Rejection was the least of my concerns growing up. I don’t recall even considering it much. There were times, I’m sure, that I felt its sting for a moment, but those escape my memory. Oh sure, my feelings got hurt, but that’s quite different from being told I was unwelcome. All in all, people liked me and I liked that people liked me. In retrospect, most everything I did and said was to retain a firm grip on that acceptance. (more…)
Archive for January, 2010
Cheap Plastic Fish
05
Jan
Is going to church the same thing as “confessing Jesus before men” (Matthew 20:32-33)? If the people I meet or work with “know” that I’m a Christian because I have a fish on my car – or because I pray before my meals, have I just “confessed” Jesus? Are my Christian friends the “men” (people) that Jesus is referring to?
Myself, I live somewhere in the space between confession and denial. I’m not comfortable with that.
The idea that confession of Jesus to men (unbelieving people) is simply the absence of a denial permeates Christianity.
The context of the passage above is a command to evangelize and that we should not fear the “men” (non-believing people) that we are evangelizing to. Our identity as Christians (followers of Christ, Christ followers, whatever) should be crystal clear because of our “confession.” Nothing wrong with the fish on your car or being nice, but it seems like that should be a supplement to our confession of Jesus as Lord.
It’s interesting that, in a similar context of confessing Christ found in Romans 10:9-10, it is clearly pointed out that the confession is to be done verbally. But even still, within the context of Matthew 10, Jesus refers to “speaking.”
I have a lot of growing to do. Thoughts? (perhaps not about my need to grow, but that’s fine. whatever.)
Is going to church the same thing as “confessing Jesus before men” (Matthew 20:32-33)? If the people I meet or work with “know” that I’m a Christian because I have a fish on my car – or because I pray before my meals, have I just “confessed” Jesus? Are my Christian friends the “men” (people) that Jesus is referring to?
Myself, I live somewhere in the space between confession and denial. I’m not comfortable with that.
The idea that confession of Jesus to men (unbelieving people) is simply the absence of a denial permeates the church.
The context of the passage above is a command to evangelize and that we should not fear the “men” (non-believing people) that we are evangelizing to. Our identity as Christians (followers of Christ, Christ followers, whatever) should be crystal clear because of our “confession.” Nothing wrong with the fish on your car or being nice, but it seems like that should be a supplement to our confession of Jesus as Lord.
It’s interesting that, in a similar context of confessing Christ found in Romans 10:9-10, it is clearly pointed out that the confession is to be done verbally. But even still, within the context of Matthew 10, Jesus refers to “speaking.”
I have a lot of growing to do. Thoughts? (perhaps not about my need to grow, but that’s fine. whatever.)
