Many Christians pay little attention to Jesus.
Take J.D. Vance, who proudly wears the name Christian.
He has been in a spat with Rory Stewart, a podcaster, about biblical teachings.
Vance says we love people in this order: “First, you love your family, then your neighbor. After that, it’s your community, then your fellow citizens in your own country, then the rest of the world.”
Stewart says that sounds pagan.
Vance says loving your family, friends, and people of your own country first is just “common sense.”
Stewart says that’s a “bizarre” statement.
And Vance says Stewart “has a low IQ.”
(Time for someone to say, “So’s your mama.”)
Stewart, of course, is right. What Vance says is pagan.
It’s doing what comes naturally.
But it’s not the Gospel.
It’s not what Jesus taught. He says in Matthew 5:46 that if you love those who love you, you get no reward.
Why should you?
Jesus said, “Even the Gentiles (the pagans) do that.”
Jesus tells us to love people who do not love us just as we love those who do.
Jesus calls us to love all people everywhere.
That must include gay people, trans people, and immigrants.
I won’t comment on Mr. Vance’s IQ. I suspect it is pretty high.
But he doesn’t know how to love.
Listen—our Discovering God classes start with NDEs, beginning Wed., March 12, at 6:30 PM.
Drop me an email if you are interested.