In this time, it is important to speak the truth in love to your Christian friends who are caught up in worldly ideologies.  The Apostle Paul writes in Gal. 6:1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.  The temptation can come in the form of self-righteousness by not removing the log from our eye, engaging in similar sin by returning evil for evil or being unwilling to reason, thus not demonstrating wisdom from above (James 3).

Therefore, we must practice careful listening and really hear out someone’s concerns and then reason with the Scriptures and let the power of God’s word do its work.  During these interactions, work on having tremendous compassion for those who have been mistreated, especially because there are certain kinds of mistreatment that many of us will never experience, so to minimize or discount it would be highly unloving.

Also, be very hesitant of engaging in public posting and be careful not to get in Facebook fights that are full of unfounded opinions.  If you see someone articulating things that are off base, reach out privately and ask if you can talk so that you can understand exactly what they are trying to communicate.  Lastly, trust in the all-sufficient Scriptures, in which God has spoken clearly on how Christians are to respond to hatred, violence and injustice.

May these principles drive us to be more holy and compassionate in our hearts and therefore more useful for God to promote his agenda of advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ.  And may Christians never be silent about the ultimate remedy to man’s problem of evil and injustice: the gospel of Jesus Christ; how God, the Son came to earth as a man to suffer unjustly to pay the penalty for the sins of all those of any ethnicity who entrust themselves to him.