Timing and the Times: A Time to Consider

I don’t understand the algorithms that manage social media. Somehow I have it in my head that most of the people who see what I post on twitter see it because somewhere along the line they decided to follow me. Which then leads me to believe that most of them are going to be at least roughly on the same page as me. I’m guessing that’s not how it works.

Because earlier this week I posted a link to an article in which I explained that Mormonism isn’t just a different denomination within Christianity but is a different religion. Later that day I tweeted that saying such is no more unloving or unchristian than saying a man isn’t a woman. Not a word excusing the attacks. Not a word attacking anyone. And then came the deluge.

Many of the responses came from Latter Day Saints wanting to know exactly which part of hell I crawled out from. No surprise there. I didn’t expect them to like the truth, even though just fifty years ago they agreed with it, affirming Mormonism was a different religion. Even though their founder, Joseph Smith held my same view as me, that their religion was different from ours. I also had a number of comments from professing Christians who see that whole “doctrine of the self-existent, uncreated God the Son” as insignificant minutia. What’s the big deal? That too is sad, but no surprise.

It was the third group that surprised me. These were professing Christians who actually agreed with what I had said. But they felt it unkind, un-Christlike, unloving in light of the brutal, wicked attack in Michigan. Couldn’t, they wondered, this have waited for another time? I get the heart behind this. But my answer is, not surprisingly, no, it can’t wait for another time.

The reason is simple enough. Today is the day of salvation (II Corinthians 6:2). As I write this, five Latter Day Saints Sunday lost their last opportunity to repent and believe the gospel. The problem, the evil of Mormonism isn’t merely that it’s false. No, the problem is it gives people false assurance of their salvation. Is this the week for scoring points in online theological debate with Mormons? No. Is it the time to warn them that they are not under His grace? Most assuredly. Which we will not do if we believe they are already under His grace.

It is the right time to answer the question because it is the time the question is being asked. Our Christian compassion on those suffering through the attack is a good thing. But it can tempt us to paper over differences that divide heaven from hell. Compassion is misdirected any time it keeps us from telling others about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is that Word, the uncreated God the Son, who commands of us to be always ready. It is that crafty creature, the Devil, who wants to silence the proclamation of the gospel. Christians are called to love those outside the kingdom enough to be hated by them for saying they are yet outside the kingdom. Let them, purveyors of that false religion of Mormonism, the theologically indifferent, and the too “gracious” for the kingdom condemn. We are to preach Christ.