Look up any of the recent stories about Indiana's new law that have a Comments section and see what people are saying. Or read about Apple CEO Tim Cook's views on the subject. Seattle and San Francisco, to name a couple of cities, along with various businesses are boycotting Indiana. Check out the White House opposition (even though it appears that the president voted for just such a bill back in 1998). Check out the outrage and vitriol in angry opposition to religious freedom in this country and the rising voices in favor of limiting or eliminating Christianity in America. Yes, that's what you'll find in a lot of these places. The New Atheists are not merely opposed personally to Christianity, but would like to eliminate it from your options as well. In America.
I don't offer this as an invitation to write your congressman and demand your rights. I don't suggest you start a rally to protect religious freedom in America. I am simply telling you "Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you." (1 John 3:13) No, more than that. "Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed." (1 Peter 4:12-13) I think of the disciples beaten for their faith who went home "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name." (Acts 5:41)
"Oh, don't be silly," they will tell me. "It's not persecution." And, given the levels of persecution around the world that Christians endure, I'd agree. But Jesus classified "when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account" (Matt 5:11) as persecution, so I'm going with His version. And He said, "Blessed are you." (Matt 5:10-12).
So, I'm just pointing it out. It's coming. Without divine intervention (some sort of national revival), it's not likely to be avoided. And God's Word classifies it as a blessing for those of us who believe. So don't get up on your soap box and demand your constitutional rights. There are more and louder voices willing to eliminate them, at least in your case. And don't get dejected. The Bible is full declarations that it's a blessing for believers. So let's avoid being persecuted for any unrighteousness and go about our task of loving God and loving our neighbors, even if there is a cost involved (Luke 14:27-28). Let's pray. Let's see what God will do and rejoice when we are counted worthy to suffer dishonor for His name's sake.
2 comments:
ut the reality is that Jesus does not ask for us to stand up for him—Jesus asks us to stand up with him. Jesus is not in danger, but so many people around us are—in danger from sickness, terror, the broken systems of the world, even the consequence of their own choices. The Jesus depicted in the gospels was not standing up for Himself, but for the broken people around him. Jesus stands up for the woman caught in adultery, standing between the accused and her accusers. That’s where Jesus was standing then, that’s where Jesus is standing now. If we are truly serious about standing for him, then we will stand with him. But if we, in a desire to protect Jesus from the world, attempt to leap to his defense, his message will be the same to us as it was for Peter—“put away your sword.”
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There is a real, prophetic calling that will not ask but demand, at times, that God’s people stand against worldly systems of injustice that exploit the powerless. But—and this is an awfully big but here—this prophetic call always, always, always has to do with standing up for those who can’t stand for themselves. That is the very heart of what it is to “stand with” Jesus, the place that Christ is already standing and waiting for us to join him. It is not a way of taking a stand for ourselves, taking a stand for our easily damaged egos, or taking a stand for our wounded feelings. When it comes right down to it, most of what happens in the name of “standing up for Jesus” in North America amounts to little more than privileged people protecting their own egos. Our “culture wars” are often little more than over-pietized, self-righteous attempts to impose our beliefs and values on the rest of the world. That is hardly standing against injustice.
~Jonathan Martin
I said not to make a stand for your rights. Are you disagreeing or agreeing?
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