I am not in the habit of speaking out publicly regarding American politics. It is not because of any cowardice on my part, I assure you. I happen to believe that American Christianity has entangled itself too closely with American politics over the past thirty years, in particular, to the point that the “faith once delivered to the saints” has become tainted by the association. Thus, in the minds of many in our nation, whether you represent the political Right or Left, and once you state that you are a Christian, the unbeliever as the recipient of that information often has a caricature in view that pieces the together, creating a barrier to the actual witness of the Gospel.
In fact, I have very strong views regarding the political structures of the United States. Many of you may not realize this, but I was a Social Science major in college. Indeed, the Social Science major itself included political science, history and psychology. I took every political science class Shorter College had to offer. At the time I attended Shorter, though it was a Georgia Baptist institution, it was a liberal school, both theologically and politically. In 1984, the Reagan/Bush ticket was running against Mondale/Ferraro for President/Vice-president. The overwhelming majority of the faculty and staff as well as the students in the History/Political Science department supported the Democratic duo. Less than a handful of us held out for the conservative pair of Ronald Reagan and George Bush, Sr. to continue in their administration. Needless to say, when Reagan/Bush steamrolled over Mondale/Ferraro on election day in a landslide victory, those who had supported the Democratic ticket were none too pleased that night or the following day on campus. It was a time to remember.
I bring this up for this purpose. American Catholic theologian, George Weigel, once stated, “Ideas have consequences and bad ideas can have lethal consequences.” The political parties that we now have accepted as part of our cultural landscape have always been based on particular ideas and values. From the very beginning of our nation, the men who ran for office represented not only themselves but groups of men and beliefs that bound them together. For instance, in 1796, we typically think that this election was simply between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson for the Presidency of the new United States of America. However, there were actually thirteen candidates for the office. One was an independent, George Washington, who received but two electoral votes. The other twelve candidates were nominees from two political parties, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. The Federalists believed in a strong national government, a loose interpretation of the Constitution, and increasing business develop-ment. The Democratic-Republicans representing small farmers, affirmed a weak central government, and a strict interpretation of the Constitution. In this particular election, it was John Adams, representing the Federalists, who captured the Presidency, bringing in his group’s view of government to oversee the nation.
Over time, parties and people have changed. The Federalists are no longer in existence. The Democratic-Republicans, contrary to popular belief, are not the same as the present-day Democrat party. If anything, the Democrat party of today is more akin to the Federalist party of yesteryear with its desire for a strong central government and loose interpretation of the Constitution. Added to this is the Democrat party’s ongoing mission to expand the definition of civil rights to include not only race, religion, gender and immigration status to increase its own voting rolls, but also sexual orientation. With the 2012 election looming, the Democrat party has officially included its approval and affirmation of same-sex marriage in its platform to, hopefully, attract the young, open-minded voters to its side for the purpose of re-electing Barack Obama for President. Just for note, the DNC has also removed all references to “God” in its official platform, including but one paragraph exuding the importance of “faith” in America and its way of life. A day or so after the DNC began in Charlotte, God was significantly reintroduced to platform language by virtue of an amendment, forced through upon approval by the moderator after a three-fold voice vote over the loud “boo’s” of a resounding opposition! In other words, God wasn’t welcomed there by the delegates, but only allowed in due to political pressures as feared from the pending voters come November.
The Republican party that was formed after the fall of the Whigs in the 1850s has evolved from the party of the emancipation of blacks under Abraham Lincoln to the party of business interests in the late 1800s/early 1900s to the party of social and economic conservativism as of the late 20th century. In many ways, the latter two forces within the Republican party, economic protectionists and social conservatives, are still endeavoring to find a common ground for the best interests of the party as a whole. In the 2012 election, with the choice of private businessman, self-proclaimed conservative, Mitt Romney, it is hoped within the Republican party that the bridge between the two sides has been built, at least for the time being. As noting with the DNC above, the RNC platform upon which Romney will be running is decidedly pro-life, defending the sanctity of Biblical marriage, economically conservative with a recognition that our rights and freedoms are “God-given”.
