There is, purportedly, a movement out there, a movement out of the church. A bevy of young, feckless and deformed men and women have weighed the evangelical church in the balance and found us wanting. They self-identify as ex-vangelicals. And boy do they love to tell their stories. As they grew up inside the church they noticed that it was full of sinners, based on the church’s own standard, the Word of God. We evangelicals are forever doing what we’re not supposed to, sinning in both ordinary and grievous ways. Shocking, I know. Because evangelicals are always droning on and on about how good and perfect we are.
As they make their way in the world they discover yet another failure on our part- we fail to measure up to the world’s standard. We’re accused of being bigoted, narrow, lacking in compassion for others because we believe boys are boys and girls girls, because we believe the sexual union is for married couples, and that marriage is one man and one woman. We’re so embarrassing that they simply have to treat us like tax collectors, lest they be sullied by us. Our calling is to be ashamed and put away our judgments and join them in their world of love and compassion. If we don’t, they’ll continue to treat us as pariahs. Because we’re not broadminded and loving like they are. We deserve their hatred and opprobrium because we’re so hateful and opprobrious.
I believe it was Tim Keller who once explained that on more than one occasion he was talking with a young man who had been a part of the church, but grew up and wanted to walk away. He would ask this simple question, “What’s her name?” The motive, Keller understood, whatever intellectual ribbons and bows the young man might have adorned it with, was moral, specifically, sexual. The move out of the church was necessary to starve the conscience so the fun could continue unabated.
It’s not always that that leads them out. Sometimes it’s this- they can’t stay in the church because they can’t stand the thought of people’s sins being forgiven, especially anyone who has sinned against them. You know, just like the Pharisees. The idea of grace is repugnant to the lawless, for it means there is a law, and they don’t measure up.
My hope and prayer is that ex-vangelicals will all become evangelicals once again, that they will repent and believe the gospel, that saves sinners like evangelicals. I also pray, however, that those who haven’t left won’t be drawn away by the Siren call of the ex-vangelicals as they seek to drive us away from rather than to Jesus because of our all too real guilt. Are we a judgmental bunch? For certain. Do we have so many skeletons in our closets that they can’t follow social distancing guidelines? We do. Everyone of their accusations against the evangelical rings true, not because we’re evangelicals, but because we’re people. The accusations ring true about everyone. The difference between those inside and those outside the church, however, is that those inside acknowledge our sin, and cry out for God’s mercy in Christ, while those outside stand on the public corner and thank themselves that they are not like other men. Which is why, by His grace, we go home justified.