PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

I Was Just Thing About - - - 

When Peter was writing to the persecuted Christians and Church during Nero’s reign, it must have given him some pause and caused him to gulp when he wrote: “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor” (I Peter 2:17). The emperor was overseeing the destruction of the church, culture, moral values and any person who objected to his behavior or actions. It was a dreadful time when the foundations of faith and hope were being tested. Nero was a harsh and cruel dictator who generated fear among the faithful.

Throughout the centuries, nations and people have experienced peaks and valleys as despots came to power and civilization began to be threatened with extinction. The twenty-first century is no different. Many are anticipating the demise and death of civilization. Some wring their hands in despair and hopelessness. The United States seems to have wavered in its privilege and shrunk back from its responsibilities in the world. We have become like a tiger whose teeth have been extracted and whose claws have been removed. One pundit (George Will) suggests that we have a leader who feels obliged to speak in metaphorical language about everything. The world watched when a Red Line was stated for Syria. However, Syria dared the inevitable and crossed the Red Line with their chemical attacks against their own citizenry. We did nothing! The world watched when a declaration was made that ISIS would be destroyed. ISIS dared that to happen and beheaded an American and slaughtered hundreds of people in an atrocious manner. We did nothing! In cyber warfare, our leader announces to the world that we have vulnerabilities. We do nothing! When ISIS is mentioned in international conferences, our leader announces that we have no strategy. We do nothing! The world is defining the United States as an impotent ally with an incompetent leader. 

The visible church loves to sing: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, A bulwark never failing…” What does the visible church do in this world of flux and moral erosion? Do we represent Our God as a Mighty Fortress today? Perhaps the visible church, much like the government of the nation, is viewed as being impotent when it comes to making a difference in the world and incompetent when it comes to follow-through on the message of the Gospel and all Scripture. Could it be that our Pride and our Prejudices have clouded our minds and limited our resolve? The Invisible Church is the Church triumphant. The visible church is to represent that fact in the world. We cannot accomplish that mission by being complacent, indifferent, detached from reality or too accommodating to the prevailing culture. The visible church may have reached a place where it thinks more highly of itself than it ought to think. The visible church must remember that for both the individual and church entity, “The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud” (Proverbs 16:17-19, ESV).

Is there a glimmer of hope for the country, church and culture in the twenty-first century? For the Biblical Christian and the committed visible church, the answer is affirmative. It will mean the implementation of texts such as Ephesians 5:15-17, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” It will be possible, only and as the determination is reached to give attention and heed Ephesians 5:18-21, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” What will your resolve and commitment be and how will it be manifested? Our task is not to merely talk but to act. Where do you fit into God’s scheme of things and requirements for His people?  Consider these things with me.