Christian Living

---

The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he got—all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols.

- Acts 17:16

The angrier he got. Paul was sickened by the morals, the attitudes, the lives of the people in Athens. When he looked around he not only saw idols in the physical sense, but he saw idols in the spiritual sense also. People living “free”, doing as they pleased, doing what they thought was right in their own minds. Jump centuries ahead. What is different?

Nothing. Nothing at all. If anything it is worse and it is more widespread. It is world wide. Granted there have always been cultures that have embraced the worship of idols. However, idol worship is stepping outside of those cultures into mainstream society. Idol worship has not taken a new form either. It is still the same. Worship of money. Worship of fame. Worship of lust and sexual freedom. Worship of power. Worship of self.

Are we angry? Is it wrong to be angry? Being a Christian are we allowed to be angry? I say yes. Jesus says yes. Jesus got so angry he flipped tables over. Unfortunately we are not angry enough. We are not angry enough to talk about the issues that are divisive, but they are relevant. We are not angry enough to admonish one another when actions do not reflect Christ-like values. We are not angry enough to believe that out of love we could perform either of the previous two responsibilities. Jesus didn’t care what the pharisees thought of Him when He would rebuke them about their rituals and practices being motivated by self and not God. Jesus knew that what He taught was divisive. It brought people to making a decision. Believe or not believe. Follow or not follow. Ultimately the decision was to separate from God or be made whole with God.

So when are we going to get angry enough? What would Paul think if he came to the United States, particularly New York City, Los Angeles, New Orleans, or Las Vegas?

Hate the sin, not the sinner right? Of course. That doesn’t mean we have to stand by while people destroy themselves, even if there is a chance of upsetting or offending them.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE