Teaching on Taboos... The Loss of Civility and Conviction in Society |
Why should the church think and talk about political issues? This is not a question that the church should avoid. It is a question it must not avoid. I can think of two reasons. The first is the offensive role of the church. “Preach the word in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke and exhort with great patience and instruction.” (2 Tim 4:2) The church needs to lead, feed, and protect the people of God, who are the church of God. That means teaching the Word in such a way as is biblically accurate and culturally relevant. And sometimes that means confronting the political culture. The second reason is the need to be defensive and to “Guard the truth entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.” (I Tim 6:20) There is so much misunderstanding and confusion per square inch in the church as to its role of being salt and light in a corrupt culture it could fill California. In order to protect the church, Paul reminds us: “See to it that no one take you captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition, according to elementary spirits of the world and not according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8) It seems to me that in order to beware you need to be aware! We need to know the truth and be able to speak against the falsehood. We are entering into an age of sociological uncertainty by virtue of the collapse of public order and the loss of religion. “The declining faith in the supernatural has been accompanied by the rise of monstrous totalitarianism of the 20th century.” (Arthur Schlesinger - Atheist) And remember, “When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything.” (Augustine) There is no doubt we are witnessing the corruption of cultural change. The question is, what is the church called and commanded to do? Retreat – React – Riot - Revolt? Now that is a theological question, and you can find many views in our culture and in your church. The question is and has always been: What sayeth the scripture? Serving Him with you until He comes for us, Fred |