What has all of this to do with the believers in Christ in America? As Scripture declares, we are to “...do all to the glory of God” (rf. I Corinthians 10:31), that includes exercising our right as Americans to cast our vote. We must research the platforms of the individual parties that are represented in each election (national, state and local) to see which ones uphold the values reflected in God’s Word and which ones stand for things that are contrary to Scripture. Once the positions of the parties are surmised, then we will effectively know which candidates we can and cannot vote for. From that point, it will be a matter of making sure we are registered to vote and then go do so as obedient to God’s Word (rf. Acts 22:25-29; 23:11). Of all people who should take every opportunity that our rights as Americans give to us, it should be God’s people. We are, after all, commanded by God to be examples of good citizens of our nation even as we are to reflect our citizenship in heaven. Let us then do all within our power to be informed, to vote and to uphold our values as followers of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ by selecting the right people to serve this great nation for the years yet to come.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The Importance of Lineage
Lineage. It is a question of one’s own connection with the past. To the denizens of the culture of the “now”, such an aspect of history has no place in life because one’s life is all about the present and the future. However, to the wise among us, history has an exalted position of importance in life as does our family heritage. Indeed, the immortal words of George Santayana still ring true, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Of course, he was speaking of the mistakes in history, but his premise of neglecting the past to our detriment still bears recalling.
So imperative is this idea of lineage to me that I have taken up the study of genealogy as a hobby. I have always been interested in history, so much so that it was one of my majors in college. Indeed, my focal point of study in seminary was Church history. It only stands to reason that I should bring to bear that interest in the area of family connections. When I began this pursuit, I could not believe what discoveries awaited me.
For instance, I was amazed to find out that I have through each of my parent’s lines direct connections with two different couples of French Huguenots who were the first who settled in Virginia in the 1600s at Manakin (Monocan) Town, just east of Richmond. I have verified the connection of one of the couples while the other will have to remain unofficial due to a lack of available documentation. The Huguenots were refugees fleeing persecution in France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in which Protestantism was made illegal, the practice thereof made punishable by seizure of property, bodily torture and death. These Huguenots made their way to the New World in search of freedom of religion and worship, settling in Virginia. One couple remained at Manakin Town until the end of their days. The other eventually moved on to South Carolina, there the husband serving as a minister of another Huguenot settlement as he had in Virginia.
Along another line on my father’s side comes an example of those who fought for our nation’s freedom from British tyranny in the famous American Revolution. Like many of our ancestors, he was of European descent, German to be precise, yet considered this land and its future worth fighting for. He and his brothers were part of the formation of the German Fusiliers, a company of defenders made up of German and Dutch immigrants and their sons who felt the need to take up arms in protection of Charleston, South Carolina after “the shot heard ‘round the world” was fired in Lexington and Concord much further up north.
These are but two examples of many others that I could name. Men and women of various stations of society, from yeomen farmers to knights and aristocrats. Military warriors who fought and died in every major and minor conflict of our nation since the formation of this great land. It seems that every time another person is located, yet another story of great interest is told. This is why the hobby for me is so intensely exciting.
This pursuit of genealogy is likewise integral to the serious student of Scripture. One finds quickly as one begins the meritorious task of reading through the Bible in a year or two that, before long, one will run into long chapters of “so-and-so begat so-and-so” (KJV) and so on. These lists of genealogies of family connections seem so arduous that we are very tempted to jump ahead to the more juicy narratives because they are easier to read and understand. However, we must never forget that these passages have, too, been included in the text under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God intended them to be there for our edification.
To the Jews their family connections were of extreme importance to their heritage. For instance, their bloodline determined to which tribe they belonged. It revealed their land grant at the end of the conquering days of the Promised Land under Joshua and the elders. It even disclosed whether or not there were kings of Israel of old in their past (especially if they were of tribe of Benjamin (e.g. King Saul) or Judah (e.g. kings David and forward)).
