You Should Know Better

Scripture: Luke 12:48b – “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.” (NRSVUE)

In the history of Christian missionary work, the most important Bible passage is the Great Commission from the Gospel According to Matthew. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”

Many missionaries spread out to all corners of the world so that strangers to the faith could be baptized and saved. But one question always nagged at them. What about those we never encounter? If you were a member of an isolated tribe in the Amazon rain forest, would God condemn you for never hearing about Jesus? To some the answer was yes, which gave them more impetus to try to convert everyone. But to others, doubts about how a just and loving God could condemn the innocent made them doubt the effectiveness of their efforts. Does God just want baptisms, or is there something more?

They probably looked to a passage like Luke 12:48. Jesus gives a parable about slaves needing to be ready for when their master returns after a long absence. The disciples are confused over what this is supposed to mean to them. Jesus explains that the master is the Son of Man returning to the world at the end of time, and the slaves are the faithful people who await his return. The loyal slave keeps doing what they are supposed to be doing while the master is away, but the wicked slave takes advantage of his absence to beat and abuse others and to get drunk. That slave is to be severely punished because he should have known better. Others, who had no sense of what an absent master wanted would be shown leniency, even if they did the same thing. Jesus concludes that it is worse to know the truth of the Messiah and do evil than it is to not know about him.

History bears Jesus’ prediction out. Though certainly not all, many of the missionaries committed great atrocities against those they came to “save”. Some were done actively, by slaughtering those who did not convert. Others thought they could destroy the local culture so the people could assimilate into the Christian/Western way of life. Some unwittingly brought disease to those they wanted to help. Others used faith as an excuse to grab resources and power. Who do you think would God judge the most?

Being a Christian should bring us great comfort, for we know we have a savior who will forgive our mistakes and inspire us to hope and goodness. But if we take that faith and use it to hurt others, what good is it? So many people have abandoned their faith or dismissed it with disgust because atheists seem to do more good than Christians.

Christians have great grace, but also great responsibility. Even if we believe that Jesus died for our sins no matter what we do, we still have higher expectations put upon us.

What act of kindness or charity is God calling for you to do today? Use your faith to do more than your unfaithful but well-meaning neighbor might do. After all, you know better.

Prayer: Jesus, you have given me the truth. Help me to live it faithfully in all I do. Amen.