My last post turned out to be a bit controversial.

I spent half of the past week getting chastised by those who would transform the Christian Bible into the U.S. Constitution, and the other half getting berated by pro-choice advocates who could not understand my acceptance (not endorsement) of pro-life legislation.

Should I have known better?

Well, actually I did. And while I do not actively seek the persecution and ridicule that Jesus teaches all believers will experience, I’m obviously not trying to avoid it. Certainly, as I wrote what God led me to write, I was quite cognizant of the passions that would be stirred.

Which leads to the simple question of “why?” Why would I subject myself to the type of mockery certain to come once that commentary was posted?

Let me start by stating what the post was not intended to accomplish.

It was not intended to move my Christian brethren to faith in Jesus Christ. They have it. Nor was it intended to foment debate on either Christian nationalism or abortion. Rumination, perhaps, but not debate. I’m happy to do that, but outside of this forum.

It has been intimated that my pride was the instigator. Perhaps there are those who take pride in knowingly subjecting themselves to abuse, but I am not one of them. I confess that I have battled my ego for a lifetime. I pray daily for the humility and wisdom that will make me a living testimony to God’s love. And while I have neither in abundance, I know that I’m in a much better place than I was but a few years ago.

Why then?

Simply, I felt led by the Holy Spirit to address Christian nationalism and why I believe it to be both a dangerous societal undercurrent and an impediment to Christian evangelism. As for the abortion commentary, the topic was intended initially as a sidebar, but the words just kept coming.

As I do with each of my posts, I prayed for guidance. I prayed for inspiration. And I prayed for wisdom. Readers can make their own assessments as to whether or not God answered that last prayer, but He led me to address the sensitive matters discussed in the post and my faith shaped the personal sentiments expressed.

It would indeed be wonderful if everyone embraced God’s law as taught in the Bible – and did so as a reflection of their faith. But as much as we might wish it so, that is not reality. The reality is that there are many – most, unfortunately – that need to be brought to faith. Christian nationalism, in my opinion, is counterproductive to this purpose.

In its few but very consequential verses, the book of Jude exhorts Christians to contend for the faith. Contending for the faith means living in obedience to God while demonstrating love and mercy to those who have not yet found it.

¹⁷But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁸They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” ¹⁹It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. ²⁰But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. ²²And have mercy on those who doubt. (ESV)

In his commentary on Jude (1-2 Peter and Jude: Sharing Christ’s Sufferings, 2015), pastor David Helm wields these words to reprimand those who seek to control the unenlightened with divisive legislation, rather than serve as God’s living testimony of love and mercy. And although his words were not directed specifically at the Christian nationalist movement, I have not seen a better description of its character.

“And how does Jude ask us to contend for them? We are to show mercy! Stunning. What a rebuke to the church of our day. Large sections of the church in this country seem to have gotten this aspect of contending desperately wrong. From the world’s vantage point:

• We are better known for contending with might, not mercy.
• We are bent on condemning the world’s faults and failings.
• We leave very little room for God to be their judge.
• We spend astounding amounts of time, money, and energy in causes solely given to pronouncing condemnation.
• We spew forth judgment and then go home to bed looking for some sanctimonious sleep as the just reward for having contended well.

Jude would show us all a better way.”

Pastor Helms’ comments imply that we must understand the “world’s” perspective in order to change it, being cognizant of the fine line between virtue and hypocrisy.

That, my friends, is my “why?”