Thought for Today

In the previous post, we looked at the reality of spiritual warfare, how the world is in Satan’s grasp, that the cultural dividing line between the things of God and the things of the devil is becoming much clearer. We noted that worship belongs to God alone.

But there’s another concerning side: Christian responses on social media, particularly regarding Christians who might have been at the Grammys when “Unholy” was performed.

Many made the demand that once the performance started, all Christians should have walked out. If they didn’t they were more or less sellouts, that they’d surrendered their faith for money, fame, and fortune. It is easy to forget that we as Christians are first and foremost responsible to God for our actions, not other Christians. Sadly, once again, we see Christians not giving grace to other Christians.

To me, how to respond could vary depending on where a person’s circumstances, their history, coupled with God’s purposes. If a Christian was there who had been a recent convert out of Satanism or the occult, then leaving could very well have been  the wise thing to do.

On the other hand, if the person is a strong Christian, called by God to minister to those in bondage within the entertainment industry, the better answer may well be to stay. If every Christian leaves, who is left to minister? Who is left to dialog, to ask probing questions? Who is left to proclaim Christ? Jesus in us is greater than the demonic in them. I’d guess that most participants in that song reveled in their defiance. But what of others who might have observed what happened, and had genuine spiritual questions?

On yet another level, what if a strong group of Christians had been there, and immediately gone into fervent prayer against that song and the worship of the demonic? As believers, we know where ultimate authority lies. We never see Jesus lose a confrontation with a demon. Do we respond with genuine faith, or out of fear? I suspect that all too often we respond out of fear, forgetting what it means to have Christ living in us. So again, to me, issuing a blanket condemnation of any Christians who might have been there and stayed, misses the mark.

Do we truly believe Romans 8:28, that God works all things for good to those who are called according to His purpose? Even when we mess up—for sake of argument suppose walking out was the best response—God will take that experience and its aftermath to that person’s benefit. If the person genuinely knows Christ, lessons will be learned, change will happen.

How much better it would be if we’d follow Scripture, love one another as fellow believers, pray for each other, lift up and encourage each other, and yes, even admonish as needed, rather than issue blanket condemnations?