Religion is not the Enemy

The historic sanctuary of Ebenezer Baptist Church,
where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., preached. It is now
part of the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic
Site, owned and operated by the National Park Service.

The 20th century saw the rise and fall of many evangelical leaders, men of renown who preached the Gospel to worldwide prominence, then were destroyed by personal sin and moral failures. Those instances damaged the brand of Christianity, and the church. That damage was also furthered by the personal hypocrisy of many church going Americans. The rubble of 20th century Christianity's failures has given rise to a new breed of Christian, the post-modern Christian.

The post-modern Christian's favorite slogan is "It's about relationship, not religion." The post-modern Christian sees his disdain for traditional Christianity, and in particular, the traditional church, as the same disdain Christ had for the Pharisees and the Sadducees. In post-modern Christianity, the church is de-emphasized, and the individual's feeling of connection toward God is over-emphasized. That dynamic makes discipleship almost impossible, because loving correction is all but forbidden. One is no longer allowed to warn a brother who is drifting into a lifestyle of sin. One is no longer allowed to take firm stances for, or against, anything, for doing so is seen as being judgmental, which is the post-modern's only unforgivable sin. 

It is good for Christians to inspect themselves to see if they are living as Christ wants them to live. It is good for churches to examine themselves to see if they are operating within the will and mission of the Lord. If all Christians and churches did this, Christianity in America would go through a very healthy introspection. Such would be a good thing, given the failures we've seen over the past century. Still, to discard traditional Christianity, and the church, in favor of a more isolated, socially open and acceptable creed is a grievous error. The church is still God's institution, organized on the shores of Galilee, and commissioned on the Mount of Olives to represent the Lord and spread the Gospel throughout the entire world. Jesus made it clear in Matthew 28:20 that this would be the case until He returned. So, let's not fall for the error of turning our backs on the church.

None-the-less, post-modern objections to the church need to be addressed. The church is still a key part of the Christian faith. The failures of its leaders and members do not change that. The church has been a light in the world, despite those failures, and God wants us to be a part of a church.

The failures of the leaders and the members of the church do not discredit it's role in God's mission. Indeed, it is easy to take anecdotal evidence of the failures of an evangelical leader, a pastor, a church member, or even the stance of some churches, and say that the church has lost its purpose and is therefore no longer relevant. This approach to discrediting one's opponents is not new. If you want to discredit liberalism, find the craziest self-described liberal and parade them in public. Breitbart does this on a daily basis. If you want to discredit conservatism, find the most redneck'ed racist individual out there, and parade him around in public. The Huffington Post does that quite often. And, if you want to discredit traditional Christianity, make sure to draw as much attention as possible to the most hypocritical leaders and followers of the Christian faith. 

However, just as political liberalism and conservatism cannot be defined by the most extreme individuals in their camps, Christianity is not defined by the failures of a few. In fact, it's not defined by the failures of the majority. It's not even defined by the failures of the greatest missionary in history. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:7, "For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?"

The Apostle Paul knew he was a sinner. He failed God often, and he chronicled that in Romans 7:15-25. Following Romans 3:7, he made the case that we are all sinners, and we all fall short of God's glory. Those failures did not discredit God, they proved His point. We, as Christians, are human, and therefore we sin. We fall short. We make bad decisions, and we do bad things. So does everyone else.

Yet the message of Christianity is that in spite of that sin, in spite of those failures, God loves us, and redeemed us anyway. So, if one thinks that he is going to be able to discard the church and traditional Christianity in favor of a more perfect, holy and righteous system, he is going to be disappointed. The purity of the religion goes out the window as soon as people become involved. So, if we're going to deal with sinful people, we might as well do so in the context of the local church, which is the way God designed it.

Another charge often leveled against traditional Christianity is that the church has failed in its role to be a light in the world. After all, Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." A post-modern looks at these verses, and complains that the church has failed to be a light. It has failed to make the world a better place. It has failed to help the poor.

Those who say the church has failed to be a light in the world evidently missed the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The civil disobedience that led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act was not born of the efforts of community organizers, socialists, or liberal politicians. It was executed by African American pastors in the south, who, knowing God's demand for justice, sought to put an end to the racial injustices of the day.

