Cultural Disruption -- Do you know why?

This is the why:

Theme Scripture

“1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”  -- 2Tim 3:1-5 [NLT]

“14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” – James 3:14-16 [NIV]

Have you stopped watching the cable news? Local news? Reading newspapers? Listening to so called pundits on all things cultural here in the United States? Do you feel the ‘news’ of the day is no longer bearable? Do you feel your world is on a spiral downward and most things are upside down with what was good now labeled bad and what was bad now labeled good? Perhaps, down deep inside, you recall a Judgment against the people of GOD back in Isaiah’s day – something you could read today and see it’s timelessness. Perhaps the following prophecy is bouncing around in your background program pinging your conscience keeping you alert to the danger of the counter cultural movement of today.

This is the why:

“20 Woe to those who say that good is bad and bad is good, Those who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, Those who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” – Isa 5:20 [NWT]

One inspired man, Matthew Henry, lived from the latter part of the 17^th century to the early part of the 18^th century. He was a minister and an author. His commentary is comprehensive and focused on the cohesive message of the Holy Bible in toto. The following excerpt is his commentary on Isaiah 5:20.

“Who confound and overthrow the distinctions between moral good and evil, who call evil good and moral evil (v. 20), who not only live in the omission of that which is good, but condemn it, argue against it, and, because they will not practice it themselves, run it down in others, and fasten invidious epithets upon it-not only do that which is evil, but justify it, and applaud it, and recommend it to others as safe and good.” -- Matthew Henry: Commentary on Isaiah 5

If you have not looked over or read Isaiah 5 in a long while perhaps doing so would be most edifying. You may find GODly peace and long suffering in reading the denunciation of the culture at that time. Because Christians have the blessing of Christ’s exemplary life from the same Holy Bible, we can pray for the wisdom to understand what is going on and even practice what Jesus repeatedly suggested ‘Do not Fear!’ This should prevent Christians from experiencing depression, an inconsolable spirit, a weakened in faith, or even a physical response to the fear of what is happening in the world around us.

The opposite response to the mostly unspeakable things we see is to ‘rejoice for our deliverance is near’. Thus, we can help those who are frozen in fear of what their children or grand children will be living through in a corrupted society. We can teach it is better understand history and what is fair warning from GOD’s Word. ß That is where Christians find joy [Rejoice] because reading words penned millennia ago actually showing relative application in 3-dimensional living today is miraculous. It is as if we can look at the many prophetic statements from both the Old and New Testaments laying flat on the page rise as if 3D seeing your world being described by the likes of an ancient prophet or one of the Apostles of Jesus.

This is the why:

There is nothing new under the Sun.

We have yet another cultural disruption in the same generation’s lifetime [those born to the change in the ‘60’s and now today] will remember historically how their parents and grandparents felt for those fugacious years. By the 1980’s the culture had settled down once again and sort of on the same page.

This is the why:

We are in the next ‘season’  [remember for everything there is a season] of the same type of cultural disruption. The difference is that we are now a few years closer to what was called ‘the last days’ by Paul, the Apostle, so we will see these issues in a more raw form with a more distinctive watermark of the evil responsible for the breakdown of society.

To recap:

·        When you see these things understand they must happen. Our response is to ‘Stay Awake’ ‘Stand Firm’ ‘Do not fear!’ Why?

This is the why:

·        Because our deliverance is getting near.

This is the why:

·        By fully grasping the ebb and flow of history together with a clear knowledge of promises and prophecies we are in the perfect place to help those who are being adversely affected by today’s cultural disruption. Perhaps they were born in the ‘80’s and did not have the life experience of living in the ‘60’s so we must let them know we have been here and down this before and it prepares us each time to understand and react to it when we see it again. Then we can introduce our source for the PEACE that surpasses all things, GODly PEACE. We can show them the source of our Joy. In other words, we share the GOSPEL message with them because when it all boils down, and it will, being saved by the Grace of GOD through HIS Son’s death and resurrection will make the tough witness of today’s blasphemy and evil dominance bearable and in fact will further convict the soul and spirit of every believer that GOD’s WORD/Word is ALIVE! †

    

©Lightwritingmatters 2015

 Bibles Designations

KJV – King James Version

NIV – New International Version

NLT – New Living Translation

NWT – New World Translation

ASV -- American Standard Version

©Lightwritingmatters 2015

Christians and Politics – a matter of Conscience?

 Theme Scripture

“1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” – Romans 13:1-7 [NIV]

There is little dissent that we are living in a time when governments the world over are in a state of flux and the subjects or citizens of those governments are beginning to rise and be heard. Some will be active in politics doing analysis, working to secure their ideal candidate for some office, protesting some election or policy, or actively engaging in disruption through anarchistic tactics. Elsewhere, the reign of the government is dictatorial, sometimes harsh, and the governed can do nothings but submit. There are still places where national equanimity seems to be the public perception, like Japan, some Scandinavian countries and smaller isle nations.

