Are Christians Phobic?

Are Christians Phobic?

Over the years I have had numerous articles published in secular newspapers. I have had the privilege to write opinion editorials for newspapers like the Indianapolis Star, the Muncie Star Press, and the Pensacola News Journal, to name a few. In those articles I addressed a variety of topics. Sometimes the topic of article was something I support, like Christian education or Christmas. Sometimes the topic was something objectively true, like the Resurrection we celebrate at Easter. Other times, I wrote against issues I oppose: abortion, same-sex “marriage,” pornographic books, and prom culture are examples. I am sincerely grateful that those secular platforms were willing to publish my Christian worldview.

After almost every one of my 60-odd published articles, a reader or two, or more would write or email some feedback. You may not be surprised to learn that much of it was negative. After all, people who agree are typically less vocal than people who disagree. The common accusation leveled at me by the naysayers was that I am “phobic” in some way.

For example, years ago I wrote a Biblical response to the Syrian refugee crisis entitled “Balancing Christian compassion and the need for security. Critics of that article promptly abeled me a xenophobe. As another example, after the 2015 Paris attacks in which Muslim bombers killed 128 people, I wrote an article that provided hope amid despair and led to gospel conclusions. Yet again, critics of the Christian worldview diagnosed me with islamophobia. Around the same time, in response to an article in which I expressed my disgust over Bruce Jenner’s attempted transgender transformation, critics suggested I was suffering from a serious case of transphobia. Yet my most widely read and share articles by far are the articles on homosexuality. Specifically, I once wrote an article in the local newspaper called “God’s News for Homosexuals. By the standards of the time, that article went viral. I got emails and letters from all over the country, frequently diagnosing me as a homophobe. If the critics are right, then, I should introduce myself as a xenophobic, islamophobic, transphobic xenophobe.

When a opponent calls you or I “phobic,” they mean we are afraid of something. Accordinng to Webster, a phobia is “a compulsive and persistent fear of a specific object or situation.” A further definition describes how a phobia “produces intense anxiety, including physical symptoms such as sweating, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath.”

Labeling Christians “phobic” is a dramatic show. Believers who share my worldview do not experience those symptoms of anxiety at the thought or sight of a Muslim or a sodomite.

Rather, the terms are dismissive pejoratives intended to control the narrative. If Christians were literally phobic at strangers or transgender individuals, they wouldn't be able to function at all in society. After all, we're living amid an immigration crisis, under the constant threat of terrorism from foreign Islamic nations. Additionally, transgenders and homosexuals are in greater number than ever. No, biblical Christians are not afraid of such people. We are, however, burdened for their eternal destination and the eternal destination of people in general. It isi true that we are concerned about the immoral condition of our country, but we are not afraid.

Many of us know the encouragement Paul gave to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:7. There, he says this: “God hath not given us the spirit of fear.” Though the context of Paul’s command to Timothy is different from our modern world, Paul’s point is timelessly relevant: we need to be bold when giving the gospel. The truth is that when Christians push back with unyielding love against unrighteousness and the degraded behavior of our culture, it is not that we do not fear. Rather, we have chosen another fear. With regard to social repercussions, we are unafraid; instead, we fear the holiness and wrath of God. Christians understand that “the fear of man bringeth a snare” (Prov. 29:25), but that a snare but that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10).

The fear of the Lord is an awe and reverence that produces a humble obedience in those who understand His nature. A person who fears the Lord will also respond in certain ways. Proverbs 8:13 explains that “the fear of the Lord is to hate evil”—the evil in our own lives and the evil that's all around us. The fear that teaches us to despise sin is the beginning of wisdom. After all, in the New Testament instructed Christians to fear not “them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell” (Matthew 10:28).

If we're honest, even though we know what the Bible says, sometimes we Christians mute our voices because we're afraid what people will think or say about us. When we find ourselves in those moments, what we need is courage: courage to be the salt and light that Jesus calls us to to be in Matthew 5:13-16. As the old saying goes, courage is not the absence of fear; it is action in the face of danger. Christian person I encourage you to fear the Lord far more than you fear men. If we fear the Lord like we should, our private lives will be defined by holiness, and our public behavior will be loving and fearless.

Remember, we can't count on secular politicians to push back against unrighteousness in our culture without pressure from Christian people. It’s our job as Christians to be bold in our gospel witness, for three primary reasons. First, God has commanded us to go give the gospel and we fear Him. Second, we want to see names preserved in the Lamb's Book of Life. We want to make an eternal difference, and we don't want to see anyone go to hell. Third, we want to see our city, our state, and our country turn back to the Lord. It's obvious to most observers that America has lost any sense of the fear of the Lord. If America is ever going to fear God again it will happen because God-fearing Christians boldly push back against evil and communicate the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now is not the time for apathy; now is not the time for indifference. Now is the time for gospel engagement and Holy Ghost-enabled boldness. So, Christian, when you're tempted to mute your gospel voice, remember the words of the psalmist: The Lord is my life and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid” (Psalm 27:1)? May God help us to be fearless before this needy world and to find our strength in him, all for his glory.

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The above article was written by Pastor James C. Johnson. He is the pastor of NorthStone Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fl. To offer him your feedback, comment below or email us at strengthforlife461@gmail.com.

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