Throughout our lives if we are living as faithful followers of Christ, we will be ridiculed, mocked, scoffed, called a radical, extremist, narrow minded, opinionated, teetotaler.
Have I miss any? Probably.
I was called a teetotaler once by a Christian woman who was involved in drinking. For some reason, some get enjoyment from calling one names. It is as if they believe a Christian does not “feel” anything and can take anything from others with a smile, that it doesn’t hurt their heart when they are called names, but when Truth is attacked, a Christian must take a stand. We cannot be neutral in positions of Biblical principle, no matter how much we hate being called names. I’m always reminded of a quotation when others sling their venomous darts toward a Christian.
“Saul attacked Christians, but Jesus said, ‘You are persecuting Me.’ If you attack His people, Jesus takes it personally. So think twice before you backstab or gossip or speak against a child of God. Their Lord is listening.” ~Schlabach
Observe which side resorts to the most vociferous name-calling and you are likely to have identified the side with the weaker argument and they know it.” ~ Anderson
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
While writing this article, it occurred to me that our Lord too was called a name to ridicule, mock and hurt Him.
“In the New Testament, Jesus is referred to as the King of the Jews, both at the beginning of His life and at the end. In the Koine Greek of the New Testament, e.g. in John 19:3 this is written Basileus ton loudaion.
Both uses of the title lead to dramatic results in the New Testament accounts. In the account of the birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, the wise men who came from the east called Jesus the “King of the Jews,” causing King Herod to order the Massacre of the Innocents. Towards the end of the accounts of all four Gospels, in the narrative of the Passion of Jesus, the use of the “King of the Jews” title leads to charges against Jesus that result in His crucifixion. The INRI (Latin) represents the Latin inscription which in English reads as “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews” and John 19:20 states that this was written in three languages – Aramaic, Latin, and Greek during the crucifixion of Jesus.”
“Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not The King of the Jews, but that He said, I Am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.” John 19:19-22
“To be considered an extremist can be either a compliment or a censure, depending upon one’s general tenor of life and the issue involved. Some matters are of such a nature that they must be held inviolate, though one may be slurred as an extremist, while other issues of lesser importance can be compromised without violating conscience.
The Apostle Paul was accused of being mad, an insane radical. But there is a difference between a person with uncompromising convictions and a fanatic with self-centered stubbornness. We are commanded, “Stand fast in the faith,” and to some people, this makes us extremists. Thanks for the compliment! ~Leroy Brownlow
Eileen Light