CHRISTIAN ROCKER: Slams Christians Who Won’t Rebel Against Bad Government

This is the continuation of last week’s column, which offered the first two points of this narrative concerning how we as Christians have been sold a bill of goods.  The previous points were: 1.) God will always sort it out. (That’s right, the whole shebang is up to God; we have absolutely no responsibility for the rot that’s permeating our society.)  2.) God wants good Christians to be followers.  (It’s a sin to think for yourself.  After all, we’re told to be sheep.)

The next two points are just as subtle in lulling us into abdication of any kind of responsible,  Christ-like response to what we face daily.

3. God wants you to be a door mat.

Listen, it’s an evil world out there.  We all know that, but now we’re seeing things happen in this country on a regular basis that used to be rare and usually only part of the news from overseas.

We’ve had more riots and protester confrontations with police in the last couple of years than I can remember in a long time.  I’m old enough to recall the Watts riots of August 1965 and the 1968 Chicago riots during the Dems convention that year.  Those were terrible when they happened and the violence was no less than what we’ve seen recently.  The difference is, though, that they didn’t sustain and didn’t flare back up once initially over.  Now, we have a new level of tension, disrespect for authority, and outright hatred that’s ready to break out with little or no provocation.

So what’s the Left’s response to all this?  Forget any reason involving personal responsibility on anyone’s part.  No, let’s blame guns.  Let’s blame inanimate objects which are obviously intrinsically evil.  They need to be removed because they only cause harm.  Let’s not have the ability to protect ourselves.  Let’s become door mats.  After all, doesn’t God always protect us?

Once again, that’s true, but we bear responsibility for our own safety.  Consider the following from  Luke 22:36-38: (36) He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. (37) It is written, ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’, and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me.  Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”  (38) The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”  “That is enough,” He replied.

Did you catch that?  Christ’s disciples carried TWO swords with them.  The Lord did not rebuke them; instead He said it was enough to meet their needs.

In Matthew 26:51, when Peter hacked off the ear of the high priest’s servant, Christ rebuked him for doing so.  But He only told Peter to put it away, not to throw it away, or never use it again.  In other words, holster your weapon.  Peter couldn’t stop the events in the garden that night which lead ultimately to the price being paid for salvation.

The message was made clear: we have the right to protect ourselves.  Don’t seek trouble, but don’t submit to it either.  Remember Matthew 10:16: “I’m sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

4. God does not want Christians involved in politics.

Christianity is under assault in our own country.  The Obama administration has taken shots at the Catholic Church, at military chaplains, and has used the IRS to go after religious organizations’ tax exempt status.  At the same time, arenas are filling to hear the words of false prophets such as Joel Osteen.  It’s clear that the “spiritual wickedness in high places” spoken of in Ephesians 6:12 refers to the church as well as the government.

Throughout Biblical history, however, this is nothing new.  When Moses went before Pharaoh, he was facing the greatest political power of his day.  Further examples of taking on political authority can be found throughout the Old Testament, especially in the prophetic books.

When we get into the New Testament, we see nothing has changed when it comes to dealing with the powers-that-be.

If we are meant to live by Christ’s example, we should be uncomfortable around hypocritical social B.S.

Consider this:  He not only rattled the cages of the local religious hierarchy (called ’em out for what they were in Matt. 15:7-12, Matt. 23:14, and again in Luke 12:56), and when he stood before Herod in Luke 23:6-12, He held his ground.  While standing before Pilate, who was a representative of the world’s leading super power at that time, Christ didn’t back down either, (Luke 23:1-6, and Luke 23: 13-25).

When He cleared the temple of the money changers’ tables (Matt: 12-13, John 2:15), He reacted with more than words when dealing with rampant political, social and religious corruption.

Although Christ was in constant prayer, He didn’t hide in a synagogue and seek to pray his problems away.  The only time he ever withdrew was when he needed to recharge.  Otherwise, Christ’s ministry was one of awareness, involvement and action.

These four examples of the bill of goods Christians have been sold over the pulpit just barely scratches the surface.  There’s a lot more to draw from.

I want to close with two sub-points.  The first is that while Christians don’t start violence, we don’t have to helplessly submit to it.  And don’t start with the BS about the Crusades.  The Crusades were a response to Muslim violence.  Do even a few minutes of research — Muslims caused the Crusades.

Granted, there are other examples of Christians behaving badly – the Spanish Inquisition, the Salem Witch Trials, etc. — but these are really examples of clergy behaving badly.  Once again, check out a little history and find out how unscrupulous, bad, self-centered leadership  can be.

The next point involves the true nature of today’s progressives/liberals.   Think of a boiling pot of water with a lid.  The boiling water makes the lid rattle some and small plumes of steam escape now and then.   You know it’s boiling, but the lid’s on so you don’t think about it much.

Well, since Obama came into power, the Left has felt emboldened and the lid is off. It’s boiling over and damaging anything it touches.

We still have the ability to turn the fire down, if not completely off.  It’s going to take personal responsibility and the ability to understand BS when we hear it…be it from the government, the education system, or even our churches.   It’s time to “Get Back To The Bible”  and develop the ability to truly understand what we’re hearing.   The bill of goods has too high a price otherwise.

Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/walkadog/3366622993

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