Post-Easter Reflections on America — So What’s At Stake?
Sometimes I feel like Jeremiah. The “weeping prophet” of the Old Testament may have been a real “downer” to his friends with his constant drum beat of negativism about the state of affairs in ancient Judah. His problem was that God had given him the message: turn from your wicked ways or you’re going into bondage in Babylon. This message was hard to deliver and Jeremiah cried frequently, presumably because he truly loved his countrymen.
I don’t claim prophetic infallibility, but there is history to support some of my Jeremiads. Jeremiah’s “turn or burn” message was not unique to his recent history. Ancient Israel had suffered defeat and deportation by a foreign power a little more than one hundred years before Jeremiah for their failure to heed God’s message. Again, I’m not claiming a “word from God” here, but I’m informed about recent history and concerned that history is repeating itself. I had a brilliant history professor in college who was fond of saying that, “if history has taught us anything, it’s that we don’t learn from history.” I suppose that is true because human nature has not changed. We are all born into a fallen condition and tend to repeat the mistakes of the past.
As I said, occasionally I think that I might be a pariah to some of my “friends” for all of the negative clamoring about current affairs here in the U.S. There certainly is a lot to clamor about, but I think some well meaning people get tired of hearing it all. I frequently post news on Facebook about disturbing trends, specifically related to public education and the overreaching efforts of the current administration to erode our God given rights (life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, freedom of speech, worship, and self-defense). This week, I was posting a series of news stories about the Department of Homeland Security building a massive civil army arsenal. One of my dear friends, a Christian, commented that this was all very scary, but for the fact that she knew that God is bigger than all of this. How true! God is bigger than any human circumstance or condition.
This week, as I was celebrating the resurrection of my Savior, Jesus Christ and His defeat of the final enemy, I thought that I should add some positive perspective to my weekly post. I worshiped with my youngest daughter and her family at Central Baptist Church in Livingston, Texas and it was a glorious occasion with a focus on that “old-fashioned” gospel message of salvation. It doesn’t change with pop culture and some churches like this one still preach it. We started by singing the old hymn, “Because He Lives.” The words of the chorus are appropriate for today:
“Because he lives
I can face tomorrow
Because he lives
All fear is gone
Because I know
He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because he lives”
Truer words were never spoken. I’ve read the end of the book. God wins! His kingdom will come. We’ll have one world government, but not democracy. Peace, justice and righteousness will reign. Believers can face the future without fear because we know the future is secure in His hands.
But, what of the present, how should we live now? Can we be concerned without being afraid? Do we accept defeat in this present evil age? Do we just go along with the popular culture? God’s instruction tells us that we should “live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” (Titus 2:12) Are we being sober about current affairs or are we drunk with eternal security?
Yes, God wins! Nero, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Hussein, Chavez, Gueverra, Pol Pot, Bin Laden (soon, Obama and me too) are all dead and Jesus is alive. But, life was a bitch for the people who had to be around for those other guys. How did the preaching of the gospel work under them? Not so well. Are there signs that history is repeating itself here in America? Is there a pattern? Could an oppressive regime ever come to power here? Most people that encounter tragedy never thought it could happen to them.
There are common denominators happening here that have characterized the formation of oppressive regimes like the ones led by the aforementioned. Example: a charismatic leader comes to power promising transformational change and demonizing his opposition. The power of government is greatly expanded to remedy a perceived crisis (financial collapse, global warming, school shootings,etc.). The press is co-opted or controlled. In order to silence opposition, freedoms of speech and worship are curtailed. Guns are first registered and then collected. Sound familiar? It’s all happened before.
If such an oppressive regime were ever to come to power here, how would that impact our ability to raise our children the way we want? Our public education system indoctrinates our children in atheism and Marxism. Christianity is marginalized and even mocked. How does that impact the future kingdom of God? Life has been devalued so that millions of children have been sacrificed on the altar of convenience. How does Jesus feel about that? America has been blessed more than any country that ever existed. Some, like me, believe that it is so because of our Christian foundations. If those are destroyed, what happens then? To whom much is given, much is required. When the oppressive regime is judged (they always are), what of the needless suffering? Remember the innocent people that suffered because Christians were silent when Hitler was expanding his power.
Many Christians seem to have passively accepted defeat in this age. Sometimes, people need a smack to wake up. That’s why I write for Clash Daily. Here, the issues are confronted boldly in an attention grabbing manner. This isn’t supposed to be a “religious” website, but a current affairs news source informed by conservative or Christian values. For Christians, our faith should mold our politics. Our lives should not be compartmentalized. Faith and biblical values should mold every aspect of our lives.
What can Christians do? We are blessed to still have a representative government where we have the vote. God doesn’t have an R or a D after His name. But politicians and parties have positions and values that can be discovered. We should support candidates that reflect our values. It always appalls me when Christians vote for a party or candidate that supports unrestricted child killing as Obama does. He opposed protections for infants born alive! The guy is demonic! Yet, a majority of Catholics voted for him. We must be informed. Sometimes the process of becoming informed is a downer. We should know more about our candidates than we do about American idol or the Kardashians.
Christians do not have to support the public indoctrination centers that are teaching your children to be godless, America hating, Marxists. If you think that you can put your children in this environment for seven hours each day without it having an impact, you are sorely deceived. There is so much more I could say, but I simply refuse to participate in the process of propping up the prevailing culture. Support people and organizations that reflect your values. Chik-Fil-A or Starbucks?
Image: English: Cry of prophet Jeremiah on the Ruins of Jerusalem; Ilya Repin (1844–1930); The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow; source/Photographer http://www.picture.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=11437; public domain
