CHRISTMAS, MARK GALLI, AND THE REJECTION OF THE PEOPLE OF CHRIST

Since the 2016 election, when it was learned that 81% of white evangelicals had voted for D.J. Trump, the mainstream media has made us feel like a walking target, vilifying us as “hypocrites” and even worse. They had published a long string of articles, hoping to demonstrate that our vote proves that we don’t care about our black brethren. They also hunger after any evidence that even other evangelicals are calling us “hypocrites” because of our vote. The latest had been the CT editorial by editor in Chief of CT, Mark Galli.

How are we to understand this tsunami of contempt poured out upon us, this denigration of an entire group of people? Indeed, the Democrats do want to win the 2020 election, and it would definitely help their cause to shave a few evangelicals away from the Trump ticket. However, I think that there are also far deeper issues, which had preceded 2016. It actually started with Jesus, who had informed His biological brothers:

·       The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. (John 7:7)

This is essentially what evangelicals do. We tell the world that its deeds are evil and that we all need the mercy of our Savior. Paul therefore claimed that we are a stench to those who are resisting the Gospel (2 Corinthians 2:14-16).

Some years back, a poll of college professors revealed that they had a greater contempt for Christians (53%) than for any other religious group, including Islam. Why? Naturally speaking, we all tend to be people-pleasers. We naturally want to be liked and to fit in. After all, we are social beings, and so there is a good reason for this. However, after we are joined to Christ, we begin to realize that His Word and will must take precedence over everything else. As a result, we are often out-of-step with the status quo and say things that will not be well-received.

This has always made us outcasts, even, on occasion, in our own churches, which are also eager to put on an agreeable face before our surrounding culture, even when it means compromising our Bible-based beliefs. Therefore, the Apostle Paul had warned:

·       Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12)

Today, this the persecution has become more evident as the West continues to shed its traditional values in pursuit of its happiness. We are discouraged to find that even our own brethren have turned against us to the glee of the secular media. However, Jesus had prophesied that this would happen:

·       “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.”

We evangelicals are also social beings. We too want to be loved and appreciated, and fear that we have done something wrong, when we see that our communities, states, and public figures turn against us, calling us “deplorables” and demanding that we change. Therefore, Jesus had warned us that we will be hated and persecuted:

·       “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”

Therefore, we mustn’t lose heart. As Jesus said, even through the persecution, we are being blessed:

·       “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Therefore, do not be discouraged that you cannot win the approval of this world. We were never promised this but rather, rejection. This seems also to have been one of the themes of Christmas. Joseph and Mary had been forced to journey to Bethlehem, even though she was ready to give birth. They were then turned away from the inn, perhaps the only one in Bethlehem. Surprisingly, even though Mary was ostensibly ready to give birth, it doesn’t seem that anyone was willing to host this godly and needy couple. Therefore, they had to settle for the one place where they wouldn’t face rejection – a smelly refuge for animals, most likely a cave.

Jesus was born to face rejection. We are privileged to experience the same.