Stop trying to do God’s job

~ Chris Martin

I want to apologize up front if this post comes across a little stronger than usual. Time is short. People are dying. As a Church, we need to take a long, hard look into the mirror, and figure out real quick-like how we are representing the word, Christian.

It’s not our job to change people. Let’s start with that.

We sow seeds. Sometimes, we get the amazing opportunity to water those seeds. God brings the increase. God, through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, brings conviction into people’s hearts. He brings change.

We’ve got to stop thinking everyone is wrong if they don’t believe exactly as we do. To put it quite simply…that doesn’t matter at all.

We need to stop debating with atheists, agnostics, and Mormons. We need to stop boycotting every single business that supports gay marriage. We need to stop pointing out everyone’s faults.

And we most certainly need to stop saying, “Loving people means speaking truth”, when it’s used as the ammunition in our judgmental weapons.

I’ve come to the point now where I don’t even look at the comments section on any controversial blog posts or articles. Especially those found on Christian sites. It’s utterly ridiculous to see people arguing and fighting among themselves in the name of Christianity. It literally makes me sick to my stomach. And I used to be one of the very same people I’m writing about today.

To be blunt…we need to get over ourselves.

Why have we reduced the Gospel to not loving people just because of what they do? How they decide to live their life? How they dress? The words they use? Who they marry? Whether or not they have tattoos? The songs they sing? Because they smoke or drink? The movies they watch?

Jesus looked straight into the eyes of the soldiers hammering nails into His hands and feet, and asked His Father to forgive them. If there was one man on this entire planet who had every right to be ticked off, offended, and hurt, it was Jesus. He didn’t even entertain those thoughts, because He chose to deny Himself and become love personified.

Why do we have this pressing need to always be right, and argue our point to the bitter end? Why do we get so easily offended by non-believers? Why are we walking around hurt by others? Why are we hand picking those we decide to love?

I know why. It’s because we’re still holding on to our rights.

If we truly want to follow Christ, we have to give up every single right we think we have. We have to give up everything we were never created to be in the first place. Die. To. Self

Jesus didn’t say deny the devil and follow Him. He said to deny ourselves.

Stop trying to be judge, jury, and executioner. Stop telling people they are wrong. Stop using scriptures out of context to prove a point. Stop assuming just because a person smokes, they hate God. Stop telling people you love them while expecting something in return. Stop denying people service in your restaurant because of their beliefs or sexual preferences. Stop going into a church building every week because it’s the Christian thing to do. Stop asking God to change people because it would make a situation more comfortable for you.

Stop trying to be anything other than love personified.

Just stop.

60 thoughts on “Stop trying to do God’s job”

  1. I loved this so much I just had to share it on Twitter
    PS: please don’t be offended that I didn’t follow back. I’m subscribed to your blog in my RSS and didn’t want to get stuff twice 🙂 Keep being awesome

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  2. These themes that many of us share, examine or question are treated in dept and with an original twist. These reflections that let us meditate about other but contemporary realities give the peace we want to share with the world. Good God your God!!!!!

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  4. Personally I think we Christians are afraid of “loving out loud”, we have a mental picture of how things are suppose to be, so anything that deviates from this scare Us… but not so, Jesus love out loud, timothy had to be circumcised, it’s not then, it’s us…

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  6. Reblogged this on Shalom Merea (may,ray,ah) and commented:
    Profound truth Chris, as Christians we can so easily get caught up in the details that we forget that it is Christ at work through us and that our primary purpose is to share His love through our words and actions. We need to be forever mindful that our words match our actions and that our lives truly reflect the faith we profess.

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  7. I get it, we know what is right and what is wrong, but telling people they are bad and wrong etc is not really loving them. Slamming them with Bible verses that they don’t even believe is disrespectful to them and they know we don’t care about them or their opinions when we do it. Loving them and walking through life with them and trying to help show them better ways and decisions is more Christlike. He didn’t tolerate sin but He used quite different tactics in how he addressed the Pharisees and the “common people”. He hung out with the sinners, ate with them, told them to follow Him, taught them by giving them stories. He quoted sciptures back to the Pharisees and showed them how they’d contorted them. Very nice post. No apologies for truth, it stand on its own.

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  11. Reblogged this on Ye Olde Path and commented:
    Not only should we think about how we as Christians represent the word “Christian,” but also how we represent HIM. Walk in Jesus’ steps: John 5:30-31. John 16:8-11 is the Holy Ghost’s job, not ours.

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  14. What a wonderful and profound post this was!

