Yesterday I shared that after much reflection, I have decided to share some thoughts about the recent decisions coming from our Supreme Court. While I have been thinking and praying about it, I was reading in my Bible and was led to I Peter 4. As I read this chapter over and over the past 2-3 days, I believe I have found my verbal footing, some insights that help me express my thoughts. They are perhaps more of a challenge to my Christian friends, church members, loyal readers….though I hope my other readers will consider my thoughts too. So, let’s go with the next passage from I Peter.
I Peter 4:12-13 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
Perhaps most importantly for Christians is that they should not be surprised by this change from our Supreme Court. While I said yesterday that massive fundamental shifting occurred last week, none of it should have been a surprise. Our country has been drifting from God’s ways for at least 50 years, perhaps even 100. Maybe it can be successfully argued that throughout our history, while God was important to many, the country has always done things that are clearly non-Christian. We should not whitewash the fact that many Christians fought to defend slavery by using the Bible.
While I will continue to teach that Christianity was indeed a foundation cornerstone for the country, it was only one of four. The other three are Capitalism, Risk and Rebellion…and if you come take my early American History class, you’ll see all the evidence as to why I believe this thesis is correct. So, yes, Christianity and the values from the faith have long been deeply embedded in our ethos, but it was only one of four. For any structure to stand, the foundation stones must be secure. Our biggest problem today is that this cornerstone of Christianity has eroded deeply.
Many wonder why our capitalism has strayed so far in the past 20-30 years, with many lives getting swamped and left behind in this rising tide of wealth. Reagan was successful in his efforts to unleash the wealth of the country, and under Clinton, the passion for personal financial success (or should I say excess) reached dizzying heights. Well, in that same time, the Christian counterbalance against the possible greed in capitalism declined to the point that it is nigh invisible. One only has to drive by the many Christian monuments to excess in massive buildings that have little to do with glorifying God. For the life of me, I can find no Biblical support for the massive church buildings that
Further, if the “painful trial” is really the excess of government in a massive overreach of power….then again, clearly, do not be surprised. First, remember that our Founders predicted this. Ben Franklin, among many others, wrote about this. Check this out from 1787, in a speech given at the conclusion of the writing of the Constitution. He said ultimately, the government will “end in Despotism as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need Despotic Government, being incapable of any other.”
See it? Despotism comes not only because some in power become drunk with that power, but because the people become corrupted. One only needs to take a cursory look at our history for, well, gee…for the past 100 years, 125?
As Christians, we are strangers in this place. This is not our home. As such, we should not be surprised that non-Christians make rules and laws that are contrary to God’s ways. Jesus basically told us this when he reminded us to “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.” When He needed to pay a tax to enter a place, He did so, even though many radical Jewish groups wanted Him to speak out strongly against the Romans who ran the country. This is much like what God said to the Jews as they were going to be marched off into captivity in Babylon….go there, live, accept the laws that are placed upon you, and yet while there, thrive and do your jobs well both for your own well-being as well as for the benefit of the society….that society that is anti-God.
And while you wait, live in a spirit of preparation to rejoice when God’s glory is revealed.