Happy Independence Day…though sadly, I believe strongly that the country we are celebrating today has clearly changed from the dreams of a free society that the Founders declared in 1776. I know, I know…some today will celebrate thinking they are more free than they were last week. They are wrong…they have gained some level of relational freedom (though even that is a myth…no homosexual anywhere in our country was ever denied the ability to get married…you could have found many places in every city, every state, where you could have pulled that off) BUT AT THE SAME TIME, they and the rest of us have given the central government a free reign of power that King George III would have been stunned to have.
Read that again…we declared independence from a centralized government that we deemed oppressive, perhaps even tyrannical….and that government was far weaker than we have allowed our government to become. In winning, the champions of homosexual marriage or government-backed health care have actually submitted like peasants to a central government that will continue to push further, taking over more aspects of life. It is a very somber, perhaps even tragic day of celebration of the Fourth of July.
So, anyway, Three days ago, I started a short series about my thoughts relative to the recent decisions coming from our Supreme Court. This is the fourth posting, based on I Peter 4. I came to this chapter while praying and thinking, and through it, I found my verbal footing, some insights that help me express my thoughts about this new reality in our country that I find very challenging, very troubling. Here’s the next passage in I Peter:
I Peter 4: 16-19 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God…
…and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Two more distinct thoughts here as I continue to share my thoughts about the recent decisions from our Supreme Court, and the result within the country. Peter says something critical here for any who reads, but especially, Christians who claim to be concerned about the direction of our country. God clearly brings discipline and judgment, to His own first but also to everyone else.
I do think, as I wrote earlier, that the country as we know it has been irreparably altered. I do think Franklin is right that we have entered a time of despotism…and note that despotism can be done by a Republic…more easily by a Democracy (something we aren’t, but everyone continues to claim we are). This doesn’t take a dictator in the manner of a Stalin to be despotic.
But, that change, what I would call a failure to maintain the country and the ideals of the Founders is mostly, perhaps solely, the failure of Christians to live according to the way of God. For decades, polls have suggested that 90% or more of the country claims to be a Christian. However, in the past decade that percentage has dipped, to around 80%, maybe 75%, but still….75% of a civic society claiming a religious faith with very clear principles and values? And we make these decisions?
The reality is that our failure comes inside the church. Even if we get more honest and admit that probably less than 30%, maybe as little as 15% of the country is Christian…when you look inside the church, we see a sad story. Divorce remains high in the church. Christians are guilty of envy, gluttony, pride, avarice. Using the logic of Jesus as expressed during the Sermon on the Mount, we have many murderers and adulterers sitting in the pews, standing in the choir, teaching others. You can see the deep consumerism, dripping with financial excess and carrying the whiff of envy and greed on many church buildings.
Many will correctly point the sin of homosexuality, and then loudly decry it, and yet say nothing about the lies on their own lips, let alone the sins of omission such as not spending time reading the Bible, helping the less fortunate, visiting others in hospitals or prisons. Some Christians have correctly written on social media platforms to make no mistake, that God will not be mocked. They mean it as a warning to others supporting homosexual marriage. However, they miss or ignore the fact that He indeed won’t be mocked when those who claim His name clearly act and live in ways that are counter to His expressed commands.
So, this irreparable negative change to the country, as I see it, may actually be part of a judgment by God on Christians in this place. Thus, rather than assuming God will come to save the day and “strike down the evil homosexuals” or the “evil Supreme Court,” God may rather have unleashed these forces for the very purpose of bringing a spirit of repentance and brokenness upon His people.
But, if you are someone who is outside of the faith, or someone who claims His name and yet clearly doesn’t live like it then note the warning of the second half of the passage. If God is willing to punish His own people, bringing judgment to their doors for their sins, for their casual disregard for His commands and His ways….then the outcome for the you will be far worse. Do not think that you can simply decide to ignore His ways.
And I know the retort for some of you, that you don’t believe any of this stuff anyway. That’s fine…in the end we’ll see. I’ll stand in my view, you stand in yours and we’ll see. And don’t think that just because you want to suggest that God would never actually judge someone to exclude them from His presence, that you actually get to re-write His words. Whether you like His plan or not, He will absolutely fulfill His word…just as He has done for centuries. And, since He refuses to make any human believe and follow, when the end comes and each person stands before God, then if that person has decided that they don’t want to be with God, do not wish to follow His ways, then God will sadly agree with this person and banish them from His presence.
We call that hell. It won’t be fun. It won’t be a party. I hope you remain confident in your choices.