Friday's supreme court decision has really thrown me for a loop. Not because it was unexpected (it wasn't) but because it has really gotten me to think about persecution. And for as much good as I logically know persecution does for the individual and the Church, I'll be honest, it scares me.
In the coming years, we are going to see two things happen: churches who preach against homosexuality will be in danger of losing their 501(c)3 status and speaking against this sin will become a hate crime. The first will cripple many churches financially, and the second will cause many faithful Christians to be sent to jail.
But the government will be generous. If only a church will refuse to preach the whole counsel of God and bow instead to government regulation, they will be allowed to continue on.
This reminds me of Christianity in China. Churches can either be government registered, and have to follow government rules about what they can do and teach, or they can be independent (and therefore, illegal) and worship God without government regulation. Pastors of illegal churches are often thrown in jail. Meetings have to be secret and there is always the thread of intrusion by authorities. You see, the Chinese Government wants to be god. And churches that dare bow only to the True God and not to the Chinese god feel the wrath of this human institution.
Even more, this reminds me of early Christianity. Early Christians were persecuted in large part not because they worshiped a different God (the Romans had a whole pantheon of gods and didn't mind adding one more) but because they refused to worship the god of the Roman government: Caesar, the one god they were required to worship.
Reading in Daniel this morning, I was struck by two verses. The context is an uprising by a major enemy of God.
"He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder" (11:32-33)
And what is the final end of this enemy of God and his people?
"And he shall come pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him." (11:45)
So let us stand firm on the Word of God and not fear. Let us not be man-pleasers and conform the Bible to what is currently popular and accepted. In the end, there is only God. The US government, and all governments will have their end in time, but He will not.
Sorry SCOTUS, nice try thinking that you have the power to define marriage. There is only One Creator of marriage, and He created it to be for one man and one woman.
I agree. We are undergoing a transition that is concerning. The majority of this nation no longer have any regard for the scriptural mores thst undergirded our society from the foundation, and have brought it this far. So I wonder whether it is wise or even sane to expect Christlike behavior snd beliefs from those who reject Christ.
ReplyDeleteThe immediate resolution to this contradiction between groups would seem to be to get government out of the business of licensing marraige, and letting people live with differing views without harassing each other. Problems would remain, but freedom of thought would not die, as you point out it is currently.
I never thought I would see the day when opinions are effectively outlawed in America. We are a nation that is strong enough and benevolent enough to be unfazed by dramatic disagreements. Rather we are subject to the mindless fury of the mob of the day. Never before has a nation had so much to lose and done so little to prevent its happening, to paraphrase a great man.
Our job is to act justly and love mercy and walk humbly. For ears that may hear, gentle prodding can bring thr light of truth, in regards to both Salvation and society.
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