Could it be you're afraid
Of what your friends might say
If they knew you believe in God above? They should realize before they criticize
That God is the only way to love.
I’ll bet you’re not familiar with this one. It’s not from a hymn or a contemporary Christian band. It was actually recorded in 1971 by the early heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Now, Black Sabbath has a notorious history, some of it undeserved, some of it very much deserved. But the words of this song are a pleasant surprise. Written by bassist Geezer Butler mostly in response to the fighting between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland at the time, that people were killing each other in Jesus’ name seemed appalling and hypocritical.
Sadly, factions have existed in the Church from the very beginning. In Acts chapter 6 we read of a dispute between the Greek and Hebrew disciples over distribution of food to widows. The Apostle Paul called for unity among Christians, writing: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). We shall be with Him forever after.
With all its religious wars, inquisitions, and persecutions, the Christian Church has a notorious history, some of it very much deserved. But only because it is administered on earth by fallible sinful people. Rather than hide the skeletons in our closet, either present or historical, our witness to the world should be that we too are sinners in need of God’s mercy. Rather than being ashamed of our faith, we should share the message of the Gospel, “That God is the only way to love.”
Comments