A friend of mine shared something disturbing from a sermon he heard at a conservative meeting recently. The preacher exhorted the congregation to "have nothing to do" with any family member that has "left the truth." His text?
Luke 14.
Thought I'd share the irony. As with most things I'm noticing, there is indeed great irony. For example, when it came to "expelling people" and "having nothing to do with them" the example of Paul and the Judaizers is used. The irony? Those who placed addendums to the simple Gospel were the perpetrators (and of course were physically coming into the community stirring up dissension).
But
Luke 14 is even more ironic. Loyalty is a huge value among Pentecostal congregations. Loyalty to the pastor is even preached about. I'd say a Western value would include family (but not as great a value as it was in Jesus' time in the East). So in v25 when Jesus makes His call for discipleship, he is saying that "no matter the cost" (thinking Deitrich Boehnhoffer here) we should follow him. Even if it means ticking off your family, and them hating you for it -- even disowning you! Jesus comes first!
Missing in this exhortation is any instruction for believers to "reject" unbelieving family members. Once again, Biblical literalist, and agenda-happy cultists hijack the word for their own pleasure.
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