Posts

Chapters and Verses

umbrella_faithI’m thinking there is a war being fought on two fronts.

  • there’s the battle that’s happening in the secular marketplace where godless agendas are being disguised as either scientific sounding conclusions or emotionally distraught appeals
  • …then there’s the tension that exists in the church where you’ve got some believers advocating a faith that is either withdrawn or corrupted as a response to the philosophical demons knocking on the front door of both our nation and our homes

Some of what’s out there is easy to spot.

Bogus narratives that border on outrageous are obvious. And then there’s the dynamic that becomes suspect when all you hear is a negative spin on that individual or that idea that deviates from the headline being featured in today’s news. After a while it becomes easy to dismiss what is obviously a biased perspective based more on personal baggage than it is objective analysis.

But it becomes really convoluted when you start hearing things from behind the pulpit that sound biblically credible according to certain passages of Scripture, yet lack substance when held up to the whole of God’s Word.

I’m being told by some Christian commentators that God doesn’t care about politics, that I need to repent of my support of systemic racism and to stay off of social media. Couple that with the incessant criticism of Conservative Politics and everything it supposedly represents and it can get confusing.

Chapter and Verse

Truth is like a bird; it cannot fly on one wing. Yet we are forever trying to take off with one wing flapping furiously and the other tucked neatly out of sight. Many of the doctrinal divisions among the churches are the result of a blind and stubborn insistence that truth has but one wing. Each side holds tenaciously to one text, refusing grimly to acknowledge the validity of the other.

A.W. Tozer

“Chapter and verse!” is a line that’s used from time to time when somebody want to challenge the biblical validity of a point that’s being made. But as the conversation becomes more populated with videos and blogs and channels and talk shows, you can’t allow yourself to be content with a mere “chapter and verse…”

Now, you’ve got to vet things with “chapters and verses.”

And I don’t mean just searching the Bible for as many verses as you can find that support your preferred take on a particular issue.

I mean, “digging” to find all of what God has to say about a situation because it’s not uncommon to find that more than one verse applies. And unless you’re taking that kind of approach, something’s going to get left out and your convictions, however passionate, will be similar to a bird attempting to fly on one wing (see side bar).

Potentially Unhealthy Distraction

For example, to say that God doesn’t care about politics is a reasonable position to take given the priority that God places on a person’s eternal health.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matt 10:28)

This is good, and pleases God our Savior,4who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:3-4)

 And then when you look at the way the angel responded to Joshua in chapter five:

13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

14“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”

It’s obvious that our focus should be on our relationship to God through Christ and to pay too much attention to other matters such as politics is to engage in a potentially unhealthy distraction.

But that’s not all the Bible has to say about rulers or politics in general.

But That’s Not All…

First of all, when you look at Joshua 5:13-14, the sturdy soldier that Joshua was questioning was not referring to the cause he was championing when he gave his answer. Rather, he was telling Joshua he was neither a member of the garrison of Jericho, nor was he a part of the Israeli army – he was the commander of God’s Army. The Agenda that he had, however, was very much in line with the Israeli army, not because the Israelites were deserving or capable of a military victory, but because they were advancing the Truth and, this case, the Justice of God.

It’s not so much that the God was on the side of the Israelites, although the dramatic wins that characterized the Campaign of the Promised Land might suggest that. The fact of the matter was the Israelites were on God’s side and that’s what made all the difference (Ps 44:3).

That’s the “thing” that qualifies virtually any discipline, topic, event or candidate as an entity that merits God’s Interest and Attention. To suggest that the only time He involves Himself is when the subject matter pertains to the issue of Salvation exclusively is to ignore the way in which God is revealed in Scripture.

God works through human institutions and authorities to accomplish His Purposes. You see that in the way He hardened Pharaoh’s heart to facilitate the Exodus. He used King Cyrus to give the Israelites the legislative green light they needed in order to begin rebuilding Jerusalem. He used Quirinius to institute a census that would bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, He used taxes to illustrate how we are to allocate our sense of duty and responsibility.

The Old Testament devotes four books to chronicle the actions of all the kings of Israel,1 we’re commanded to pray for kings and those in positions of authority that we might live peaceful and godly lives, He stresses the importance of godly leadership by highlighting how citizens beneath the tyrannical boot of a wicked ruler  are miserable. He commends godly leadership, He despises evil rulers, He hates dishonest scales and He encourages political involvement.

Furthermore, “…there are 642 verses that refer to law, laws and lawlessness. There are 211 verses that refer to judgment, judges, and judging, and 561 verses that speak about justice. There are 195 verses that talk about courts, 301 verses that talk about ruling and rulers, and 100 verses that speak of governing and government. And, finally, in case you still think that God doesn’t care about politics, law and government, remember what the Old Testament prophet Isaiah said about the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6).”2

God cares about Politics.