    In answer to your questions ‘why do we have this pressing need to always be right, and argue our point to the bitter end?’ …

    I see it more as a human problem and not so much about religion (or politics, nationalism etc). I saw my ex-husband and his father argue year after year about whether a particular item of furniture was called a stool or a bench.

    It was sad but it taught me it’s up to each on of us to let stuff go. To not get so hung up on what we believe that we create issues and problems for ourselves and others.

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  16. I like a lot! Simple, let’s get over ourselves and stop judging people, live and let live, if we really want to be like Christ, we will see He was more accepting of the people we shun today in the name of Christianity

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  19. Totally agree with you Chris. Your thoughts here reminds me of what Philip Yancey writes in his book, What’s So Amazing About Grace. I remember him sharing a story there of a non-judgmental friendship he shared with a gay Christian, someone he tried sincerely (but lovingly) to show from the Scriptures that that was a lifestyle choice that was contradictory to God’s. The main reason why non-believers are put off with the church is because we are not friends of sinners as Jesus was.

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  23. Pingback: Are You My Brother? | B is for Blessed!

  24. And we most certainly need to stop saying, “Loving people means speaking truth”, when it’s used as the ammunition in our judgmental weapons.

    So agree. The moment we use love as ammunition is the moment you just lose.

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  27. “Jesus looked straight into the eyes of the soldiers hammering nails into His hands and feet, and asked His Father to forgive them. If there was one man on this entire planet who had every right to be ticked off, offended, and hurt, it was Jesus. He didn’t even entertain those thoughts, because He chose to deny Himself and become love personified.”

    Brilliant !!!

    This is why I still call myself a Christian, even though I’ve had to leave fundamentalism.

    “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” These are the words of Jesus that I believe will save us from ourselves.

    Talmage
    http://www.storiform.com

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  30. I almost completely agree with you Chris. Very well spoken and truthful for certain, yet I feel you are not quite on track. While we are to love one another unconditionally, we must hate the sin. For reference, Romans 12:9- (kings James Version) Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor what is evil; cleave to that which is good.
    Above you stated “stop boycotting every single business that supports gay marriage.”
    Gay marriage is wrong, the bible states man shall not lay with man (Leviticus 20:13)
    Since we are supposed to hate the sin, then why should we support businesses that clearly go against God’s word?
    God does not say to love blindly.
    Living a Christian life means to uphold the principals of Christ and love everyone.
    As a nation we are becoming numb to gay marriage, and already have blown two commandments- Honor the Sabbath, and thou shalt not covet…
    If us Christians do not speak out, then no one will. And this country may very well fall to the same fate as Sodom and Gomorrah.

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    1. If we are to live by the law then we will die by the law… Christ came so we could be free, so that we now live under grace! Abhor evil is different from abhoring sin.! We do not fight against flesh and blood, it is Christ’s job to deal with sin, convict and change people, our job is to just love them. If we avoid people how can we love them. I’m sure Jesus doesn’t like prostitution a whole lot more than someone being gay, yet he hung out with prostitutes and showed them love… are we not to follow his example. And if you want to follow the laws in levitcus then wow we are all in really big trouble. Just put your love on my friend and let God do the rest, rest in Him and don’t worry about what others are doing. Bless ya xxx

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    2. God does say to love blindly. For example: I work in a soup kitchen run by my church. Many of the people that I feed are sex offenders. I have two small daughters who love to help in the kitchen and serving food. Do the sex offenders not get to eat because I hate their sin? Literally hate it? As in, it threatens the well being of my children and ALL children hate it? No. Because it isn’t up to me. What is up to me is to be the hands and feet of Christ and feed the people who are hungry regardless of whether or not they deserve it.
      Did you know that after Lot and his daughters were saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah his daughters got him drunk and tried to have sex with him? We can’t pick and choose which parts we toss out at people to prove our point. The whole story needs to be taken into context. And the bottom line is that grace is freely given to us, even though we don’t deserve it, and we then are called to offer it to others.

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  34. Even I choose to live God’s values in attitude and actions. A brother in Christ is having problems in his life, I care about him because he acknowledges his difficulties. Therefore, I care him through kind gestures by speaking gently. In the end, I can only tell him that though I disagree with some of his ideas, he is still my friend. Until now, we still keep in contact. Sometimes he improves. Sometimes deteriorates. Like a roller coaster.

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  36. I can honestly say that I agree whole heartedly with these statements. I’ve been wondering this question myself; if I don’t agree with your perspective, does that mean that you are wrong? If I don’t agree with someone’s perspective does that mean I can’t show them love, grace, or mercy. I intentionally don’t talk about my faith, because I don’t want to be judged by my religious beliefs, but instead by the way I live my life. Unless you specifically ask me, I won’t tell you about my faith, with a few exceptions of course.
    It saddens me to hear some of the vile and hateful comments uttered by some people, it makes me ashamed to be a fellow human. It’s equally disappointing that many of those people who say those things, are also quoting scripture. Then they seem to forget one thing, when asked what’s the greatest commandment, Jesus said “love your neighbor as yourself.” In that context, the word neighbor didn’t mean just the person physically proximal to you, but also included the Gentiles. As some of you may know, Jews and Gentiles in those days weren’t on speaking terms. What’s also interesting about that command, is what’s also not said. It only said to love them as yourself, there was no caveat to that love.
    Furthermore no where in the bible does it say that you have to share the same perspective with others. Instead it talks a lot about living strangers, and especially those with different views. While the buble talks about judging those in the Church, it specifically forbids judging unbelievers. Interestingly this is the part many Christians seem to read incorrectly. I’m a more logical minded person, and it boggles my mind how we get that concept so wrong, when the bibles intentions are so clearly stated. Then again there are many other things about the bible that I’ve interpreted wrong over the years, perhaps this could be one of those too, if that’s the case then I digress. Even if I’m wrong though, it seems loving others, even those with differing beliefs, is the right thing to do.

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  37. Reblogged this on LilPhilosopher and commented:
    I can honestly say that I agree whole heartedly with these statements. I’ve been wondering this question myself; if I don’t agree with your perspective, does that mean that you are wrong? If I don’t agree with someone’s perspective does that mean I can’t show them love, grace, or mercy. I intentionally don’t talk about my faith, because I don’t want to be judged by my religious beliefs, but instead by the way I live my life. Unless you specifically ask me, I won’t tell you about my faith, with a few exceptions of course.
    It saddens me to hear some of the vile and hateful comments uttered by some people, it makes me ashamed to be a fellow human. It’s equally disappointing that many of those people who say those things, are also quoting scripture. Then they seem to forget one thing, when asked what’s the greatest commandment, Jesus said “love your neighbor as yourself.” In that context, the word neighbor didn’t mean just the person physically proximal to you, but also included the Gentiles. As some of you may know, Jews and Gentiles in those days weren’t on speaking terms. What’s also interesting about that command, is what’s also not said. It only said to love them as yourself, there was no caveat to that love.
    Furthermore no where in the bible does it say that you have to share the same perspective with others. Instead it talks a lot about living strangers, and especially those with different views. While the buble talks about judging those in the Church, it specifically forbids judging unbelievers. Interestingly this is the part many Christians seem to read incorrectly. I’m a more logical minded person, and it boggles my mind how we get that concept so wrong, when the bibles intentions are so clearly stated. Then again there are many other things about the bible that I’ve interpreted wrong over the years, perhaps this could be one of those too, if that’s the case then I digress. Even if I’m wrong though, it seems loving others, even those with differing beliefs, is the right thing to do.

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  38. I stand in agreement with you and just want to add: when I first decided to follow Jesus and that wasn’t long ago and when I first opened The Bible to read, these words stood out and were burnt into my memory forever “Love one another. As I have loved you, love one another” It’s easy to love those that follow the same path and agree with us, but it’s hard to love those who don’t share the same belief. Jesus didn’t make a difference and He didn’t pin point who to specifically love, but just simply said Love One Another; that’s our only job! Love is the key that opens every door and a seed that grows into healthy tree which bears fruit!
    Thank you for another inspiring post!!!

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  39. I believe that we are to keep His commandments and follow His instructions both from Old and New Testament so we can live like how He wants us to live.

    We are the salt and light of the Earth. We are set apart from the world. if we try to convince people into following Yeshua (Jesus) and yet we act like the world or don’t even live a Holy life after Yeshua (Jesus), then we are hypocrites.

    I totally agree with your post, brother. Thanks for sharing. Just want to add an emphasis that we should start living according to what He says by starting the change in ourselves so that others can see our light and saltiness in this dark and filthy world. Shalom ❤

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  40. Funny, I just started putting together notes for a blog that expresses a similar sentiment to yours. I agree with the intent of what you say, but I am a bit disappointed in this blog. Why? I don’t see any real support given for what you say.

