The dividing line

Yesterday’s news quoted a television personality as saying that a prominent politician’s Christian beliefs are a mental illness. I noted the difference in her countenance and the face of the one she accused. If appearances are any indication, it is not the politician who has the problem.

This story reminded me of the demon-possessed man that ran naked through the tombs and terrified those around him. Today, most people would say he was mentally ill. When Jesus met the man, He told many demons to leave him. 

Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. (Luke 8:35)

Encountering Jesus does not bring mental illness or demonic disorders; He is a healer. The people knew it and “they were sized with great fear” (verse 37). His power was more terrifying than what had been happening to that man!

This incident in the life of Jesus says much about today’s sharp line between those who believe in Him and those who do not. The Word of God is totally black and white in this regard. It seems obvious that anyone who realizes that line would be afraid, and if not, they should be. This is what Jesus says about that sharp line between believers and those who deny the Gospel:

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:36)

Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (Matthew 12:30)

Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats . . . And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:32; 46)

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

Those who followed Him were also black and white. They said things like:

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

And we who believe in Jesus are still saying it. Why are we so sure? The objective reason is the certainty that Jesus died and rose from the dead. The resurrection used to be dismissed with many arguments, but no longer. There is too much evidence to support it. It changed our calendar and unites all who believe it into one family of God.

The subjective reason is what happens in our lives when we believe. Just as Jesus said, we are changed. We are not perfect (yet) but we hate the sin we once loved, love the Christians we once disregarded, and know the power of the Holy Spirit. He fills us with His attitudes which are much different than what was once normal.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22–23)

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I’m not as black and while in my opinions about many things as I used to be, but still see no gray areas when it comes to Your identity and the reality of what You say and what You came to do for sinners. Statements like that of the television personality once made me angry, but because of Your compassion toward sinners of which I am one, I feel great sorrow for her. She does not realize what side of a great gulf her attitude has placed her.