I don't know, folks; the more I think about this, the more I'm convinced that Western Christians have had it way too good for way too long. Paul said the cross would seem foolishness; Jesus prayed to God on behalf of the disciples he was leaving behind, lamenting that they would have to stay behind in a fallen and broken world; Jesus promised us persecution: he preached for three years before people couldn't stand it anymore. We expect and demand an entire life free from any serious, hardcore persecution. I don't mean taunting, jeering, and ridiculing; I mean forced silence, threats, and legal action. Maybe even death.
Do we see what's happening? What has happened? Do we ever stop to think about the body of Christ? Paul did; and when a person refused to stop living in a specific sin after being approached even by the elders of the church, Paul said to eject him from the body. How many churches do that today, in America? How many of you think they should? I think Paul was more concerned with the image of Christ here on earth than we are today. Yes, God is love, but God is supremely holy as well. The church is supposed to be His image on earth; instead, the church is often the image of the liberal left: we're not here to judge, we're just here to live. What is the point, I ask, of having Scripture that is worthy of "teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16, italics mine) if we're not going to use it for that? The line is drawn backwards: the non-believers are supposed to get love, grace, gentleness, because they are aliens to the law; but God's children -- those who profess to be God's children -- are the bride being prepared for the bridegroom. This means a lot more to me with a bride in the waiting; do I want her to come down the aisle in three months with a stain on her dress? With an immodest dress? In anything less than the beauty and perfection I know she is capable of attaining? Of course not; but as soon as someone with influence professes Christianity, everything they say is right and good, no matter how ridiculous and un-Christlike it is.
But going back to persecution: is there anything in the Bible that gives us a right to not be persecuted? I haven't seen it. So before we go off about our "Christian Nation" let's look at how humanistic it is. 1st Amendment (in part): "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." We like that, sometimes. So when someone interferes in any way with the practicing of our religion, what do we do? Do we, like the Psalmist, like Paul and the apostles, turn to God? Maybe in part. Maybe. But usually we turn to the government.
There is no earthly reason why an atheist should allow us our religion. In a strictly material world, religion is man-made and often used (especially in politics) to gain power illegitimately. Politicians especially use it to get votes when everything else that spews from their mouth is very anti-"religion." (Because we've unfortunately intertwined "religion" and "Christianity," ironically enough.) "He's a Christian!" "Yeah, but he's also an idiot, a liar, and an unapologetic adulterer."
Throw some mud on that bride: disfigure her.
The thing about persecution? It tends to weed out the mouth-fighters, the posers, the wannabes. I know no one is perfect, myself least of all; but that doesn't stop me from trying, and it shouldn't stop any of us from trying, from striving to live as best we can with God's grace and power. It shouldn't. But when there's no standard to uphold, it's a lot easier to just coast. When you might get in trouble for living a certain way, though, it forces a certain amount of...intention.
See you Wednesday. (Maybe Monday.)
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