi Knights.
Etc.
Everyone!
Because the simple truth – no matter how inconvenient it is to us – is that God cares about all of us.
Yes, God even cares about the people we dislike / hate / fear the most.
And, like Jonah, we may just be called to deliver God’s message to those very people.
Love for Enemies
Mt 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Oops.
Let me rephrase my earlier statement –
Yes, God even cares about the people we dislike / hate / fear the most.
And, like Jonah, we may just be are called to deliver God’s message to those very people.
the quote and info on the book are available at biblia.com — https://ref.ly/o/truthwar/18454?length=382