Dear Elim Grace,
This isn’t a post about the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics and whether art and the freedom of expression were used in an open mockery of Christianity. Neither is this about how we should be any less provoked within our spirit at the cultural idols around us than Paul was in Athens (Acts 17:16). Be angry. Be provoked.
Rather, this is a pastoral letter about a snare before us as Christians wherever both mockery and provocation will occur.
It’s a pastoral warning to the church I love about a spirit of the age, a work of the flesh: a spirit of outrage.
And it’s a pastoral plea: Don’t conform.
Outrage is violent, seeking to harm another in thought and word. Outrage attacks the person, looking to injure them with insult. Outrage violates standards of common behavior, decency, civility, and common sense. Outrage is rooted in personal offense and doesn’t ask for forgiveness. Outrage is a chemical that seeps into the ground of your heart. A snare you fall into. A lion crouching at the door of your heart. A desire that will turn on you, overpower you and master you.
If we took back the amount of time we give on social media reading outrage and responding to outrage, we would at least cultivate a better inner health. Our heart would be far more pure. Our mind far more clear. Our spirit far more discerning. We would delight and rejoice and praise far more.
But some of us are in so deep that we don’t know what else to do. We can’t turn away. We can’t get away from it all. If we’re honest, we enjoy the outrage. We relish the feeling and are simply not willing to live without it. In short, we’ve submitted ourselves to It. We’ve in part or in whole given ourselves over to It.
Let me remind us that we are not to give authority over to our flesh but over to the Spirit. We are not to give ourselves over to our emotions but over them to exercise self-control (a fruit of the Spirit). In many ways, it is through self-control that we learn to exercise patience, kindness, goodness and gentleness towards others. That we discover greater joy, peace and love for ourselves. But in a heart and in a world without self-control, well, the works of the flesh run free.
Without a doubt, a great and most effective strategy of the enemy is to get Christians to feel and to never act. To savor the feeling yet never to let it sink into the will. Christian outrage is, in a demonic twist of irony, a local anesthetic. It doesn’t matter how much we think or talk or write about sin or righteousness as long as we don’t convert it into action. No amount of holiness in either our imagination or affections will harm the Enemy nor reflect Christ as long as it’s kept out of our will.
I would rather we be silent on social media but alive and active here in our local community and “field of labor” than loud on social media but numb to the good works God has prepared for us to do. Outrage tends to produce hearers of the word only, not doers (James 1:22-25). It deceives us into feeling and thinking it is enough. But, Elim Grace, we are called to grow a big people in Christ and that means being doers of the Word, not only hearers, within the boundaries of our dwelling and sphere of influence.
Centuries ago the early church wasn’t aware of how God was mocked and Christ was blasphemed in other places of the world. Yet, it didn’t lessen their responsibility and impact where they lived. The fact that we can know today what happens across the world in an instant does not, in my opinion, increase our responsibility and impact. We are responsible before God for the gospel in our own city and in our own community. We could speak to every incident everywhere everyday but in the end will be judged by Christ by how faithfully present we are right here right now. These are the boundaries of our dwelling. This is where God has called us to be salt and light in the world. This is where we speak in truth and love. This is where we act in wisdom and courage. This is where we stand in faith and hope. This is where we walk in righteousness and holiness. This is where we serve in generosity and joy. This is where we preach the gospel of repentance and salvation in the authority and power of Christ.
Outrage is a spirit of the age. A work of the flesh. Don’t conform.
Yes, defend your Christian convictions. But, no, don’t defend your convictions with outrage.
And don’t confuse outrage for righteous anger. There are differences.
As stated above, outrage is hate, violent, enmity, strife, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, and “things like that” (Galatians 5).
Righteous anger is cultivated in God’s Word and character. It is steeped in humility and held accountable in community (yes, being in good standing in a local church). It is long suffering, not quick tempered. It is innocent as a dove but wise as a serpent. It is bold and courageous, a force to be reckoned with. It is also kind and compassionate, a fruit of deep personal repentance. It is birthed in prayer and carried out by the power of the Spirit. It is patient for what is good but will not tolerate what is evil.
All that to say, Elim Grace, if we are spending more time:
- being outraged on social media than being on speaking terms with God in prayer
- formulating our responses, rebuttals and rebukes than meditating on God’s Word
- arguing and debating with people online than serving people face to face
- complaining and grumbling than working with patience and joy in the field of our mission and calling
Then for the sake of growing up as a big people in Christ, let’s reassess our time. Our motives. And the fruit being produced in our life. Let’s keep pace with the Spirit of Christ and not the spirit of the age.
Pastor Jonathan