Most notably, the genealogies of Jesus provide us an outstanding example of the importance of lineages. The one presented in Matthew (1:1-17) gives the reader the legal basis for Jesus’ status as the Son of David through Joseph, His earthly step-father. We know this because of vs. 16 where the line is traced through “Jacob...the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.” The focus of the verse is on Mary, not Joseph, though the lineage is shown to be through Joseph, revealing that Joseph was not the actual father of Jesus, yet he was the husband of Mary. On the other hand, the lineage disclosed in Luke 3:23-38, is actually through Mary’s family line though it seemingly is shown through Joseph. (Remember: In the time of Jesus, women were accorded little legal and social standing; therefore, in official documentation, most of the time, lineages were paternal.) In vs. 23, Luke uses the phrase “(as was supposed)” to show that the above was the case. Also, Mary’s father was apparently Heli and then the lineage went backward through David all the way to Adam. Thus, her genealogy proved Jesus both to be the Son of David and the Son of Adam/the Son of Man in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
So, the next time you read through the Scriptures, be sure to pay close attention to who belonged to whom in terms of family relationships. It will encourage you spiritually to see how deep the grace of God really is. It may even prompt you to see how God’s hand has been at work in your own family’s genealogy if you begin such a study into that history as well. Never forget that, in God’s mind, the past, the present and the future are very much interconnected. And so should they be with His people.
So imperative is this idea of lineage to me that I have taken up the study of genealogy as a hobby. I have always been interested in history, so much so that it was one of my majors in college. Indeed, my focal point of study in seminary was Church history. It only stands to reason that I should bring to bear that interest in the area of family connections. When I began this pursuit, I could not believe what discoveries awaited me.
For instance, I was amazed to find out that I have through each of my parent’s lines direct connections with two different couples of French Huguenots who were the first who settled in Virginia in the 1600s at Manakin (Monocan) Town, just east of Richmond. I have verified the connection of one of the couples while the other will have to remain unofficial due to a lack of available documentation. The Huguenots were refugees fleeing persecution in France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in which Protestantism was made illegal, the practice thereof made punishable by seizure of property, bodily torture and death. These Huguenots made their way to the New World in search of freedom of religion and worship, settling in Virginia. One couple remained at Manakin Town until the end of their days. The other eventually moved on to South Carolina, there the husband serving as a minister of another Huguenot settlement as he had in Virginia.
Along another line on my father’s side comes an example of those who fought for our nation’s freedom from British tyranny in the famous American Revolution. Like many of our ancestors, he was of European descent, German to be precise, yet considered this land and its future worth fighting for. He and his brothers were part of the formation of the German Fusiliers, a company of defenders made up of German and Dutch immigrants and their sons who felt the need to take up arms in protection of Charleston, South Carolina after “the shot heard ‘round the world” was fired in Lexington and Concord much further up north.
These are but two examples of many others that I could name. Men and women of various stations of society, from yeomen farmers to knights and aristocrats. Military warriors who fought and died in every major and minor conflict of our nation since the formation of this great land. It seems that every time another person is located, yet another story of great interest is told. This is why the hobby for me is so intensely exciting.
This pursuit of genealogy is likewise integral to the serious student of Scripture. One finds quickly as one begins the meritorious task of reading through the Bible in a year or two that, before long, one will run into long chapters of “so-and-so begat so-and-so” (KJV) and so on. These lists of genealogies of family connections seem so arduous that we are very tempted to jump ahead to the more juicy narratives because they are easier to read and understand. However, we must never forget that these passages have, too, been included in the text under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God intended them to be there for our edification.
To the Jews their family connections were of extreme importance to their heritage. For instance, their bloodline determined to which tribe they belonged. It revealed their land grant at the end of the conquering days of the Promised Land under Joshua and the elders. It even disclosed whether or not there were kings of Israel of old in their past (especially if they were of tribe of Benjamin (e.g. King Saul) or Judah (e.g. kings David and forward)).
Most notably, the genealogies of Jesus provide us an outstanding example of the importance of lineages. The one presented in Matthew (1:1-17) gives the reader the legal basis for Jesus’ status as the Son of David through Joseph, His earthly step-father. We know this because of vs. 16 where the line is traced through “Jacob...the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.” The focus of the verse is on Mary, not Joseph, though the lineage is shown to be through Joseph, revealing that Joseph was not the actual father of Jesus, yet he was the husband of Mary. On the other hand, the lineage disclosed in Luke 3:23-38, is actually through Mary’s family line though it seemingly is shown through Joseph. (Remember: In the time of Jesus, women were accorded little legal and social standing; therefore, in official documentation, most of the time, lineages were paternal.) In vs. 23, Luke uses the phrase “(as was supposed)” to show that the above was the case. Also, Mary’s father was apparently Heli and then the lineage went backward through David all the way to Adam. Thus, her genealogy proved Jesus both to be the Son of David and the Son of Adam/the Son of Man in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
So, the next time you read through the Scriptures, be sure to pay close attention to who belonged to whom in terms of family relationships. It will encourage you spiritually to see how deep the grace of God really is. It may even prompt you to see how God’s hand has been at work in your own family’s genealogy if you begin such a study into that history as well. Never forget that, in God’s mind, the past, the present and the future are very much interconnected. And so should they be with His people.