Too often, well meaning believers unwittingly side with an evil campaign convinced that the questions which would otherwise reveal insufficient answers are irrelevant if not cruel. As a result, Truth is replaced with accuracy and the shortfall is allowed to metastasize right up to the point when the curtain is finally drawn but by then it’s too late.

A Comprehensive Application of God’s Word

And the reason He cares about Politics is the same reason He cares about anything else and that is because He is working in and through every nuance of the human experience. No one is on the bench. Everyone of us is on the field and we all operate in the context of His Sovereignty and, as believers, we’re all expected to be making a difference and not just an appearance.

That’s why we pray, that’s why we vote and that’s why we pay attention to what’s going on so when it’s time to act we can do so based on convictions that aren’t just informed, but they’ve been vetted using a comprehensive application of God’s Word…

…not just a “chapter and a verse.”

Noble Sounding Phrases

The enemy rarely packages his plans in the context of something that’s obviously sinister. Bogus and even wicked agendas are frequently delivered in the context of noble sounding phrases designed to make a lie appear to be a victimized and helpless underdog. Too often, well meaning believers unwittingly side with an evil campaign convinced that the questions which would otherwise reveal insufficient answers are irrelevant if not cruel. As a result, Truth is replaced with accuracy and the shortfall is allowed to metastasize right up to the point when the curtain is finally drawn but by then it’s too late.

black_robeThe fact of the matter is if those believers who insist that we need to withdraw from volatile issues such as politics and cultural hot buttons were alive in 1776, the Declaration of Independence would never have been written. And if those who believe that politics and matters of state need to be completely divorced from one another had constituted the bulk of those who fought for independence, not only would the Revolutionary War not have occurred, but the philosophical framework that supports our approach to government would’ve looked more like the failed French Revolution that was based on humanism as opposed to the successful war for independence that was based on a Divine Absolute.

We engage, we stay informed and we converse. We don’t let the inaccurate narratives go unchallenged, we see through the misleading headlines and we stand by the Absolutes as expressed in Scripture as liberating and beneficial and not cruel and antiquated.

This is all not only possible but genuinely inspiring when done in a way that’s bold and enthusiastic and based on, not just those portions of Scripture that appeal to our potentially biased preferences…

…but expressed in a way that’s based on Scripture as a whole resulting in a platform that is both True and Inviting.

It’s not just a “chapter and a verse.”

It’s “chapters and verses.”

1. First and Second Kings, First and Second Chronicles. Also, the book of Ezra and Nehemiah include substantial content that reveal the political climate of the time.
2. “First Person: Does God Care Abo0ut Politics”, David Shelley, Baptist Press, August 30, 2010, https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/first-person-does-god-care-about-politics/, accessed December 27, 2020

The Black Robe Regiment

theres-a-time-to-pray-and-a-time-to-fightThe question on the table is: “Does being a patriot equate to being a Christian and vice versa?”

Let’s start by asking that question.

The answer is, “No!”

My definition of a sound government and the extent I go to defend and champion my convictions do not translate to a relationship with Christ. Nor does the way I vote  change my status before God, in terms of the grace He offers and the grace I need.

However…

God makes very clear that I’m to be engaged in the political process. It is not just a matter of being “interested” as much as it’s about being obedient.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 says that I’m to pray for those in positions of authority. 1 Chronicles 12:32 references the men of Issachar as being the smallest contingent of those who joined King David as able bodied servicemen, but they’re described as “men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” In that way, they’re were just as helpful to David as those tribes who were greater in number, if not more so because they understood the current political climate and recognized David as a godly element that needed to be served and supported.

Today, the political lines that have been drawn are vivid and to be either indifferent or ignorant is not just irresponsible, it’s disobedient.

Beneath the flag of the Democrat party you have abortion, same sex marriage, the elimination of any sort of Christian presence in the marketplace and a doctrine of entitlement that is neither financially sustainable let alone Biblical.

Abortion is touted as something that falls under the heading of a “woman’s right to choose.”

Agreed.

A woman does have the right to choose. She has the right to choose whether or not she’s intimate with a man and risk conceiving a child that she’s not willing to raise. That is the choice she’s entitled to make –  not whether or not she chooses to end the life of the human being that’s growing inside of her simply because she doesn’t want to take responsibility for her actions.

Are there exceptions? Perhaps. But the vast majority of abortions that are done have nothing to do with the health of the mother as much as it is the desire to avoid raising her baby. And of course, the father of said infant is rarely discussed in these conversations which further reinforces the point that this topic is not about “family planning” or “pro choice” or whatever noble sounding verbiage is used to disguise the true nature of what abortion is really all about.

The homosexual agenda has morphed into more than just the lawful practice of same sex marriage. Now we’re got the transgender issue where we’re being forced to accept their decadence as a legally endorsed behavior. It is now to the point where you can be arrested if you don’t refer to a transgender individual by their preferred sexual moniker.

