The Name of Jesus

I don't know why it bothers me so much, but I caught a few blogs about Jesus... negative ones. I know that as we head towards the end of the age, however many years away that is, there will be more haters of God and lovers of self. But, I often think if these clods (the enemies I am supposed to love) had the same experiences with Jesus that I have had, they would just be in love with the Master. As time goes on it seems like there is another group that is offended by Christianity... or at least their perception of it.

These groups and individuals have decided that Jesus wouldn't want this one way, and that another way. Jesus wouldn't want war, Jesus would never want us to pay taxes, Jesus this and Jesus that! There are a lot of folks that would be happy to never see or hear His name again; except as a "mild" curse compared to the "f" word.

At one time I believed all the real haters of God lived in non-Christian countries. I grew up with Communism and the Cold War. As a new Christian I loved reading about Brother Andrew and his work behind the Iron Curtain. There were those desperate for God living in oppression. The truth is, in spite of those desperate for God, there God haters everywhere. Jesus gets blamed for lots of things that He didn't do... and rarely for the one thing He did do, die for our sins.

Having travelled to 42 states and 13 countries, I believe the men are basically the same everywhere. They will mostly operate on the outside trying to be good, and on the inside trying get everything they can in life them. Let me say that Jesus is not against us having things; no, just making them more important then He is, that's what bothers Him. The other thing that I have seen, is the power of God to break in to a man's life, and change it. So as the politically correct raise the intensity of their rhetoric over anything which offends their "everyone is basically good" theology, we'll see more of the same. In fact, I imagine it will get worse. I have heard predictions that, where about 80% of American claim to be Christians, only about 4% will in 20 years.

The problem is always going to be in what we claim to be, especially when it doesn't line up with what we really are. I am sure there are a lot of people hopeful, but unsure, about eternity that claim the name of Jesus. And I am not judge. I confess that I don't know who will be there. Here is what I do know, that name of Jesus is resilient. I don't think He is all that worried about what is said about Him. Even Paul believed that anytime the name of Jesus was used by both believers and nonbelievers, that is was a good thing for the kingdom. I heard a story, from a Moroccan missionary, about a Muslim man that worked as a Christian evangelist in Africa because the money was very good. He wasn't saved and didn't give a rat about Jesus. The funny thing about the story was that thousands came to Christ from His preaching.

If we are honest, it is not the name of Jesus that is a problem at all. It is the perception that others have of it. If "they will know we are Christians by our love," then how come they still don't know it?