A Mindful Christian
by Christopher Hendrix
In the war against the LGBTQ+ agenda, so-called conservatives are employing specific battle tactics that undermine the fight. These tactics equate to burning down the family's land to prevent the forest fire from consuming the house. The goal is to save the house, but in doing so, you put the house in danger of burning. Fighting fire with fire will only equate to more damage. This may work with a forest fire, but this tactic does not work in cultural wars. Take, for example, the latest tactic of fighting the uncontrolled lust of the LGBTQ with the unchecked lust of heterosexual men. Recently, a calendar arrived hot off the press promising hot women for conservative dads. The sale involved enticing 'conservative dads' to cast their lustful gaze at conservative women dressed (or undressed, for that matter) in enticing apparel. That will really sock a punch at the homosexual agenda. This type of action represents a mindless attack. The very lust that got us into this problem to begin with is not the lust that will save us. Fighting fire with fire will only cause more damage. This damage won't involve the smell of burnt wood and brick houses but the stench of death in households.
Watch Pastor Chris Hendrix’s sermon on James 1:16-18.
The Christian has a calling to a higher way. James 1:16 calls us to not be deceived. This command comes on the heels of understanding where temptations originate from. They do not start from outside temptations, such as calendars, but begin with our evil desires. Outside material only provides the fuel for the already burning match. God created us with desires, but not these evil desires. God created the man with a sexual drive that's meant to pursue a woman. God made the woman to respond to the man's drive in desiring and receiving his pursuit. The result is marriage, the consummation of the marriage, children, and dominion over the sphere of influence granted to each family. The sexual drive aims ultimately at the glory of God through reproduction, recreation, and protection in the marriage setting. The evil desires aim to take this sound and perfect gift of God and drive them towards a man wanting a woman outside of the marriage covenant, treating a woman like an object and as a means for pleasure, and discarding her for the next flip each month. Evil lusts drive a woman to use her God-gifted beauty to entice a man sexually, draw him in, and showcase herself as an object of lust for gain. Fighting fire with fire only causes more damage.
The Christian must not mindlessly fight with the culture's ways, even if the name 'conservative' comes printed on the goods. We engage our minds with the Word of God. The truth of Scripture is an appeal to the mind. The mind encompasses the inner being of a person. The intellect, the thoughts, the emotions, and the actions that follow. Truth begins in the mind and comes out in actions. This is why James commands us to not be deceived in 1:16. All good and perfect gifts come from God. This truth is demonstrated in verse 18. The measurement of a good and perfect gift is the amount of sacrifice by the giver. God Incarnate gave himself the gift of faith, which brings grace that results in salvation. There is no higher price paid. God, the Creator, gave Himself to His creation. Our salvation is the greatest gift because God is the giver and the gift. This is why James calls us the first fruits of creation. His gruesome and bloody salvific work brought about a wonderful and beautiful people of God.
As the people of God, our minds ought to be filled with God. Instead of the world's ideologies, principles, and tactics, our minds must be oriented toward the Lord. We aren't called to be mindless, naïve, emotionally charged, obtuse people. We must be mindful, wise, joyful, and astute. Practically speaking, the evidence of this is when we respond to 'conservative' approaches to fights with a resounding rejection of fighting fire with fire. This means calling those who have fallen into this trap with repentance and warning them of the eternal fire. This means proclaiming the Gospel that quenches all fires and brings reconciliation with the red-hot Eternal God. This means being salt and light, even when people want blandness and darkness. This starts with being a mindful Christian.