The Freedom Riders, and the Congress on Racial Equality, were born out of Wiley College in Marshall, TX, a Methodist college which served African American students in East Texas. Wiley College was home to a national champion debate team in 1935, a member of which was a young James Farmer, Jr,, who co-founded the Congress on Racial Equality. Farmer's father was a Methodist minister who served as president of Wiley College. During his study at Wiley, the younger farmer learned about civil disobedience from his debate coach.

The face of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a Baptist pastor, serving at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, and Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. King worked with other ministers in carrying out his demonstrations to bring not only racial justice, but also racial reconciliation and healing.

As a result, racial segregation was outlawed, and the Civil Rights Movement was successful. That's not to say that racism no longer exists, but the institutional hurdles that African Americans faced have been removed. There are still hurdles, but they tend to be social and economic.

Those who claim the church has failed to be a light in the world have also overlooked the many charitable organizations that have been founded for the sole purpose of helping the poor, needy, and those affected by tragedy. These organizations were founded by churches and Christians. Samaritan's Purse, the American Red Cross, and the Salvation Army are all well known charitable organizations whose roots are embedded in the American church. Additionally, there are the numerous missionary efforts to preach the Gospel and offer relief to the poor worldwide.

So, despite the failures of many of its leaders and followers, the Christian church has been a light in the world.

Finally, we should not abandon the church because God wants us to be a part of a church. In Hebrews 10:25, the Bible says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

The purpose of church involvement is three-old.

(1) It is to encourage you as you walk with the Lord. As Christians, we should be encouraging each other as we face life's challenges, and we should remind each other to have faith in the Lord, even when we are going through the dark valleys of life.

(2) It is to build your faith and knowledge. Discipleship is a key part of the Christian life. God wants us to study His word, learn more about Him, and apply that knowledge to our lives. In order to do that, we need mentors. We need to be taught by those who are more mature in the faith, who have been where we are, and have seen God work. Church membership is key to our Spiritual growth, and to our being grounded in the truth. Without it, we tend to drift, without learning, and we tend to develop our own beliefs apart from the Bible. We need church involvement to keep us grounded.

And finally, (3) church involvement gives us an avenue to serve the Lord. Churches are supposed to be in the business of spreading the Gospel. It's a team effort. God never intended on us serving alone. He wants us serving in teams, with groups, our Christian brothers and sisters who encourage us on our way. Sure, there were men in the Bible who served alone, but remember, Elijah suffered from severe depression.

I understand that people in the church have fallen short. I also understand that you may have been betrayed or hurt by people in the church. My plea to you is that you do not let the sins of others deter you from living in God's will. Find a church that preaches the truth, and that loves you, and get involved. You will find the Christian walk is a whole lot more meaningful if you do. May God bless you and keep you will be my prayer. 

It's Not About Right to Religion, It's About the Right to Connect with God

National Public Radio recently ran a story about the conflict between the law of the land, The Affordable Care Act, and the religious beliefs and practices of the Catholic church, which doesn't believe in the use of birth control. The premise of the story is what happens, and what should happen, when one's religious views run contrary to the law of the land. While I am glad that NPR has chosen to highlight the consequences American Christians are facing for holding to their faith, the piece misses fundamental truths about God, man, and freedom.

The U.S. Constitution prohibits Congress (and by extension, the state governments) from making a law respecting the establishment of religion, or the free exercise thereof. This was the first right listed in the Bill of Rights, and for good reason. Those who colonized America often did so to escape religious persecution in Europe. Further, the founding fathers remembered the days under British rule, when personal liberties had become rare.

So, in the Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers affirmed their belief in a Creator, and that the Creator had endowed all men with the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. At the core of these rights is the freedom to determine who you are, what you believe, and your sense of right and wrong. These freedoms were affirmed and protected, because the founding fathers knew that government could not connect people to their Creator, nor could it coerce the worship of Him. Each man must connect to God on his own.

Their intent, was for you to be able to freely seek out God, and discover His plan for your life. You were then free to pursue that plan as long as you wanted.