Thoughts Regarding Our "Adversary" and His Celebration
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
I Peter 5:8-11
This passage was written originally by the Apostle Peter to those “who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood...” (rf. I Peter 1:2) Suffice it to say that Peter was writing to the Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire. He wanted them to be aware of the dangers that surrounded the believers in Christ, dangers, specifically, that were not as obvious as others. The Apostle Peter had learned as he had matured in the faith that the devil, the ancient “adversary” of Christ, was not as open in his opposition to His followers as they would have liked to have believed. Therefore, Peter provides the Christian body a dire warning for them to be on the constant alert that this “adversary” was waiting for just the right opportunity to catch the believer unawares with a subtle attack for which they will not be prepared with an adequate defense.
Things have not changed any since the first century. The same “lion” that awaited the early Christian body for weak believers to attack is still very present today seeking “someone to devour”. This “lion”, “the devil”, is a very clever being. He knows that His best offense is, indeed, invisibility or better yet, non-existence. Thus, he has convinced first the culture and then the Church that supernatural beings such as Devil, Satan, Beelzebub, demons, angels, etc. are all mythical creatures, nice to adorn plots for horror flicks, television shows, computer games or books, but not worthy of true intellectual affirmation. Indeed, such beings are the things to be used as an outlet for the base impulses of our human natures, the outward expressions we show forth through costumes on All Hallow’s Eve, Halloween. They are the culturally approved vehicles by which we are allowed to celebrate that which is evil about ourselves without the pangs of guilt since all of us “have a little evil in us” after all. It is true after all, as Flip Wilson, the comedian of old, in his character, Geraldine, used to say, “The Devil made me do it.”
Our “adversary” is a sly character without question. He knows he has the unbelieving world at his beckon call. His goal is to get the Christian community as well to dance to his tune. This is the warning to which the Apostle Paul is referring. When we are blind to the devil’s ways, we easily fall prey to his traps. When we do not see as evil that which is inherently evil, he has us exactly where he wants us. Like a lion that creeps silently and stealthily in the bushes upon the unwitting antelope, so we can be completely caught off guard by the actions of the devil, not realizing that he has laid a trap for us until it is too late.
How do we then prevent being caught? Peter says, be “firm in your faith”. One cannot distinguish good from evil if one is not well-versed in the truth of God’s Word. One cannot turn away from the temptations of the “adversary” if the only time one is exposed to God’s truth is on Sundays. It will not happen. “Firm(ness) in the faith” comes with a commitment to be with God and in His Word on a daily basis. This was Jesus’ example. It must be ours’ also.
Secondly, on the basis of that truth that is our foundation, we are to “resist him”. This is not just a matter of telling the devil, “No”. It is also a matter of telling why it is “No”. Again, Jesus provides us the example. When tempted by the devil in the wilderness, over and over again, Jesus answered each temptation with a reason from God’s Word. The same holds true with us. We can only do this if we are bathed in our understanding with the study of the Scriptures.
Why do I bring this passage and discussion now? October is the celebration of one of the holy days of Satanism. All Hallow’s Eve is and always has been a celebration of the dead, based on the belief that the spirits of those departed must be appeased in order for them to remain in the grave. Many say that this is not what is being celebrated today. I concur and so does the one who gains the most glory from the celebration. Just food for thought: if we as believers in Christ are to do all for the glory of God (rf. Colossians 3:17), how does this particular holiday and its origins qualify for us to participate? Could it be that the “adversary” has used its trappings for “fun” as a snare to make so many of us totally unaware of what we were actually helping to promote?
