Ten Essential Messages for Troubled Times

Ten Essential Messages for Troubled Times

In my last post, I observed that many, if not most, Christian pastors have failed to proclaim Biblical truth on the politically contentious issues that are rapidly tearing apart the fabric that is the cohesive force holding our country together. I fully understand the power and Kingdom impact of exegetical preaching through the Bible, book by book, and verse by verse. God uses His Word to change hearts and transform lives. But given the clear evidence that people professing to be Christians and affiliated with evangelical churches are actively fomenting a maelstrom of confusion and violent turmoil that threatens the established legal order in the United States, pastors must interrupt their scheduled sermon series and speak truth to the anti-Christian attitudes and conduct that have carried some in their flocks on a dangerous and destructive path.

This post identifies ten “front page” issues that are rarely made the focus of powerful sermons, but which have the clear potential to impact the spiritual vitality and destiny of many warming our nation’s church pews but living in ways antithetical to the teachings of Jesus.

First, racism. The Bible makes it crystal clear that all people on the planet were created in God’s image. There is no superior race, period. All races and ethnic groups are equal in God’s sight. All descended from Adam and Eve, and members of every ethnic group will be in that glorious chorus that witnesses and worships the conquering Jesus at the end of time. All forms of forced segregation of races, discrimination and persecution based on race are serious sins against God the Creator. Jesus did not come to earth as a blue eyed Caucasian, but rather as a brown Palestinian. All forms of racial supremacy are anathema to the church for whom Christ died, and testify that His blood was shed in vain. I have worshiped on almost all continents with beautiful brothers and sisters who express their worship in different languages. There is nothing quite as powerful as when God’s children use a chorus of multiple languages to express simultaneous praise of God. I have been there. Believe me, it is a foretaste of heaven.

Second, hatred. Christians like to say “hate the sin, love the sinner,” but in my experience, humans who try to live out that credo inevitably end up acting in hateful ways to the people who are identified with the target sin. Christians tend to like sermons that deal with sins of others (for just one example, homosexual conduct). Only God can truly confine hatred of sin to the offensive conduct and still unconditionally love the sinner. Jesus taught us that we are to love all others as we love ourselves. It’s that simple. All hatred of individual people or categories of people is a sin against God and man. Hate is a poisonous influence on the heart and soul of the person harboring that dangerous way of thinking and feeling, and inevitably blossoms into hateful words and actions. When that happens in the heart of one who professes to love God and follow Christ, all positive witness is destroyed and evil consequences abound.

Third, anger. Jesus taught that one who is angry with his brother is guilty of murder. It’s that serious in the Kingdom of God. We like to characterize our anger as “righteous,” and cite the example of Jesus violently turning over the tables of the merchants in the temple. But again, only God is truly righteous. The only righteousness of a follower of Jesus is imputed. Any attempt to act in righteous anger involves embarking on a slippery slope that turns anger into sinful and harmful behavior. Guard your heart.

Fourth, Christian nationalism. The United States is a special country, to be sure, but in God’s eyes all countries are equal. Yes, He chose the Jews as the people through whom He would bless all nations. But every country and culture in our politically divided world is equal in God’s sight. There is no Biblical basis for a claim that God ordained the United States as a special beacon of His love and global purpose. I have served my country for three decades, and I love my country. But mixing nationalism with Christianity is dangerous, just as we see in the Middle East where Islam is both a religious and political system that dominates the lives of many dear souls. Over many centuries, sinful national leaders have used religion as pretext for violence and genocide. Christian nationalism is extra Biblical and leads the sheep down a dangerous path. Witness the 6 January insurrection. Pastors, protect your flocks.

Fifth, the exercise of individual freedoms. The New Testament clearly teaches that those who profess to follow Jesus should deny themselves and take up their crosses daily. What does this mean? We are to exercise our freedoms in ways that advance the Kingdom of God. As a Roman citizen, the Apostle Paul refrained from exercising his rights and endured great suffering until the time was right in the eternal plan of God. Believe it or not, it’s not all about us as individual citizens with inalienable rights. We must exercise our rights in circumstances that reflect God’s love and the advancement of His Kingdom. Yes, we have certain rights that have been secured by the blood of millions of our citizens. But they must be exercised in the context of our responsibilities as citizens of God’s Kingdom.

