04.19. Bumper Stickers, and "Christian" Slogans

It pains me to see the beautiful truths of Scripture being plastered about like beer advertisements. Many think it is wise to "get the word out" in this way but, believe that we are really just inoculating the world with bits and pieces of truth - giving them their "gospel shots." (And we’re making it hard for them to "catch" the real thing!) People become numb to the truth when we splash our gaudy sayings in their eyes at every opportunity. Do you really think this is "opening them up to the Gospel"? Or is it really just another way for us to get smiles, waves, and approval from others in the "born-again club" out in the supermarket parking lot, who blow their horns with glee when they see your "Honk if you love Jesus!" bumper sticker?

What about those "other sayings"? You know, the quasi-biblical ones, like "Please be patient, God isn’t finished with me yet," which can really be a horrible replacement for "I’m sorry." (And besides, it puts the blame on the wrong person - "The reason I’m such a creep is because God isn’t finished with me yet.") And if you really want to play "Stretch the Bible" there is that other fabulous excuse that absolutely ends all quests or expectations for holiness: "Christians aren’t perfect... just forgiven!" Ah, how convenient. You might just as well say, "Christians aren’t moral, just forgiven!" or what about "Christians aren’t nice, just forgiven!" How about the ultimate? "Christians aren’t saved . . . just forgiven!" (That might be a little too deep.) What we’re saying by this glorious piece of prose is, "Madam, you cannot trust your teenage daughter with my Christian son, you’d better keep your eye on him . . . he’s not safe . . . he’s just forgiven!"

Maybe I’ve gone a little too far to make a point, but I think the world is completely sick to its stomach with our sayings and "witnessing tools." It’s time for us to be expressing the truth with our lives, and then the whole truth of God with our lips!