The doctrine of entitlement says that my ethnicity translates to a collection of financial and legislative subsidies. My work ethic, my morality and anything else that might be considered to qualify whether or not I merit any assistance is dismissed as irrelevant and I am left alone to demand money and exemptions based on the notion that I am being unfairly treated both legally and economically.

In 1955, 25% of Black Americans were born out of wedlock. The number today is 73%. A child raised without a father is five times more likely to be poor and commit crime. Nine times more likely to drop out of school and 20 times more likely to end up in jail. Over 40% of black kids drop out of High School. When you combine all those statistics, it’s not difficult at all to see that the reason many minorities struggle economically is not because of a prejudiced system, but because of an immoral mindset.

“The Black Robe Regiment” was the name that the British placed on the courageous and patriotic American clergy during the Founding Era. Men like Peter Muhlenberg zealously labored to connect the practical dots that existed between the Word of God and America’s quest for freedom not only in their sermons, but also on the battlefield. 

The British were highly critical of Muhlenberg and his like minded associates within the “Black Robe Regiment” to the point where it was said that, “If Christian ministers had not preached and prayed, there might have been no revolution as yet – or had it broken out, it might have been crushed.1

While you’re never going to gauge the Biblical substance or accuracy of a person’s relationship with Christ based on political convictions alone, you can access their regard for Scripture in the way they either apply or ignore God’s Truth in the way it applies to moral issues. And if the political party you align yourself with champions legislative favors for behaviors that are identified specifically in the Bible as being wrong, then you’ve got an inconsistency that can only be explained by either a limited understanding of – or a fundamental disagreement with – God’s Word. However you might want to explain that to your human critics might be perceived as credible, but any attempts to refute the Substance of God’s Word directed towards its Author are bound to, not only fall short, but be revealed as prideful, perverse and totally unacceptable (Prov 1:7).

But here’s the thing:

Love in the absence of Truth is nothing more than lust. However noble or intense your desire may be for someone, it if’s rooted in something the Bible defines as selfish and perverse, it’s not love. It’s lust and it will prove to be lethal (see Ps 101:3; Jas 1:14-15; 1 Jn 2:15-16).

Compassion in the absence of Truth is nothing more than favoritism. Compassion, by definition, is the practice of extending mercy where justice would otherwise be exacted. But in order for compassion to resonate as such, the Character of its Source has to be noble and just. When Christ extends mercy, He does so having both honored and fulfilled the Law (Matt 5:17). When a politician makes an exception for someone’s illegal behavior in order to secure votes, that’s not compassion. That’s favoritism and a perversion of the Truth as opposed to an expression of it.

Charity is the absence of Truth is nothing more than a subsidy. There’s a difference between someone asking for help who wants to improve their situation and someone who’s asking for the resources they need in order to make it worse. Subsidizing someone’s moral and practical failures contributes to their pain and suffering and is the antithesis of charity (see Prov 10:23).

However political charlatans and their base may want to parade noble sounding verbiage before their constitutens and those they want to impress, the true nature of their platform is obvious. But you’re not going to change their minds or the minds of those that are drawn to them by simply arguing with them.

You have to become a part of the “Black Robe Regiment” and, like those that fought for our nation’s independence, fight now for her dependence on the One Who gave her the the freedom she sought to begin with.

This is a Christian nation, first in name, and secondly because of the many and mighty elements of a pure Christianity which have given it character and shaped its destiny from the beginning. It is pre-eminently the land of the Bible, of the Christian Church and the Christian Sabbath. It is the land of great and extensive and of-repeated revivals of a spiritual religion, – the land of a free conscience and of free speech, – the land of noble charities and of manifold and earnest efforts for the elevation and welfare of the human race. The chief security and glory of the United States of America has been, is now, and will be forever, the prevalence and domination of the Christian Faith.2

It’s no longer enough to win an argument or even a court case. The fight that needs to be both fought and won is the fight that is waged in a person’s heart and only God can win that contest.

Be ready to explain what you believe and why and be able to do it without sounding lame. Know enough about what’s going on in the world to know both how to converse and how to pray. But pray! Be like those in the “Black Robe Regiment” who fought both on their knees and on their feet knowing that while their courage was important, it was their faith that was absolutely necessary and it was the way in which God honored their prayers that qualified their sacrifice and their struggle as both noble and victorious.

 

1. Alpheus Packard, “Nationality,” Bibliotheca Sacra and American Biblical Repository (London: Andover: Warren F. Draper, 1856), Vol. XIII p.193, Article VI. See also Benjamin Franklin Morris, Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States (Philadelphia: George W. Childs, 1864), pp. 334-335

2. “Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States (1864)” by Benjamin Franklin Morris, Google Books, accessed February 1, 2022