Grace is a lovely young lady of nineteen years. She professes to be a Christian. She goes to church regularly, gives money in the offering, reads her Bible and prays. Her pastor teaches that since Christ is our righteousness Christians are free from the confines of God’s moral law. He teaches that Christian liberty is the freedom to do whatever we wish, even sin. He just finished a sermon series he called Scandalous Freedom. There are a few caveats, but the basic message comes through loud and clear- you are free from God’s moral law through Christ. Free not just from the curse of the law but also its commanding authority in our lives. Grace is encouraged by this teaching to go ahead and move in with her boyfriend. They plan on getting married later but with college and all it just isn’t the right time. She prayed about it and has a peace about her decision and she really does love him. They were drinking one night and a few weeks later she realizes that she is pregnant. They can’t afford a baby right now. She begins to contemplate having an abortion. At first her conscience bothers her about the idea but her boyfriend is all for it and the pastor’s teaching seems to allow for this kind of freedom. Yes, he did say we are free to do it right or wrong. That is all she needs. She schedules an appointment for an abortion.

People love quoting the Bible. We seem to have an instinctive knowledge that if we want authority behind what we say we quote a Bible verse. Even those who don’t believe the Bible have favorite verses that they sling around from time to time. Especially when someone challenges the actions or lifestyle of another as being unhealthy or wrong, invariably you will hear something like this, “you can’t judge me!” or “judge not, lest you be judged”.

This may seem like something strange to say, but I want to thank all the scorners of conservative Christians. I want to thank the mockers and the scoffers. I want to thank all those who rejoice when professing Christians fall. I even want to thank those who have directed their contempt to my family. I don’t thank them because I approve of their mocking, scoffing, and hatred, but rather because of the great service they are rendering to the people of God. I don’t thank them because I think they are just and fair in their contemptuous words, but if we are careful we just might find something of value in what they say.