By The Content of Their Character

I am writing this BLOG Post on the eve of Inauguration Day. Two reasons for this. One, I want to make some observations that have to do with the incoming Administration. Two, I am leaving the country and will not return until the day this post will be sent to the recipient list. Today is the date set aside in our calendar of Holidays as Martin Luther King Day. He is credited with the quote that serves as the title of this BLOG Post.

Historically the Clergy have been "Watchman on The Wall" of culture and nations. The incoming Administration is cited as supporting numerous social policies that are utterly and absolutely in direct and arrogant defiance of the Scripture, the Special Revelation of God to man. I am going on record as a Watchman to state publicly with clarity and grace my opposition to those policies. That opposition is rooted and grounded in the text of Scripture. This issue is not one of political affiliation, Republican or Democrat. It is not one of race; Black, White, Asian or any other ethnic derivation. We are not a hyphenated people - we are Americans! It matters not one iota what any opinion or legislative action states when such opinion or statements are in defiance of the clear declarations of Scripture. The basis for my comments is a joyful endeavor to live in alignment with the revelation the Sovereign God of the Universe has given us of Himself.

Character is an objective issue. The definition of good character is based upon Truth that is Absolute. That Truth never changes thus character and the constructs of social policy are also static and stable, not fluid and ever changing. The issues to which I refer are:

Abortion - the incoming administration supports the termination of fetal life, even fetal life outside the womb in a viable condition. That is pure and simple murder. Life begins at conception and enjoys the sacred privilege of being an Image Bearer. I stand opposed to any and all abortive procedures for this reason. The pursuit of happiness is a trite and meaningless blather when you are not granted the dignity of life.

Homosexuality - The incoming administration supports the practice of homosexuality. This conduct is condemned by Scripture and must be recognized as sin pure and simple. It should be pointed out that theft, greed, drunkenness, slander and swindling are also condemned in the same passage. As a culture we do not favorably endorse any of these other sins. Why? Because they are just that. Christians do not hate homosexuals. We in fact are one of the few elements of our culture that truly loves them by expressing with compassion, gentleness and candor the Truth about this conduct.

Socialism - I have invested 15 years in exchanges with the editorial board of our newspaper addressing this issue. When benevolence is conscripted, it is not benevolence, it is legalized plunder. Taking resources from those who have acquired those resources legally and honestly is theft even though it is sanctioned by the powers that be. The redistribution of wealth by government thuggery is theft regardless of what euphemistic labels that government may choose to disguise this fact. We live in a nation among people who have discovered that they can, in the words of Alexis de Tocqueville, 'vote themselves largess'.

I will pray for the incoming Administration as Scripture commands that I must. I do so to honor the God I serve. I also see in these policies the destruction of all that our nation was built upon and has stood for over the two centuries plus that we have existed.

I say with Habakkuk "I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint (Hab. 2:1). May God sustain us and bless our land. May the Shepherds of this land raise their voices as one man in defiance of all that is sin and dishonors our God. Sola Deo!

The Correlation Factor - Maturity & Unity

In the recent past I met with a Denominational figure. After considering what IUS offers to churches with genuine and serious interest, he shared the following. "Tom, I would really like to take our churches through the Transformation Process IgniteUS provides. However, I cannot do that. I invest almost all of my time serving as a referee in a variety of church squabbles. The level of conflict just continues to escalate and I see no end to that trend."

What does that tell us about the spiritual condition of those who make up those assemblies? It seems clear that persons who are embroiled in constant rancor and conflict within the church are at the very least in need of corrective discipline and very well may be flat out lost, unredeemed. Conflict is almost always the result of two sin stained people seeking to impose their agenda on others. Neither considers the word of God. Neither is receptive to a careful exegesis of the text of Scripture. Neither has any inclination to be in submission to their Leaders or to Absolute Truth. They are hell bent on getting "their way" regardless of the cost or price that must be paid to do so.

Denominational structures include entire Departments titled "Conflict Resolution". If my readers examine the content of the approaches applied by these entities, there is little or no application of the Scripture. The Number 1 reason for decline in the church in America is CONTROL. People are all sinners so the presence of conflict is not surprising. What is utterly astonishing is that there is an attempt to find resolution through a process that is not rooted and grounded in the Bible.

When Paul wrote to the Ephesians concerning the various gifted men that God gave to the church, he cited among others Pastor/Teachers (Eph. 4:12). A chief responsibility of these men is building up the Body of Christ. Then in Eph. 4:13 he equates unity - knowledge - maturity. If there is an absence of unity it may very well be that there is a definite lack of knowledge and certainly an absence of maturity.

I suspect that if we were to gather objective data on each person causing trouble in the churches of America we would find a one to one correlation between their lack of knowledge of God's Word and maturity in the fulness of the Image of Christ.

So, until the LORD returns Pastor, continue to teach and preach the text. Love people with the love of Christ. Encourage, Rebuke, Exhort, Correct and DO NOT permit anyone to despise you, to "think around you" (Titus 2:15). In doing so, God will use you to save some, even from themselves.