Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20
Some atheists pity us for believing ancient myths and lacking the philosophical “enlightenment” they possesses. They make statements to the effect that Christians think critically and logically except when it comes to religion. This group believes us mostly harmless but pitifully ignorant.
Others express rage at our faith and practice. One atheist argued that people should not be allowed to attend religious gatherings before the age of eighteen. Others argue it should be illegal to practice religion altogether. Though people have committed many evils in the name of religion (e.g. the Crusades, Inquisition, 9/11, justifying slavery, et. al.), by lumping all believers together, atheists have thrown out the proverbial baby (Christianity) with the bath water (false religion). Their adherents are growing in numbers and fervor. As I surveyed the comments about our faith in Christ, the general sentiment is that we are a bunch of backwards thinking bumpkins.
Satan leverages these criticisms and pressures to discourage us from doing God’s bidding. No one likes to be criticized for their convictions, but we must not allow such to derail our efforts in His kingdom. Though these things pose other potential dangers, we will consider two that seem especially destructive. One of these will render us inactive while the other will render us ineffective. We must avoid both.
First, hearing these harsh criticisms can cause timidity and a sense of futility. It can be hard to speak out when we expect to be excoriated or dismissed for speaking the truth. When people begin with an adversarial posture, it may seem futile to speak in His name. Moses was reluctant to go into Egypt because he felt inadequate to the task and was certain the people would not listen. God had to assure him that He would provide the message, the means to speak the message, and the confirmation of the message (Exodus 3:10-14; 4:1, 10-17). Jeremiah was likewise hesitant to embrace the call because of his youth (Jeremiah 1:6). As with Moses, God had to embolden Jeremiah to speak the truth (Jeremiah 1:7-10). Paul told Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony of Christ and reassured him that God has not given His people a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7-8). As Jesus said, we ought to fear falling out with God more than falling out with humanity (Matthew 10:26-33).
The second major hindrance produced by these criticisms can push us to the opposite extreme. Where some get frightened by critics, others respond in anger towards them. It is easy to become angry when people speak ill of us for doing what we know to be right and just and true. However, we must not lash out in this anger. As Paul stated in Colossians 4:5-6, we must walk with wisdom towards them and be in control of our speech. We must confidently proclaim the truth, but we must do so in love (Ephesians 4:15). We must give a defense of our hope, but we must do so with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15). This is a delicate balance when being slandered, but we cannot allow any corrupting (lit. corrosive) speech to come from our mouths, but our every word must aim at being constructive (Ephesians 4:29).
This demands we view our detractors as Jesus did. When looking out over Jerusalem, the place of His impending murder, Jesus had pity on His enemies and their terrible plight (Luke 19:41-44). Rather than be filled with rage, Jesus saw sinners as sheep without a shepherd needing rescued (Matthew 9:36). We must love our enemies and never repay evil with evil (Matthew 5:43-48; Romans 12:17). Though they think we are backwards, it is they who confuse evil for good, darkness for light, and bitter for sweet. For this, woe is on them, and we must try to rescue them (Isaiah 5:20; James 5:19-20).