My words are not meant to condemn or to judge, but to encourage. Like so many of us, I was an example of Jesus’ words of being led blindly eventually toward a pit. It wasn’t until I had my eyes opened by the reality of what was real, true and Biblical. Then, both my actions and my perceptions changed. I was able to do what the Apostle Peter exhorted us all to do. Indeed, the Lord is able to “perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.” May He do the same for us all as we seek to follow Him and His Word more closely.
I Peter 5:8-11
This passage was written originally by the Apostle Peter to those “who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood...” (rf. I Peter 1:2) Suffice it to say that Peter was writing to the Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire. He wanted them to be aware of the dangers that surrounded the believers in Christ, dangers, specifically, that were not as obvious as others. The Apostle Peter had learned as he had matured in the faith that the devil, the ancient “adversary” of Christ, was not as open in his opposition to His followers as they would have liked to have believed. Therefore, Peter provides the Christian body a dire warning for them to be on the constant alert that this “adversary” was waiting for just the right opportunity to catch the believer unawares with a subtle attack for which they will not be prepared with an adequate defense.
Things have not changed any since the first century. The same “lion” that awaited the early Christian body for weak believers to attack is still very present today seeking “someone to devour”. This “lion”, “the devil”, is a very clever being. He knows that His best offense is, indeed, invisibility or better yet, non-existence. Thus, he has convinced first the culture and then the Church that supernatural beings such as Devil, Satan, Beelzebub, demons, angels, etc. are all mythical creatures, nice to adorn plots for horror flicks, television shows, computer games or books, but not worthy of true intellectual affirmation. Indeed, such beings are the things to be used as an outlet for the base impulses of our human natures, the outward expressions we show forth through costumes on All Hallow’s Eve, Halloween. They are the culturally approved vehicles by which we are allowed to celebrate that which is evil about ourselves without the pangs of guilt since all of us “have a little evil in us” after all. It is true after all, as Flip Wilson, the comedian of old, in his character, Geraldine, used to say, “The Devil made me do it.”
Our “adversary” is a sly character without question. He knows he has the unbelieving world at his beckon call. His goal is to get the Christian community as well to dance to his tune. This is the warning to which the Apostle Paul is referring. When we are blind to the devil’s ways, we easily fall prey to his traps. When we do not see as evil that which is inherently evil, he has us exactly where he wants us. Like a lion that creeps silently and stealthily in the bushes upon the unwitting antelope, so we can be completely caught off guard by the actions of the devil, not realizing that he has laid a trap for us until it is too late.
How do we then prevent being caught? Peter says, be “firm in your faith”. One cannot distinguish good from evil if one is not well-versed in the truth of God’s Word. One cannot turn away from the temptations of the “adversary” if the only time one is exposed to God’s truth is on Sundays. It will not happen. “Firm(ness) in the faith” comes with a commitment to be with God and in His Word on a daily basis. This was Jesus’ example. It must be ours’ also.
Secondly, on the basis of that truth that is our foundation, we are to “resist him”. This is not just a matter of telling the devil, “No”. It is also a matter of telling why it is “No”. Again, Jesus provides us the example. When tempted by the devil in the wilderness, over and over again, Jesus answered each temptation with a reason from God’s Word. The same holds true with us. We can only do this if we are bathed in our understanding with the study of the Scriptures.
Why do I bring this passage and discussion now? October is the celebration of one of the holy days of Satanism. All Hallow’s Eve is and always has been a celebration of the dead, based on the belief that the spirits of those departed must be appeased in order for them to remain in the grave. Many say that this is not what is being celebrated today. I concur and so does the one who gains the most glory from the celebration. Just food for thought: if we as believers in Christ are to do all for the glory of God (rf. Colossians 3:17), how does this particular holiday and its origins qualify for us to participate? Could it be that the “adversary” has used its trappings for “fun” as a snare to make so many of us totally unaware of what we were actually helping to promote?
My words are not meant to condemn or to judge, but to encourage. Like so many of us, I was an example of Jesus’ words of being led blindly eventually toward a pit. It wasn’t until I had my eyes opened by the reality of what was real, true and Biblical. Then, both my actions and my perceptions changed. I was able to do what the Apostle Peter exhorted us all to do. Indeed, the Lord is able to “perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.” May He do the same for us all as we seek to follow Him and His Word more closely.
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