Too many Jonah’s and not enough Nathans

Maine Progressive · 2026-02-20T07:03:23-0600

Jonah 4:4 And the LORD said, "Do you do well to be angry?”
2Sam 12:7 Nathan said to David, "You are the man.”

As far as I can tell, there are too many evangelicals whose zeal amounts to blind opposition to everything secular and too many evangelicals without the courage to challenge leaders whose policies they have endorsed.

Maine Progressive · 2026-02-20T07:06:58-0600

urrggh. I wish there was an edit function. I apologize for the possessive on Jonah. Careless. I need to take a breath between writing and posting. Next time I'll use the preview button.

weary2025 · 2026-02-20T07:11:28-0600

I believe the secular world is evil. Its entertainment, politics, and values are mostly godless

weary2025 · 2026-02-20T07:13:32-0600

Maine Progressive said:
urrggh. I wish there was an edit function. I apologize for the possessive on Jonah. Careless. I need to take a breath between writing and posting. Next time I'll use the preview button.

There is an edit for your post. Push those three dots at the bottom of the post

Maria Billingsley · 2026-02-20T07:41:54-0600

We should keep in mind that the secular world is the "harvest" . Jesus Christ of Nazareth predicted how few Christians work the harvest for the Kingdom of God. It always puzzles me as to why some Christians isolate themselves from the world. Jesus Christ of Nazareth did not. He engaged with sinners while teaching them His Gospel of love. I know there are weak Christians out there however, if one has the " full armor of God" , His Holy Spirit, nothing can stop the process of Evangelism. Afterall, this is His mandate to the church , to spread the Good News to all the (secular) world.

"Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest'"
Matthew 9:37-38

Blessings.

Maine Progressive · 2026-02-20T08:31:03-0600

Thank you for the wise comments. You are so correct. We are so eager to point out the evils of secularism and emphasize God's coming wrath (and our delight in hoping for it). And, like Johah, believe that God wants to punish all these bad people. We can't conceive of a loving God who not only cares deeply for all secular people, but longs for us to also love them and recognize that in their own way, just like the Ninevehites, those we are so certain will be condemned secularists may instead become God's people and have something to teach us.

Maine Progressive · 2026-02-20T08:45:36-0600

weary2025 said:
I believe the secular world is evil. Its entertainment, politics, and values are mostly godless

Thanks for that. I do appreciate what you are saying. Look, I probably don't see the whole picture. But, please allow me to share what I see as the expanding difference between now and my past in this statement 'Its entertainment, politics, and values are mostly godless'. When I was saved, like others, I put aside movies, dancing, all alcohol, smoking, cards, fast cars, casual dating. Why? Not because I thought they were evil in themselves. Not because I thought they were godless. But because it was an attempt to display Christ to those who did not know Him. That's the difference. I'm not out to condemn all secularity. I would just like people, secular or not, to bring Christ into the picture. With Him there we can both begin to understand each other and learn from each other.

weary2025 · 2026-02-20T09:20:36-0600

Maine Progressive said:
Thank you for the wise comments. You are so correct. We are so eager to point out the evils of secularism and emphasize God's coming wrath (and our delight in hoping for it). And, like Johah, believe that God wants to punish all these bad people. We can't conceive of a loving God who not only cares deeply for all secular people, but longs for us to also love them and recognize that in their own way, just like the Ninevehites, those we are so certain will be condemned secularists may instead become God's people and have something to teach us.

The Bible teaches that the world is God's enemy

Maine Progressive · 2026-02-20T15:15:25-0600

weary2025 said:
The Bible teaches that the world is God's enemy

I hear you. And it does make one weary. It is difficult in this secular time to sustain one's Christian values. And I'm way over on the left and it is still difficult for me as well. So amidst the struggle, one can begin to feel that the world is our enemy. And then we project that on to God. But, if you pay attention to the Bible, I think you must recognize that God loves the world. However much it rebels, God made the world, He sacrificed His son because of His love. He permanently set aside His war bow in the sky to demonstrate that He would never again seek to destroy humanity. That is not a God who views the world as His enemy.

