A bigger problem with today's Christianity is its joylessness.
We are supposed to exude joy. Have joyful countenances. Speak joyful words. Then when people say, "What are you so happy about?", you set the hook.
Jesus "confronted" sin by forgiving the sinner. The prostitute whom the men of town wanted to stone. The tax collector He invited Himself over to dinner with.
The very people who tortured Him, who mocked Him, who insulted Him, who gave Him vinegar to drink, who stabbed Him in the side with a a spear, who tossed dice for His Clothes, who deserted Him as hung there dying.
Haranguing and browbeating and lecturing obviously isn't working. It's like Socialism. It SOUNDS like it should work. Maybe we just haven't tried enough of it.
We keep insisting that other people change the their behavior when we should be changing our own. Try smiling at someone today. That grouchy grocery clerk. That jerk who just stole your parking spot. That idiot FReeper who just told you to FOAD.
Or the doofus who just told you to express joy whether you have a reason to or not.
That is all. Flame away. I am ready to forgive you.
Please point out an instance of Christ's forgiving someone that was not proceeded by repentance.
I agree about joyousness. I once reminded a leader of a Bible study that we were COMMANDED to be joyful and when we act like redeeming faith is something to be endured, we are failing to be salt and light. As someone who is the embodiment of dour legalistic judgementalism he was not happy with my comment. Too many “Christians” act like their hemorrhoids are acting up.