Gunpoint Invitation

In recent conversations concerning hell, I drew the analogy that hell, or God's wrath is like a shotgun Father uses to protect his household from the evil ones who wish to break in and steal, kill and destroy.

I got to thinking though that often times, people are brought into church at gunpoint. That is, if one doesn't make a decision to convert, and soon, there is that hell-gun barrel right in their face. So of course there is a certain fear that drives us into the church.

Once there, there are armed guards keeping you there. Now in many churches there isn't so much the fear of hell that keeps one there, but lesser fears, or, a smaller caliber gun. There is a fear of "forsaking the assembly" or "falling into sin" or being a victim for demons and Satan to attack. There is a fear of not being held accountable, there is a fear of not "being in the word".

There is also a certain fear of being theologically wrong about something. It is assumed (not stated overtly in many cases) that if you are theologically wrong, you don't know God or you are out of His will or good graces. Sometimes, the more belligerent guntoters will have no problem telling you that you are a false Christian and will use the big hell-gun should you be proven theologically incorrect.

At any rate, whatever the issue is, there is a gun that keeps people at the "Wedding Banquet." Jesus never advocated a shotgun wedding. He sent out invitations to all who would come. And it was just that, an invitation. His servants didn't hold a gun to anyone's head, they just moved on if the invitation was refused.

Jesus respected (in the parable) those who were too busy or had other obligations to come to the wedding feast. He just went on to invite others not so busy. Jesus seemed to be more interested in those who actually wanted to be there. In fact, He made it a point to keep others away. Those who really wanted it couldn't be held back. They were dying to get in.

My how the tables have turned. These days pastors have to bend over backwards, preach until they are blue, perform magic tricks or a comedy act to KEEP people coming back. We need a gimmicky rock band to play entertaining music that passes for worship to appeal to the people.

For those who think I have judged the institution too harshly as an "outsider" (free believer) I will take this to the other side of the fold. Those of us who are free can be proven to hold our share of the blame. Some who insist on freedom seem to feel a need that others cross into "the wild" at the point of our own guns. While hellfire may not be the gun I use (as that was the weapon of the institution) I have no problem with using my "you are wrong and you can't be wrong" gun.

My attitude was that if you don't live in the wild, you just aren't free and are in bondage to the Institution. That in itself became the gunpoint tactic that I used to prove my own stance as a free believer.

I was talking the other day with someone who is a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He was explaining his rituals and liturgy to me. One thing I noticed is that the Eastern Orthodox Church is not evangelistic by any stretch. They aren't out there on a mission for Jesus to bring people into the church. In fact, the man I was talking to had no desire to tell me to go to his church. He wouldn't have extended an invitation at all to me had I not expressed the slightest interest. He was just content in that I knew Father's love through His son and was content to call me a brother in Christ. I would have suspected even that he wouldn't have pushed on me had I been an unbeliever.

Lately I am drawn to look into more traditional churches outside of the mainstream protestant movement. I find that such people are rather quiet and modest about their faith and have no real agenda to win me over. But they are all too happy to discuss it with me if I am so inclined to ask the questions. Yet I find that people are very happy to attend services without any coercion, bribery, manipulation or gimmick. In fact, to the outsider the liturgical services would appear quite boring and dry, or even legalistic. But to those in the church who understand and appreciate the depth of the rituals and feasts and such in the meetings, you can't keep them away.

I am not saying that I advocate any particular sect or denomination nor will I ever convert to or join such a one. But there is a real value in lessons to be learned from such people. I notice a real humility in my dealing with Orthodox Christians. There is a plainness and a respectful quietness to the Ana-baptists. Even some Catholics (in spite of how I feel about their religion) treat me with a certain respect as I am entitled to my view of the faith.

I hold that a true Christian, in the wild or otherwise, knows that whatever the call is, it is done with a soft, gentle, wooing invitation. There is no need to argue or debate, threaten or coerce in any way to bring one to the banquet table.

In spite of the great service he did for Christians, Martin Luther was notorious for this shotgun approach. I find most protestant or non-liturgical sects and denominations use the shotgun approach more than anyone else. AS time progressed after the Great Reformation, more and more churches adopted the shotgun wedding. Of course this all came from the corrupted Roman Church so they only did what they knew.

The problem with a shotgun-wedding church is that one cannot tell the difference between sheep and goats, since both are there out of fear, in bondage to the words of that particular pastor or method of that particular institution. Goats are afraid to be goats so they pretend to be sheep so as not to have to suffer at the point of a gun from their herders. Sheep are afraid to be sheep and follow the true Shepherd should He lead them in a way contrary to the ones who hold the guns.

So how do we separate the sheep from the goats? Put down the guns and open the doors. Let them go where they may. The goats will run off into the wild, to sin and anything evil, and the sheep will go wherever their Shepherd leads them.

The words of the prophet ring true "All we like sheep have gone astray, turning every man to his own way."