This episode expands on the previous episode, emphasizing the appropriate posture of believers to non-Christians, based on 2 Timothy 2:22-26. "The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to ALL, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition," who "are held captive by him [the devil] to do his will." The present culture war mentality of many evangelicals in the United States is evidently not informed by Pauline theology, where the devil is the real adversary and unbelievers are his hostages. The episode bluntly confronts the quarrelsome posture of culture warrior Christians whose mission and hatred are misplaced. More informed by the vitriol of Fox News than the liberating imperative of the Great Commission, these believers make worldly power an end, and some version of Christian nationalism the means, resulting in, not surprisingly, further alienation and mistrust from non-believing hostages. Their mission is misplaced and is tantamount to shooting prisoners that Christians are commanded to liberate. The culture war mentality contradicts the winsome mission-oriented focus of Paul, in which believers are admonished to "pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." (2 Timothy 2:22)
Don’t Shoot the Hostages!
This episode is an invitation to have mercy on many embracing identity politics. 2 Timothy 2 tells us that unbelievers are held captive by the devil to do his will. The real enemy is the devil and not the hostages, so waging war against "liberals" per se is misplaced and tantamount to shooting the hostages. Extending mercy, as Micah 6:8 commands is a much more effective way to "win" the culture war.