Sunday, August 14, 2011

I'll fight for those who hate me.

so, tonight I went to see X-Men: First Class. If you've seen any of the X-Men movies, you know it's about mutants who basically have superpowers, and these two teams of mutants, basically the good and the bad, led by Charles Xavier and Magneto, respectively. "First Class" is about the beginnings of the X-Men teams, for the most part. and at one point there's this bad guy, Sebastian Shaw, who's trying to convince a team of young "good" mutants to join him in creating the third World War, so he can destroy all the non-mutated humans that think all mutants are evil. and he says this line that just caught me... and for a couple minutes I was so focused on this line and all its analogies, I couldn't even understand what was going on in the movie.
are you ready for this?
he says, "When mankind discovers who we are, what we can do, each of us will face a choice. Be enslaved or rise up to rule. Choose freely, but know that if you are not with us, then by definition, you are against us. So, you can stay and fight for the people who hate and fear you. Or you can join me, and live like kings and queens."
WHAM! SMACK! Right in the face.
Do you get it?
Satan's lie is almost exactly that, so often. 
As Children of the King, the Light of the world, we are different from the Lost. We have the power of Christ in us and we can do so much more than we or anyone else realize. Satan loves to make us think that when we die to ourselves and are crucified with Christ, we become enslaved to his rules and regulations. While God does call out His Children to be different (consecrates us), He also knows we are human and He "will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" when we come humbly to him confessing our sins and repenting. Somehow, though, we are often tricked into believing that this faith in Christ requires living a boring, legalistic life (which is so far from the truth). Satan likes to tell us we can either "be enslaved [by faith in Christ] or rise up to rule [with him in darkness]". Which sometimes sounds good... especially when it comes to "You can fight for people who hate you, or you can come on my side and live the good life". 
But think about it, friends. Christ already warned us that the world would hate us! "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." (John 15:18-19, ESV) And again in 1 John 3:13-14, "Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death." Collectively, we get this sum: Christ has consecrated us to Himself, and therefore as Christians we are not of the world, and this difference makes them hate us. They see our love for God and others (though we fail often) and realize that it is no ordinary love, and they hate the fact that they live in death while we live in love. 
So the question is, do we fight for the salvation and protection of this world that indeed DOES hate us and fear us? Or do we "live like kings and queens" with the ruler of darkness, who secretly doesn't have much to offer but wasted dreams, bitterness, guilt, and death?
I suppose when you put it in terms like this, the choice is easy. Fight for the underdog, the lost who don't always know they need rescuing. But what if you put it into reality? Let's say there's this girl you work with that you really don't like. She's a little bit of a potty-mouth, sometimes snooty, probably gossips about you, and pretends to be nice to your face. Maybe she needs a couple extra bucks to buy lunch, or a ride home after work. Isn't it easier to say "Ah, I forgot to bring cash with me today! Sorry!" or "Man, my backseat is full of junk, I really don't have room for anyone to ride with me"? That spares you the awkwardness (and even anger) of being nice to someone you can't stand. Satan may convince you that it'd put you in a bad mood for the day if you had to go those 10 minutes out of your way to take her home. And you were gonna use those five bucks to buy that CD that's discounted on iTunes this week! It would actually be better for both of you for you not to help her, he may say. 
Well I say BALONEY. 
Maybe this doesn't ring true with you, feel free to comment thoughts and even Scriptures. My thoughts are Satan is the Great Deceiver, and he wants to steal your joy, kill your faith, and destroy your life (John 10:10). and he may use something very much like "So, you can stay and fight for the people who hate and fear you. Or you can join me, and live like kings and queens." to hold you down.
Be on the lookout, friends. "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9 ESV)

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