Sixth, the proper relationship with government authorities. We are to obey such authorities except where their directives clearly conflict with Biblical commands, and even in those exceptional situations, we must be willing to accept the civil legal consequences. Our attitude towards government authorities should be one of respect, recognizing that they have been placed in their positions according to God’s perfect will. I am speaking of respect for the office, but never condoning sinful behavior on the part of the office holder. We are to pray for all who serve in government offices, at all levels. Why does God require this of us? So we may live in peace, fully able to carry out God’s mission of being salt and light in a world full of sin. When I lived in Central Asia, I tried hard to build a bridge of mutual understanding, respect and trust between government officials and leaders of the young Christian church. This never worked perfectly, but it provided limited cover for the church to thrive in a culture that perceived it as a dangerous force. Following the law, respecting government officials and praying for them were major planks in that bridge.

Seventh, seeking Justice. All Christians and, for that matter, all Jews and Muslims are admonished to seek Justice for the oppressed. Justice is very important to God. The American legal system has many of its roots in the Bible, but for the system to work, God’s children must do Justice on an individual basis. When we encounter victims of injustice, we must not turn away and say to ourselves that God will fix the problem through others. Praying is great, but merely asking God to help resolve a manifest injustice falls short of our responsibility. Justice denied to anyone risks similar outcomes to others. Courts are charged with administering justice, but this does not exclude our own individual responsibility to use all means at our disposal to help the oppressed. Think of the Good Samaritan. That’s how the Kingdom of God is supposed to work.

Eighth, responding to the COVID 19 global pandemic. Christians who cite their individual freedoms as pretext for refusing to comply with requests by government authorities to be vaccinated, wear masks, maintain social distancing and avoid large gatherings of unmasked people are completely outside of Biblical teaching as to God’s will for how His children are to live. Such self centered conduct reflects a total lack of concern for the health and well being of vulnerable members of our community, and a horrible witness for the Christ who gave Himself up for us, that we would be ambassadors of His life changing Gospel. Moreover, such conduct violates our duty to respect government authorities, and to refrain from conduct that compounds the difficult challenges faced by front line health care workers who risk their own lives daily in treating all who come to their hospitals with COVID. Actually, it is those health care workers and other first responders who best exemplify the teachings of Jesus in this pandemic. Remember the part about daily denying ourselves?

Ninth, attitudes toward refugees and aliens in our midst. The United States is a nation of immigrants who voluntarily chose to come to its shores, except for our African American brothers and sisters whose ancestors came here in chains and our Native American brothers and sisters who migrated here many thousands of years ago across the then land bridge from Siberia. Almost like clockwork, national groups of immigrants who arrived in earlier waves have systematically opposed new waves of immigrants from other cultures and races and faith traditions. The Bible teaches that aliens in our midst must be treated fairly, and refugees must be treated with compassion. Jesus was a refugee in Egypt and Jewish teaching required protection of aliens and refugees. Christians should help meet the needs of undocumented aliens in their community when they have the means and opportunity to do so. And urge their elected officials to enact a modern and just immigration law. When I was in the Department of Justice almost thirty years ago, refugee boats from Haiti were arriving on Florida’s shores in numbers that remind me of the large numbers of refugees from Central America that are overwhelming our current immigration and border protection resources. How did our government respond? Teams of justice officials were sent to Haiti to serve along side a limited military deployment, and we worked hard to build a new justice system from police to prosecutors to judges and prison administrators. It was my privilege to serve as Coordinator of those efforts on the ground. I felt I was doing God’s work. The refugee flows stopped. Not that all was perfect, but it was a transformative change that produced a modicum of justice and protection of the people.

Tenth, and last, our relationships with those in need (including our enemies). Jesus made it very clear that following Him was much more than simply saying a prayer, walking down the aisle, and being Baptized. He identified with all prisoners, the sick, the poor and destitute, those who were in need and unable to help themselves. In one of the most shocking lessons in the New Testament, Jesus asked the people why they had not visited Him in prison, in hospital, when he was needing clothing and food. When they answered with the question when were you in those circumstances, He replied, when you fail to do this to the least of my brothers, you failed to do it to me. Using the analogy of the sheep and goats, Jesus very powerfully told those who failed to meet the needs of others that He never knew them. Christians, ask yourself, does He really know you? Are you one of the sheep, or a goat who stubbornly retains independence while going through the motions of being a good church goer.

If pastors could see fit to turn each of the above principles into powerful sermons, the church for whom Jesus died will have at least begun to face the major challenges of our age. The sermons will likely generate conflict. Some may head for the exits. But truth is truth, and needs to be lovingly proclaimed, for our joy and God’s glory. Amen.