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By Jeremy Lopez
There’s a subtle danger in faith that doesn’t get talked about enough: the moment when defending Christ causes us to stop reflecting Christ.
Most of us don’t set out to do this. In fact, it often begins with good intentions. A desire to honor Jesus. A frustration with how casually His name is used. A concern that truth is being compromised or ignored.
But somewhere along the way, something shifts.
Our defense becomes louder than our discipleship. Our arguments become sharper than our love. And the Christ we claim to protect becomes harder to see in us.
Jesus Never Asked to Be Defended
One of the most striking things about Jesus is how little effort He spent protecting Himself.
When He was misunderstood, He often remained silent. When He was mocked, He didn’t retaliate. When He was falsely accused, He didn’t launch a campaign to correct the narrative.
Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Peter pulled out a sword to “defend” Him, Jesus stopped him. “Put your sword away.” Not because the threat wasn’t real, but because violence, force, and domination were never part of the Kingdom’s strategy.
Jesus wasn’t weak. He was deliberate. He trusted that truth doesn’t need aggression to survive.
The Temptation to Confuse Zeal with Faithfulness
In today’s culture, volume is often mistaken for conviction. The louder someone speaks, the more passionate we assume they are. The harsher the tone, the more “serious” we think they must be about truth.
But Scripture paints a very different picture.
Truth is not fragile. Grace is not passive. And righteousness does not require cruelty to make its point.
When our defense of Christ causes us to belittle others, dismiss their humanity, or reduce them to enemies, we may be protecting an idea of Jesus while misrepresenting the person of Jesus.
When Winning the Argument Becomes the Goal
One of the clearest warning signs is this: when being right matters more than being Christlike.
It shows up when:
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We talk at people instead of listening to them
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We use Scripture as a weapon instead of a window
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We feel justified in being unkind because “truth matters”
Truth does matter. But truth divorced from love stops sounding like good news.
Jesus never treated people as projects to fix, or opponents to defeat. He met them where they were, often in their confusion, sin, or doubt, and invited them into something better.
The Pharisee Problem (And Why It’s Still Ours)
The people Jesus confronted most directly weren’t the morally confused or spiritually indifferent. They were the religious leaders who believed they were defending God.
They knew the Scriptures. They enforced the rules. They guarded tradition. And yet they missed Him standing right in front of them.
It’s a sobering reminder that it’s possible to be passionately religious and profoundly un-Christlike at the same time.
What Faithfulness Actually Looks Like
Faithfulness doesn’t always look bold or confrontational. Often, it looks quiet and costly.
It looks like:
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Loving people who don’t agree with us
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Speaking truth without contempt
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Extending grace without compromise
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Choosing humility over outrage
Defending Christ isn’t about controlling the culture. It’s about reflecting the character of Jesus in a world desperate to see something real.
A Better Witness
The world doesn’t need us to protect Jesus from being offended. It needs us to live in a way that makes Him visible.
If our defense drives people further from Christ, we should be willing to ask whether we’re actually defending Him, or defending our own fears, frustrations, and need to be right.
Jesus didn’t conquer hearts with force. He won them with love.
And maybe the most faithful thing we can do is stop trying to defend Christ long enough to actually follow Him.
Patrick Carden
