These days I’m only on Substack and Nostr. I don’t do any other social media. These platforms both have more reasonable people than most social media, but I still sometimes see people, who call themselves Christians, attack in the most hateful and destructive fashion. There is no love. There is no mercy. More often than not, there is very little evidence given for their point of view, just hateful attacks.

It breaks my heart that people advertise themselves as Christians, but they act in such a hateful manner. We are not called to endorse error, but neither are we called to beat people into submission. These individuals try to destroy others rather than trying to introduce others to Jesus. Sometimes they attack unbelievers. Sometimes they attack fellow believers. The common trait is that they are harsh and hateful rather than gentle and merciful.

Are you gentle with people with whom you disagree, or do you bombard them with facts or, even worse, just personally attack them?

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:5)

Jesus said,

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

Would people you know in real life and people who encounter you online consider you to be a peacemaker?

Please do not get me wrong. There are people out there who will tell you it is wrong to ever disagree with them or to point out any error. That is not what I’m saying at all. We need to speak the truth, but speak the truth in love.

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:14-16) {emphasis mine}

We are to speak the truth in love. We are to build up and not tear down. We are to show mercy while leading others to the truth. We need to be humble and acknowledge that it may be possible that we are the ones in error.

Instead of beating others into submission, we should share the Word of God as our defense. Instead of tearing others down, we should live as an example by imitating Jesus.

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; (1 Peter 2:21-23) {emphasis mine}

Jesus is the perfect example. “While being reviled, He did not revile in return,” and “while suffering, He uttered no threats.” Just as He said to the woman caught in the act of adultery, “Neither do I condemn you,” combined with “Go and sin no more,” so also we need to be forgiving while speaking the truth and encouraging others to “sin no more.”

Our words and actions should reflect both the love and the holiness of God.

Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. (1 Timothy 4:12)

Sometimes people may be convinced by our words and arguments, but it is much more common that people will be convinced by our actions and attitude than by our well-reasoned arguments.

I know this is particularly difficult for me. My instinct is to lob Bible verses at people who are astray. I want to inundate them with well-reasoned arguments. I get so excited about God’s Word that I can easily destroy someone if I’m not careful. It isn’t because I don’t care. It is because I value truth and so desperately want to lead them to Jesus and truth. That doesn’t change the fact that I need to be more gentle and compassionate. I may mean it as an encouraging truth, but that person may feel pummeled into oblivion. That will never lead them to faith in Jesus.

This reminds me of my Leonberger (a giant breed, long-haired dog that looks a bit like a lion). He gets so excited to see people that he can go a bit wild. His tail swings back and forth like Barry Bonds swinging for the stands. His wildly swinging tail regularly clears Christmas tree ornaments off the bottom 3-4 feet of the tree, sometimes launching them 50 feet or more. He isn’t mean, but sometimes his exuberance can cause harm. He has almost knocked me down numerous times, and his bouncing has caught me on the chin with his head and almost chipped a tooth when my teeth slammed together.

It doesn’t matter how good our intentions are. If we aren’t gentle, we are more likely to push people away from Jesus instead of calling them to Jesus.

Despite our love for the lost and erroneous, some of us may come across as harsh because of our exuberance. There are also some people, who call themselves Christians, but seem to hate everyone who disagrees with them (Christian and non-christian). The hate spewed by these individuals, in Jesus’s name, causes great harm to the gospel and the reputation of God. If you hate non-believers, Jews, and any Christians who don’t think exactly like you, you need to consider whether you truly have a relationship with Jesus.

By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

Other people look down on those who don’t know the Bible as well as they do. They may think they are Bible experts (frequently they are not). They may like to lord their knowledge over others to make themselves feel better. They may ignore the fact that there was a time in their life that they didn’t know Jesus (if they really do) or when they didn’t know the Bible. Everyone starts at the beginning. There are many people out there who may never have heard the truth about Jesus. We need to mercifully encourage them toward Jesus.

Are you a blessing or a curse to those you encounter?

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:14-21) {emphasis mine}

We will never be loved by everyone, nor should we seek to be loved by everyone, but we are to “be at peace with all men” “so far as it depends on you.” We are to be kind, helpful, and loving, but to leave vengeance for wrongs with God.

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

Do you have the heart of God and the fruit of the Spirit?

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15) {emphasis mine}

May God fill your heart with His love, so that you see others as He sees them. May He humble you so that you do not easily take offense, but seek the well-being of others. May He guide you in wisdom, love, and faithfulness, so that those around you see Jesus in you, so you may be a light in this dark world.

Trust Jesus

If you do not yet know Jesus, I beg you to trust in Him. Below are some verses that will tell you what you need to know to be saved. If you have any questions, I’d love to answer them. Just message me on Substack.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

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For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

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But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

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that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; (Romans 10:9)

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If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:9-10)

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For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

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He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

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But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

All verses are NASB unless otherwise noted.