I don’t always “like” having to write blogs like this one because it forces me to dive headlong into the ugly parts of Christianity, as they exist today. It is nonetheless part of my duty to the Spirit of the Lord who motivates me. On that note, please forgive me up front for missing the mark in any way. I promise you that my intentions are good. My prayer is that blogs like this one cause you to take pause and listen to what God the Holy Spirit is saying to you, personally.

There’s a certain type of perversion that exists which reminds me of a photographic negative (aka “negative”). Now, you might be too young to know what I’m talking about, so I’ll try to explain, briefly (and I encourage you to stop reading for just a moment and search the Internet for a picture of a negative). When old film-based cameras take a picture, they produce a negative on a roll of film that must later be processed with chemicals to become a picture of the original subject.

In photography, a negative is an image, usually on a strip or sheet of transparent plastic film, in which the lightest areas of the photographed subject appear darkest and the darkest areas appear lightest.
- Wikipedia.com

I’ve always found negatives a bit creepy, eerie, even, especially when they are of human beings. I’m not a neuroscientist, but to me it seems like the human brain must do an uncomfortable flip-flop in order to digest what it’s looking at when taking in a negative. The experience can sometimes knock your wits off-kilter, and for a moment be unsettling.

While we’re able to distinguish what a negative is, based on recognizable features, outlines, and shading, there is definitely something “off”. For example, while it may look like a person, our brain tells us that it really isn’t a true representation. Something is backwards and it is disconcerting.

In Christianity, I see this play out over and over again, where people carve out a personality or project certain characteristics about themselves that are truly disturbing to someone who understands who Christ is. They use Holy Scripture as the basis of their proclamations, but they’ve flip-flopped the meaning, often taking scripture out of context, to suit their own desires. Let me give you a few examples and hopefully by the end of this blog you’ll understand what I’m trying to say here.

I’ve heard Christians attempt to justify the following (I’m summarizing, of course):
1. Hatred towards “anyone who attacks Christ and His Church.”
2. Misery because “suffering for Jesus is hard.”
3. Fear and anxiety because “the world persecutes incessantly.”
4. Impatience with “those who should know better by now.”
5. Partiality (and often mercilessness) towards “deserving enemies.”
6. Immorality based on so-called “love”.
7. Disloyalty and unfaithfulness because “others failed first.”
8. Hardness towards “impenitent sinners.”
9. Fickleness as a response to “the fickleness of others.”

I don’t have the space to call out every scriptural reference I’ve heard used to support the above claims, but trust me when I say, I’ve heard them all (at least enough to write this blog)!

I’ve learned over the years that the fundamental issue is people like to play God. Let that sink in…

For example, regarding point #1 above, people will quote the likes of:

The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.
- Psalm 5:5-7

However, this same person will dismiss Jesus’ words:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.”
- Matthew 5:43-45a

Why would anyone choose to take the seat of God instead of the one which Jesus instructs us to take regarding our enemies? My discernment tells me it’s because it is an efficient way of stepping over others on their way to self-righteousness and self-elevation. In fact, if I were to walk through all nine of the points above, I’d be merely repeating myself nine times over.

The reason negative Christians exist is because they have a human flesh that wants to push others down in an effort to diminish their own offenses against the Holy God of the Universe. To judge in the place of God is the greatest offense of all (ala Proverbs 6:17)!

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
- Galatians 5:16-26

Did you, perchance, notice something about the nine points I made at the start of this blog and the nine facets of the “fruit of the Spirit” listed in v22-23? Before reading on, scroll up and see if you can make the connection.

How’d you do? Do you see how the nine so-called “justifiable” points I captured represent the negative version of the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit?

You see, a negative Christian is not walking by the Spirit, ala v16. In fact, given their misappropriation of Bible doctrine they have shown themselves as someone seeking to “gratify the desires of the flesh.” And like Satan when He tempted Jesus in the wilderness in Matthew 4:1-11, they use Holy Scripture to support their perversions.

I challenge you to ponder each of the nine points I made earlier and find scripture someone might use to support their false claims. Then, complete the task by finding scripture that refutes such claims. What you’ll find, minimally, is a pattern which is characterized by taking the prior out of context to suit fleshly desires. It’s not that hard to do. In fact, there are multitudes of false religions that use the Holy Bible to justify their perversions.

Christianity is never an excuse for hatred, misery, fear/anxiety, impatience, partiality, immorality, disloyalty, hardness, or fickleness; and yet, many so-called Christians do just that. Be very careful with what you’re trying to justify in your life, my friend.

Shall we ever, in response to this type of perversion, justify our own misplaced judgement towards others who may be failing? May it never be, lest we make ourselves a negative!

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
- 1 Peter 3:8-12

As the Bible states, let us work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for we aren’t perfect, either – not by a long shot! If you discover you, too, are a bit negative, then surrender to God’s plan for you and allow Him to “develop” you through the sanctifying work of His Spirit. He shall make things right so that you are vibrant with righteous color, bearing fruit of the Spirit, to His glory.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
- Philippians 2:12-16

Love in Christ,

Ed Collins