Join Us "Fools"

Christians talk much about good news. That’s good: gospel means “good news” in Greek. But what about the bad news? If all we talk about is good news, the necessary bad news does not make sense.

And if the bugle [trumpet] gives an indistinct [uncertain] sound, who will get ready for battle? (1 Corinthians 14:8)

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13–16)

Scripture tells Christians to be clear and bold about what they are supposed to be doing in this world. In the clutter of perhaps even well-meaning quotes and memes, however, some may not give the whole message or willfully ignore part of it. For decades now, the church has been telling people that Jesus loves them, that he died for their sins, that he is forgiving, meek, and kind. This is all truth—but it’s not the whole truth. When Jesus talked to people who thought they were “free” and “ok” with God as Abraham’s offspring, he let them know that they were neither. They thought they were right with God, but they were wrong.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:31–36)

This discussion in Scripture escalated from there, and such offense was taken that Jesus was nearly stoned. Would someone today have taken offense at Jesus’ words there, too? Likely so! But he knew what they needed to hear (and he knew they wanted to kill him, yet he still said it). How can you tell someone how to be free if they think they are already free?

And that is the beauty (and difficulty) of telling people the whole gospel afresh—because many today don’t know the foundation of it: they’ve only been told the “happy ending.” If we start in Genesis, we can see the scarlet thread throughout Scripture, leading the way to this “happy ending” in the blood of Christ. I’ve even heard people ask, “Why?” when told that Jesus died for them or loved them. The “why” is in Genesis. It’s ugly and we don’t want to hear it, but we must face it before we can begin to understand how much of an affront any sin is to a holy God. God gave us life, and when Adam rebelled against our Creator, we as a human race chose death instead (and still do). Even so, God had a plan all along to send his Son to take on human flesh (Jesus was fully man and fully God), to live sinlessly, and to, thus, be able to take humanity’s death sentence and leave it in the grave when he rose again.

The ministry of Answers in Genesis and all its writers, speakers, graphic designers, custodial members, food service workers, etc., all ultimately want to share the good news with others that we have experienced personally: the freedom from our past slavery to sin,* the joy of fellowship with other believers, the love of the Creator of the universe, and the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ and our spending eternity with him. How could we not want others to share in those (and many more) blessings?

So, yes, on this “April Fools Day” that falls just before Good Friday, the date we acknowledge Christ’s sacrificing himself on the cross, we want to shoot straight with you: join us in what the world calls foolishness.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8)

Answers in Genesis has many free resources just a click away for you to explore more of the why for yourself or to share it with others.

* Note that we’re still human and that we still sin. But we are enabled to avoid it through the power of the Holy Spirit, and when we still fail, we should be pained and repent.