Rescued One · 2026-02-20T16:07:23-0600

People don't change sinners. God does that!

Ephesians 2: 1-14.

11In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.

Our kindness to others can be a witness but doesn't guarantee they will be converted.

Rescued One · 2026-02-20T16:11:52-0600

P. S. I've been to Maine several times in the seventies.

bèlla · 2026-02-20T16:28:38-0600

The crux of the problem isn't evangelicals. It's the unwillingness to recognize the holding pattern in christianity. Most believers are waiting for change or for someone else to take action. That's their natural response and the OP is doing the same. The mandate was given to all not a group within christendom. Go and make disciples. We spend too much time on who dropped the ball instead of picking up the slack. That's what it means it to be a team, body, etc.

~bella

Rescued One · 2026-02-20T16:57:38-0600

Christians are to be a Light.

Those who only claim to be Christians are not a Light.

rebornfree · 2026-02-21T03:37:38-0600

Maine Progressive said:
Thank you for the wise comments. You are so correct. We are so eager to point out the evils of secularism and emphasize God's coming wrath (and our delight in hoping for it). And, like Johah, believe that God wants to punish all these bad people. We can't conceive of a loving God who not only cares deeply for all secular people, but longs for us to also love them and recognize that in their own way, just like the Ninevehites, those we are so certain will be condemned secularists may instead become God's people and have something to teach us.

Why would anyone hope for God's wrath? I hope that everyone would come to salvation. God loves everyone (John 3 v 16). Sadly, not everyone accepts His love, but it's there waiting for them. That's wonderful news, if only they will accept it.

Maine Progressive · 2026-02-21T07:51:19-0600

That is so true. It is the message that we should be shouting from the rooftops, so to speak. Instead, as I listen, the loudest Christians are the ones who seem entirely focused on the bad, the sin, the awfulness of the world and the secular people in it. Truly, I'm with you. I don't get it. Evangelicalism, as far as I can tell, has sold out to fear and loathing. It's sad.

weary2025 · 2026-02-21T07:56:03-0600

Maine Progressive said:
That is so true. It is the message that we should be shouting from the rooftops, so to speak. Instead, as I listen, the loudest Christians are the ones who seem entirely focused on the bad, the sin, the awfulness of the world and the secular people in it. Truly, I'm with you. I don't get it. Evangelicalism, as far as I can tell, has sold out to fear and loathing. It's sad.

This world is evil. Its pride, politics, beauty, entertainment, and refusal to acknowledge jesus. Its all evil

Maine Progressive · 2026-02-21T08:01:59-0600

Well, of course. But we are laborers in the field. God produces the harvest, yes. But it's our job to plant the seed. We do that by demonstrating the outstanding compassion and charity Christ directed us to in the beatitudes. Mt 5:16 is just one example "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." There are many like that. If evangelicals would make charity their priority instead of fear and loathing I do believe there would be a revival like the world has never seen before.

Maine Progressive · 2026-02-21T10:32:59-0600

Maine Progressive said:
Jonah 4:4 And the LORD said, "Do you do well to be angry?”
2Sam 12:7 Nathan said to David, "You are the man.”

As far as I can tell, there are too many evangelicals whose zeal amounts to blind opposition to everything secular and too many evangelicals without the courage to challenge leaders whose policies they have endorsed.

I appreciate the discussions so far concerning the Jonah aspect i.e. focusing on the evil instead of focusing on seeking the salvation of the lost. But I would also emphasize the Nathan aspect. It astonishes me that there are no evangelicals like Nathan who will speak to today's President as did Nathan. Why is that?

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Too many Jonah’s and not enough Nathans

The war bow. God uses metaphors.

The war bow. God uses metaphors.

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The war bow. God uses metaphors.

The war bow. God uses metaphors.

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The war bow. God uses metaphors.

...yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me

...yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me

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...yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me

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The war bow. God uses metaphors.

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The war bow. God uses metaphors.

The war bow. God uses metaphors.

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