    It is real easy to point a finger at an approach that condemns the sinner because of what is believed or perceived about their sin. That is not as common for Christians as what many would like us to believe. Most Christians are as baffled and dismayed by that judgemental approach as anyone else. Let’s face it — Christians are being judged for what they believe is right in God’s eyes. It does not matter if Christians are speaking the truth in love, because most are and when the truth is spoken, those in disagreement with the truth are not respecting what Christians believe. That, my friend, IS a right. True love is holding to the truth and honoring God’s truth no matter if it is not a popular thing to do.

    Need examples? The most obvious is how the gay community reacts to Christians. Think of the disgusting protests made on ChikFilA a few years ago. The recent protest in reaction to a funeral that was to happen at New Hope Church is a good example of that. It does not take a deep think to see that the real issue is not the church judging the person or even that the church does not want to be seen as agreeing with the homosexual lifestyle. The people protesting wants the church.. and God.. to change. The real issue is with God. It is a whole lot easier to go after the church. New Hope Church asked the family of the deceased, a lesbian woman, to remove photos in the video for the church funeral service, photos that showed kissing that was overly affectionate. It was a reasonable request, also based on church policy, and one that the family made the choice to not remove and ultimately it was the family’s choice to move the funeral from the church.

    But it was the church’s fault. It was the church that the family and friends said was not representing Jesus. I disagree. The church was displaying a character that the church needs to display — and it was acting in love.

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  45. WOW now that’s a LOT OF stops : ) i AGREE 100% THAT WE TO PUT JESUS’S LOVE FIRST in all we do and in the way we treat others… I would like to say we also need to NOT let go of the many truths that the word guides us in. We need to hold onto Gods understandings of issues, and know how He sees how our beloved USA, He knows she is falling as a result of rejecting God’s Word. I know it is a delicate balance of not judging and being winsome and leading. MATTHEW 7:1-5:
    “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull the mote out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
    Clearly, it is hypocritical judgment that this Scripture condemns. (Look at verse 6, and 13-15 to see that Christ actually instructs them to make judgments!) A hypocritical judgment is judging something for something of which you are also guilty – LIKE TELLING ME NOT TO JUDGE WHEN YOU ARE JUDGING ME! This passage means the opposite of what hypocrites often interpret it to mean! Jesus’ point is for hypocrites to pluck the beam of sin out of their own eye so that they can see clearly to cast the mote out of their neighbor’s eye.
    Let’s look at some other Scriptures…
    JOHN 7:24: “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
    LUKE 12:57: “Yea, and why not even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?”
    PSALM 37:30: “The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.”
    PROVERBS 31:9: “Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”
    LUKE 17:3: “Take heed… If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”
    LEVITICUS 19:15-17: “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor. Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him.”
    EZEKIEL 22:2 & 23:36: “Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? Yea, thou shalt show her all her abominations… The Lord said moreover unto me, Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? Yea, declare unto them their abominations.”
    ISAIAH 58:1: “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”
    MATTHEW 3:2,7: John the Baptist preaching, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
    MATTHEW 23: Jesus publicly rebuked the hypocrites, “Woe unto you… hypocrites!…ye blind guides…fools…full of extortion and excess…whited sepulchres…full of hypocrisy and iniquity…Woe unto you…Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”
    ACTS 7:51: Deacon Stephen said to the mob that ended up stoning him, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” (Read the whole chapter – No fear-of-man patty cake here!)
    ACTS 13:10: The Apostle Paul says to a man who hindered the Gospel, “O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?”
    ACTS 8:20-23: Here the Apostle Peter severely rebukes a baby Christian who commits one sin: “Thy money perish with thee… Thy heart is not right in the sight of God.Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitter-ness, and in the bond of iniquity.”
    I CORINTHIANS 2:15; 6:2-3: “He that is spiritual judgeth all things… Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?”
    JOHN 3:18-19: “He that believeth on Him (JESUS) is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
    JOHN 12:48: JESUS CHRIST said, “He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
    ***It is God that sets the standard and passes the judgment. We simply pass on the information.

    Long live Love. When we mixed with Gods Word which is the only Truth and we share it with wisdom and meekness then allow others to use their God given right to chose then we have done our best to give them the best. Gods Love…

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  49. Chris – you nailed it (well Jesus did first).

    Let us love without thought of self
    let us reach the dirty hand of a child
    pressing the imprint on our heart
    as our Lord did from the start…
    ~mdw

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  52. Love, love, love this post and perspective. This is exactly what I believe, as well, and sums up the problem most folks have with “organized religion” (read: Christianity). Just shared this on my Facebook page. Thanks so much for your insights and keep up the great writing!

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