I think it's important for us as believers to use good discernment. Discernment is simply the ability to judge well. As Christians we're constantly being fed a bunch of things that are bad for us and sometimes we don't even know it.
For example, if a preacher stands before his people, tells a great story and he leaves them feeling really great about life, but his words don't line up with the gospel, then we have a problem. This is the problem I have with many pastors, particularly one out in Texas. He's got a great smile and killer hair, but he seems to have no clue about proclaiming God's Word with authority, boldness and truth.
Example Two: If an author of a fictional book paints a picture of God that doesn't line up with how the Bible portrays God, then we have a problem. I mean it should be pretty clear that an author has lost sight of the truth when he starts painting the Holy Ghost as a human woman (The Spirit is referred to as being a 'he' and 'he' is not human so to portray him as such is wrong).
We see this happen in other books. Like some guy makes tons cash off of a book he writes about the time he died and went to hell and then came back and got saved. What? How are Christians buying into this? Hebrews 9:27 and Luke 16:19-31 clearly are NOT being taught to them as truth.
Another guy wrote a book about how he died and went to heaven and then came back. The problem is that his book described heaven in such a way that discounted and contradicted the Bible's own description of Heaven. So who's right? This guy? Or the Bible? I'm going to go with the Bible on this one. But that hasn't stopped 4 million people from buying a story that's clearly not all true.
Example Next: Musicians are the same way. I don't care if they are a "Christian" rock-band. I don't care if the sing or dance or rap. If they claim to know Jesus and love Jesus and follow Jesus, then their stuff should line up with the Word of Jesus. And if it doesn't line-up, they need to be reproofed and rebuked in love because their current state of being wrong or even deceived is probably a bad deal for them in the grand scheme of eternity (and for sure, it's a bad deal for us all here on Earth).
Because seriously, it's pretty disturbing to hear a "Christian" artist rap or sing (or a preacher preach) about warm, fuzzy non-sense like it's what the people really need, when what they actually need, is the Gospel of Jesus. Why? Because warm and fuzzy can't save--Jesus does.
If what I need more than anything else in the universe is to be saved by Jesus, then you would have to absolutely hate me to give anything other than the Gospel of Jesus if you claim to know Jesus and His Gospel. That doesn't line up with Scripture because Christians love Jesus and because they love Jesus they love people and because they love people they give the people what they need the most, even if it's not what they want the most. The Gospel of Jesus...give them that! This other stuff does not matter. It's not even worthy to be called secondary or tertiary. That's how frivolous it is.
Am I saying Christian artists shouldn't write "love" songs? No. Write the best love songs ever! But when you're claiming to present the Gospel...do it. Don't present your audience with triviality and call it a message of redemption.
I could go and on for days. The point is this: Just because someone has "Jesus" or "Christian" or "Church" or "God" or "gospel" attached to something they are or something they do, doesn't make it true. Truth makes it true.
So for the two of you that read this blog, the next time you read or hear something like the afore mentioned shenanigans, please check some facts, read your Bible, and discern truth as you walk empowered by the Spirit of God. If it doesn't line up with the Word of God, it isn't true.
I love you guys,
-Nate Xanders,
An Unworthy Slave of Christ
