Haters Need Not Apply

       When we follow the way of the Christian faith, the way Jesus personified and illustrated, there is no room for hate. We are not even supposed to hate the haters. Too many church goers define their faith by what they are against rather than what they stand for. They choose some group or behavior as being worse than all others and decide to speak out against, place themselves in opposition to, and down right hate them or it. They try to take over the role of God as righteous judge and place a judgment against someone for who they are or what they do. It is  only by grace that we are righteous, so how can we judge others? We have not a clue as to the mind of God, so how can anyone so vehemently speak out on God's behalf? They choose certain scriptures to prove their agenda, but with contextual spins and choosing what they use and what they leave out they can "prove" any subject in any direction.
       Jesus was all about love, for he came to earth as the incarnation of God, who is also all about love, for God is love. We have free will. We can choose for whatever reason not to approve of a certain behavior, life style, or group. That does not give us the right to judge on God's behalf. It does not give us the right to say we speak for God. God has already spoken-- he loves the world and everyone in it. God wants to save us ALL from ourselves and take us home to be loved and cared for forever. No one knows exactly what that will look like. It is not an exclusive club. Only God decides entrance requirements, and God wants all of us. There is no room for hate in a faith based upon God as revealed in Jesus Christ.  The spitting rage with which "Christians" hate others with different understandings removes the label's truth. True Christians don't live that way, for it is not the way of Christ, not the way Jesus lived, not the way he taught. We can choose to live for God; but we cannot choose to judge or speak for God - leave that to God. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7) ."A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." (John 13:34) As Dr. Phil Snider proclaimed, "I believe in the separation of church and hate." Our church is about love and acceptance. www.fcccarrollton.org