‘My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me’ – John 10:27 NLT
If I heard a voice telling me to sacrifice a lamb to God, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus, whose death on the cross put an end to such practices once and for all (Hebrews 10:1-18).
If I heard a voice telling me to employ violence against anyone, friend or foe, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus, who strictly commands his followers to drop their swords (Matthew 26:52).
If I heard a voice telling me to remove the alien from my community, insisting he or she doesn’t belong there, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus, who commands his followers to welcome the stranger as if they were welcoming him (Matthew 25:35; 40).
If I heard a voice telling me to take the means of procuring food from the poor, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus, who commands his followers to feed the hungry (Matthew 14:16; 25:35; 40)
If I heard a voice telling me to take away the ability of the poor to access healthcare, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus, who sends his followers into the world to heal the sick and hurting (Matthew 10:8).
If I heard a voice telling me that it was okay to harm children, or to consider their deaths ‘collateral damage,’ I would know this was not the voice of Jesus, who took little children in his arms and blessed them (Mark 10:16).
If I heard a voice telling me to ravage the environment for the sake of profit, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus, who made all things and died so that his creation would one day be restored (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Romans 8:22).
If I heard a voice telling me to hate my enemies, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus, who commands his followers to love their enemies (Matthew 5:44).
If I heard a voice telling me to seize political power and wield it to force my will upon those beneath me, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus, who rejected that very temptation and calls his followers to do the same (Matthew 4:8-10; Luke 6:40; Matthew 20:25-28).
If I heard a voice telling me to accumulate money and possessions beyond my needs, thereby neglecting my responsibilities to help others, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus because he specifically said such behavior ends in judgment (Luke 16:19-31).
If I heard a voice telling me to demean another person, or class of persons, because they were in some way different than me, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus, who loves and treats everyone with respect, and calls his followers to do the same (see, well, the Gospels).
If I heard a voice telling me to ignore oppression, or side with the oppressor, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus, whose mission is to set the oppressed free, scatter the proud, and topple tyrants from their thrones (Luke 1:51-53).
If I heard a voice telling me to do any of these things, I would know this was not the voice of Jesus.
Why then, do so many Christians heed such voices?
Under Christ’s Mercy,
Brent
Postscript – I don’t know of any Christians who sacrifice lambs these days. But as for the rest…