Babel
Thinking about the language of the day and it seems to me much of what I hear can be categorized into one of two camps.
I hear much about inclusion. This looks like a lot of things:
- Everyone gets a medal.
- Everyone's personal preferences are legitimate - LGBT
- Every woman's personal choice is legitimate - Pro-choice
- Everyone should be free to live life without encountering any viewpoint for which they disagree - Freedom from religion
- Ex-offenders should have freedom to rejoin civilization regardless of the crime
- Everyone should be free to choose their own bathroom
- Everyone should be free to choose their own gender
- Everyone should be free to end their own life - Euthanasia
- Everyone should be free to alter their DNA or the DNA of their children
- Everyone should be free to use whatever chemicals they want to (Colorado)
- Every child should be free from their parental influences and should be subject to the wisdom of the collective cultural understanding (homeschool banning)
- Everyone should be free to force anyone they choose to participate in their life choices (doctors forced to perform abortions, prescribe RU486, bakers can't refuse to bake a cake for an LGBT)
- Everyone should be free from exploitation
- Everyone should be free from regulation
- "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes..."
- Politics from the impossible undefined center
- Recently I had someone close to me go through a CPS investigation, because the kids are allowed to walk the dog and ride their bikes up and down the sidewalk, in a very safe neighborhood. The parenting police instructed the parents, that the kids should be made to play in the backyard and that it is wise to adhere to the wisdom of the collective understanding.
- In the military you can't mention God, not even as a chaplain. You see, someone has decided it is in the best interest of the collective.
On the other hand - there is a standard to follow. I don't know how you can successfully govern any other way.
- We have freedom in Christ, to walk under His example.
- We have structure and moral decrees from the Creator of the Universe to follow.
Often I hear people from each political view, clamoring for freedom. Freedom from gender restrictions, freedom from the moral law, freedom from conflict, freedom from having to defend others-military engagement, freedom from taxation, freedom from those who would take advantage of the environment, freedom from regulation, freedom from those who don't share their moral convictions, freedom from those with opposing views and those who want freedom to live in isolation.
In all of this is the word "I" and "We".
God said spread out, fill the earth, subdue it. Don't depend on yourselves, trust God first.
Of course the first thing people did was stick together and build a collective community - Babel.
Others would say I'm heading for the bomb shelter, to live off the land and do it my way. This sounds like the Essenes (isolationists - Dead Sea Scrolls folks or some in the Tea Party/prepper camp).
I hear many I run with saying "I wish..." and they name their political view and conclude with essentially the world would better if everyone thought like I think.
Many are proud of their superior intellect, theological insights and the satisfaction and security they feel in running with the like minded collective at their church.
There is no safety in your knowledge. We're not saved by knowledge or orthopraxy. We are only saved through faith in Him.
Well you might be right in your understanding, but it is such a third tier priority and consumes much first tier activity.
A very few have as their top abiding priority a brokenness over sin, joy over the grace that has been freely given, brokenness over a lost world, eagerness to share the gospel, urgency to pour themselves out as a drink offering, leaving everything on the field, so that by all means we might win some.
Rarely do I hear someone come to me and say I am praying for my lost friend would you help me and never have I heard this with the same fervor as I hear on problems at work, issues at home, politics, sports, theology or taxes.
I hear Christians often run from truth, so that they do not judge. Matthew 7:1-3 is the most misunderstood verse. Matthew 18:15, Matthew 10:16, 1 Cor 5:1-2, 1 Cor 5:9-11, 1 Cor 6:2-3, 2 Thess 3:14 should be well understood.
Jesus was exceedingly kind. He also called people a brood of vipers, filthy on the inside, flipped over tables and called King Herod a sneaky fox (Luke 13:32). He also said "I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me". Pretty judgmental and exclusive if you ask me.
My point is simply this - the insidious tentacles of inclusion are everywhere and are simply a satanic twist to avoid truth and the law of the Lord.
It is a bizarre time we live in!
ReplyDeleteIt is a bizarre time we live in!
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