Fast forward nearly two and a half centuries, and we have a law passed that requires Catholic ministries to provide coverage for something their doctrine opposes... contraceptives. Meanwhile, we have courts in Colorado and New Mexico forcing business owners to partake in same-sex weddings, which are a violation of their faiths. In its decision against a wedding photographer who refused to photograph a same-sex wedding, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that part of being an American involves doing things that violate your own conscience.

I wonder if those justices have read the founding documents of our country. I wonder if they realize that the Constitution was written in such a way as to protect our right to follow our conscience. You see, many who support the New Mexico Supreme Court's decision to force a wedding photographer to participate in a same-sex wedding, which violates her Christian faith, don't see what the big deal is. After all, the court didn't hinder her going to church or participating in her religion. It merely required her to do something she disagreed with, in the interest of stamping out discrimination. However, in doing so, the requirement was set forth by the government that would force this photographer to do something that would shatter her relationship with God. It's a very serious matter.

You see, faith begins when you repent from your sin and trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. That is a change made inside your heart, and no government entity can take it away from you. That faith is then manifest in how you live... which involves participating in God's religion, the Christian church. Any attempt to regulate your involvement in the church, or any attempt to compel you to sin, is a violation of the founding father's affirmation that you have the right to freely connect with God. And that's what the secularist doesn't understand.

Religion is not a social club or a civic organization. It is an expression of  the innermost part of your being. That right, to be who you are, is given by God, and affirmed by the Constitution. So, if you choose to live a secular lifestyle, apart from God, or His influence, you are free to do so. If you choose to follow a lifestyle of homosexuality, you are free to do so. However, you are not free to require that others participate in that lifestyle with you, nor can you require that others accept that lifestyle. To do that, you'd have to regulate the human heart, and that is something that no government can do.

That being said, you will reap the consequences (good or bad) of the decisions you make in this life when you die and face the Lord in judgment. Choose wisely.

We Can All Get Along

Few things can disrupt fellowship between believers faster than disputes over religious practices. One believer doesn't feel comfortable drinking a bottled water in the sanctuary, the other one does. One believer wears a suit and tie to church, the other one doesn't. One believer will only consume Christian media, the other listens to secular music and watches regular TV. One believer votes Republican, the other votes Democratic. These are just a few small, trivial examples of practices that can divide brothers and sisters in Christ.

The one who drinks the bottled water in the sanctuary feels that the one who isn't comfortable doing so is being Pharisaical. The one who wears the suit and tie in church disdains the casual appearance of the other. The one who only consumes Christian media thinks the one who listens to secular music is rotting their brain. The Republican denounces the Democrat for voting for abortion, the Democrat denounces the Republican for voting for greed.

Is it possible that both parties could be right? Perhaps the one drinking the bottled water in the sanctuary knows that the sanctuary is not the Holy of Holies from the Temple, and sees the church building as just a place where the church meets. Conversely, the non-water drinker is abstaining from drinking bottled water in the sanctuary out of respect for God. The suit and tie wearer feels he is being respectful by dressing up for church, yet the casual dresser feels that God accepts him and sees beyond the Polo shirt.

The Bible addresses these divisions in Romans 14:5-9: 

5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6  He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7  For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 9  For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 

In the early church, some regarded certain holidays, others didn't. Some observed food restrictions, others didn't. However, Paul wrote that all were doing what they were doing for the Lord, and thus they should be left alone to do as they felt the Lord wanted them to do. 

The problem arises, however, when Christians feel the need to get their brothers and sisters in Christ to act just like they do. Paul addressed that attitude in Romans 14:4: 

Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 

God is our master, and He is the one who will judge us. Our decisions on the finer points of practice (dress code, water bottles, music choice, etc,) will be addressed by God. If a believer's standards are not up to par, God has a way of getting them up to par (He shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand.)

So, conduct yourself the way you believe God wants you to, whether it be by dress, entertainment, food choices, or voting habits. Let everyone else follow God as they feel He is directing them. If Christians will do this, we'll have peace and harmony in the church.