In all of this, Christians find themselves the world over under the counsel from Romans above. There is no exception to the opening statement of Romans 13. “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

How does the individual Christian then live the first two verses and reconcile verse 7? For instance, a Christian is called to subject themselves to the governing authority but what if they disagree with the person who is the highest position of that authority? How do they subject themselves and give respect and honor? Let’s take the recent events since Nov 9, 2016, the presidential elections here in the United States. Clearly, a much-divided campaign through the primaries from both political parties; though to be honest the one party with 17 candidates was initially more volatile than the other; but, the other is now well known to have purchased the allegiances to name a specific nominee to the general election. In both cases, the overall vehemence shown towards the parties from the among themselves was truly characteristic of the individual voter and citizen. What followed the election on 2016 will be held in the annals of history for some time to come. But, you, the reader, if you are a Christian, how did you personally reconcile your own comportment when faced with the election results? How have you been a light unto the world in the first year?

To a certain extent, rebellion seems to be an inherent trait or characteristic of humankind since Eve talked Adam into going against his own conscience back in the Garden of Eden. Sometimes, rebelling against something is required by GOD, in fact, the first Christians who took the lead in preaching the gospel rebelled against their own leadership and faced consequences but refused to cease and desist in their preaching of Christ and his resurrection. Other times, rebellion has not worked out well for those who were called to be GOD’s people. We only have to look at the punitive 40 years exile in the wilderness because of the rebellion of some of the generation who escaped Egypt through the miraculous parting of the Red Sea. GOD’s punishment to the whole of HIS people was that they would not be delivered to the Promised Land until every last person from that generation had literally died! There are many instances of rebellion that are counterintuitive.

But, today, how do we rebel in the issues of our own government today while still maintaining a clean conscience regarding Romans 13? And to the point of this article, as a Christian are we obliged to react in any way even to rebel? When strong minded individuals pressure with comments like ‘it is your civic duty’ how does the Christian respond?

There are those among the body of Christ who remain disconnected altogether from the ‘political’ process while others are on the other extreme, so fully engaged it consumes their mental, emotional, physical and strategic beings even to questionable language, actions, causes that could and does ‘stumble’ those looking on from within and without the Christian community. As Christians we include such statements from scripture like Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” [KJV] as example of how we should act.

Some translations use the word ‘lowly’ others ‘prudent’ and others ‘modest’ where ‘humbly’ is used in Micah in the King James.  

For the Christian we have a few scriptures in the New Testament that call us to behave in a humble, prudent, modest and lowly way. For instance, Phil 4:8. [For a complete discussion of Phil 4:8 please see the series posted here from February 2017 http://lightwritingmatters.blogspot.com/2017/02/draw-close-to-god-part-one.html ]

We are privileged to live in a country whose founding documents were not willy-nilly thrown together but were crafted from the sage of men who’d been witness to the circumstances foisted upon the citizens of the King of England in the New World that later became the freed United States of America. They lived under the unnecessary burden of a monarchy removed by an entire ocean from the seat of the government. They also had intimate knowledge of the conditions people lived who were subject to other kinds of governments. The founders wanted the freedom they knew was self-evident FREEDOM. In its nascent form this longing and passion for freedom was culturally understood by the first citizens of the new nation. In the ensuing years, this concept of FREEDOM was challenged many times over and even as recently as the last century in this country additional amendments of the Constitution had to be made law with the focal point being FREEDOM DUE EVERY citizen reflecting equal protection and rights.

To sum up this article, as a citizen, but more importantly a Christian citizen, what is our obligation [the one thing that shines and causes anyone who observes us to recognize we live our faith in all things] when something happens within the government which does not set well with us? Do we protest? If we protest -- and protest is legal in this country, in fact, the 1^st amendment provides the right to peaceable assembly and to petition the government for redress of grievances -- do we protest with anger and assault with words or instruments causing injury or death? Peaceable assembly was specifically used in the constitution. Peaceable assembly is an option for Christians who feel they should be involved civically.

Do we opine publicly, or among friends and family in such a way as to both subvert the government or our Christian responsibilities? Paul used this line of reasoning when those in his day objected to his attitude towards ‘heathens’ as to what they ate and did not eat. But, it was a huge discussion between the free Christian and the converted Christian from the Jewish faith. It was in fact tantamount to a subverting of the governing religious body in Jerusalem. His statement in 1 Corinthians the 10^th chapter was a large discussion on this but please consider his attitude when push came to shove.

““I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” Vs 23,24

“If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience.28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience?30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?

31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—” Vs 27-32

Notice, Paul acknowledges that his right is his own to exercise whether it sits well with others or not asking the question why his freedom should be judged by another’s conscience – yet he quickly acknowledges we do all things to GOD but should not cause anyone to stumble, no matter who.

How does this compare with our attitude toward political discord? Easily, just because we have the right to do as our conscience dictates it may not be beneficial to anyone but one’s self and our obligation to GOD is to not stumble someone else because of our liberty/freedom in CHRIST. If our actions or reputation are considered out of nature with compassionate Christianity, then for the sake of all, including the ‘church of GOD’, we should refrain.

Where respect is due, give respect. Where honor is due, give honor. Ultimately, GOD is due absolute respect and honor and our actions should reflect our Christian reverence to GOD, first and foremost. †

©Lightwritingmatters 2015

 Bibles Designations

KJV – King James Version

NIV – New International Version

NWT – New World Translation

ASV -- American Standard Version

©Lightwritingmatters 2015