The Offensiveness of Me (and the Gospel)
This weekend just gone was a pretty sticky one. Well, shall we say, 2hrs on Saturday afternoon was pretty sticky. I've finally succeeded in offending someone with being a Christian. (should i cheer? sure as hell don't feel like it)
After lunch on Saturday i made a call across several seas to chat with an old friend. The background is long and complicated, but things seem to have mellowed down over the past few months which has been a joy. However, on Saturday, we got chatting about relationships and the difficulties we've face in them, and we discussed viewpoints on what relationships should be based on, and how to choose them. Andy's 5 Ss for a good partner in order of importance - quote him on this - Saved, Single, Suitable, err... can't remember the 4th one, Sensible maybe? (i'd prefer Silly, to be honest) and SEXY (my favourite, haha!). Anyway, my point to my friend was that Saved was the paramount factor, and no matter how sexy or suitable that potential partner might be, if she weren't Saved, i wouldn't give it a 2nd thought ( well i might, but ideally i wouldn't!). My friend wasn't too impressed with my priorities, and i further proceeded to put my foot in it by making comments about homosexuals and how, even though it's not socially acceptable or politically correct to say that one doesn't agree with homosexuality, it doesn't matter what society teaches these days, or what's politically correct at the time, because if the truth of God's original intent for humanity is found in the Bible, and hence we cannot access morality thru the lens (aka, ahem hermaneutical framework) of society, or human reason, but instead, through that of our Creator and His perfect creation of the world untainted by sin. Homosexuality, being a sensitive subject in my friends' life, made me even less favourably disposed. Sadly, too, my friend felt that i had been overbearing while talking about Christianity and my faith, and i guess i can see where that comes from - my passion for the Word and the Gospel which comes out wrong at times - as i've fessed up to in my last entry. 2 hours on, we put down the phone, resolution-less and without resolve. I had offended a really good mate with the essence of my being - my faith. It pretty much affected most of my weekend, but... what could i say? Should i apologise on God's behalf? God forbid! Should i change my views or shut up? Maybe i could be a bit less enthusiastic at times, i admit that, but i think this is something that i need to learn - that i will offend, and almost should offend people if i confront them with the Gospel and the message of salvation and sin. Would i dare to open my mouth and say what i believe, in front of the prettiest, coolest, best dressed, talented people whom i'd like to think of as my friends? Or would the thought of losing them and being renamed a narrow-minded fundamentalist keep my mouth shut for the 3 years that i'm in uni? Sadly, i haven't had the balls to open my mouth to challenge things that people say about sexuality, about society, about life... i find 121 situations easier, i like having little conversations with people about what they believe, but those situations are hard to come by. And being different - older, Asian, Christian - makes me more disposed to 'treasuring' the friends that i do have more, and scared to offend. Do pray for me - the Gospel needs to be told!!!
Isa 55:6-9 (thanks Gabe and Apes for reminding me of this)
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Rom 1:16
For i am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
p.s. please don't be offended by this if you're reading it - you know who you are - this entry is about me and issues i have to deal with, and not about you or your views.
After lunch on Saturday i made a call across several seas to chat with an old friend. The background is long and complicated, but things seem to have mellowed down over the past few months which has been a joy. However, on Saturday, we got chatting about relationships and the difficulties we've face in them, and we discussed viewpoints on what relationships should be based on, and how to choose them. Andy's 5 Ss for a good partner in order of importance - quote him on this - Saved, Single, Suitable, err... can't remember the 4th one, Sensible maybe? (i'd prefer Silly, to be honest) and SEXY (my favourite, haha!). Anyway, my point to my friend was that Saved was the paramount factor, and no matter how sexy or suitable that potential partner might be, if she weren't Saved, i wouldn't give it a 2nd thought ( well i might, but ideally i wouldn't!). My friend wasn't too impressed with my priorities, and i further proceeded to put my foot in it by making comments about homosexuals and how, even though it's not socially acceptable or politically correct to say that one doesn't agree with homosexuality, it doesn't matter what society teaches these days, or what's politically correct at the time, because if the truth of God's original intent for humanity is found in the Bible, and hence we cannot access morality thru the lens (aka, ahem hermaneutical framework) of society, or human reason, but instead, through that of our Creator and His perfect creation of the world untainted by sin. Homosexuality, being a sensitive subject in my friends' life, made me even less favourably disposed. Sadly, too, my friend felt that i had been overbearing while talking about Christianity and my faith, and i guess i can see where that comes from - my passion for the Word and the Gospel which comes out wrong at times - as i've fessed up to in my last entry. 2 hours on, we put down the phone, resolution-less and without resolve. I had offended a really good mate with the essence of my being - my faith. It pretty much affected most of my weekend, but... what could i say? Should i apologise on God's behalf? God forbid! Should i change my views or shut up? Maybe i could be a bit less enthusiastic at times, i admit that, but i think this is something that i need to learn - that i will offend, and almost should offend people if i confront them with the Gospel and the message of salvation and sin. Would i dare to open my mouth and say what i believe, in front of the prettiest, coolest, best dressed, talented people whom i'd like to think of as my friends? Or would the thought of losing them and being renamed a narrow-minded fundamentalist keep my mouth shut for the 3 years that i'm in uni? Sadly, i haven't had the balls to open my mouth to challenge things that people say about sexuality, about society, about life... i find 121 situations easier, i like having little conversations with people about what they believe, but those situations are hard to come by. And being different - older, Asian, Christian - makes me more disposed to 'treasuring' the friends that i do have more, and scared to offend. Do pray for me - the Gospel needs to be told!!!
Isa 55:6-9 (thanks Gabe and Apes for reminding me of this)
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Rom 1:16
For i am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
p.s. please don't be offended by this if you're reading it - you know who you are - this entry is about me and issues i have to deal with, and not about you or your views.
posted by elliot at 8:13 PM
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