25/04/2021
Viable Solutions to Our Cultural Problems & the Church (Part TWO):
My last post spoke about solutions to our problems with woke/leftist/PC mob/cancel culture (whatever you’d like to label it). I offered prayer and being Biblical as two major components of any solution proposal. The problem with man centered and/or secular solutions is that they are heavily (if not entirely) dependent upon men. This is the very thing that has got us into a mess to begin with. So while I would likely agree with a Christopher Rufo or Glenn Loury as to their preferred policy proposals, I believe they would ultimately fail to address the root problem—sin, which is a heart issue found in every one of us, which can only be changed via God and His gospel, i.e. Truth capital “T.”
I also mentioned two caveats, which I would like to briefly go over again in this post. The first is to properly diagnose our current reality. The second is to have realistic expectations.
It’s fair to say that the vast majority of mainstream, or some would say “establishment” media are heavily biased towards the far left/woke PC mob cancel culture. But it doesn’t stop there. Also the vast majority of colleges are likewise woke. The sad reality is that everything from small businesses to large corporations have also become woke. It’s not difficult to see how/why this woke culture ideology has infiltrated the church/body of Christ. It’s a virus on the body that seems to be spreading, and it cloaks itself in Biblical language of “love” and “diversity” and who wants to oppose/reject that?
Matthew Hall, a Christian Provost for The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary recently said in an interview, “I am a racist...and I will struggle with white supremacy until the day I die and get my glorified body.” While someone like Matt Hall would likely say he doesn’t subscribe to this ungodly ideology of CRT, he uses the very language of it here. And if his words are true, then he has no business being the provost of a Christian seminary and ought to step down so that a non racist Christian who doesn’t promote white supremacy can take his place.
His words are part of diagnosing the problem. Calling out bizarre statements like the ones he made here are part of the solution. Matt Chandler said in a speech back in 2018, at the MLK50 conference that he would hire a pastor for his church based on skin color. Not Bible. Not merit. This is part of diagnosing the problem. Now, in Matt Chandler’s case, he said he’d hire the guy with black skin over the guy with white skin, even if the guys with white skin is a better pastor. So he can get away with saying this and still have church members. But imagine if the skin colors were switched? Imagine had Chandler instead said, “I’ll hire the white guy over the black guy, even if the black guy is a better pastor.”? People would immediately see the problem, and in all likelihood Chandler would no longer have a job preaching.
So what’s the solution to this? I believe the solution is found in Scripture. Ephesians 4:15 exhorts us to tell the truth, but to do so lovingly. Those around Matt Hall and Matt Chandler need to do so. Lovingly, but sharply. I believe we must all do this. With ourselves, and also with our loved ones and those in our immediate community/church family. We should speak the truth to each other in a loving manner. Truth with no love is cold, harsh, and will likely result in not being listened to. Love with no truth will lead folks astray. We can love someone straight to hell, if we never mention the truth of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Be Biblical. Be in prayer. Not a single one of us does any of this perfectly. But we must try. This is a fight we all are in whether we want to be or not.
Quickly to wrap this up, let’s talk realistic expectations. The pull of the world is strong. And the vast majority of people, the mob, the crowd, will go along with the world. Jesus says, ““Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”(Matthew 7:13-14) and He also says,““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
(Matthew 7:21-23). Jesus tells us in Scripture that in many cases, the crowd will be doing the wrong thing. Often times it’s that small handful of people doing what’s right. I think we need to keep this in mind when having realistic expectations.
Another expectation for us as Christians: in this world we’re promised trouble (John 16:33). And we are also told, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,”(2 Timothy 3:12). We are also told this in 1 Peter: “Beloved, 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. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”-
1 Peter 4:12-17
All that being said, what ought to be a Christian’s expectations? Well, I would say that based on Scripture, we can expect the vast majority of people to do the wrong thing. We can expect the world to be like the world. And to do that which is easy. It isn’t easy to take up our crosses (Luke 9:23). We can also expect to be mocked. To be looked down upon. To be persecuted. This is our cross to bear. The gospel of health, wealth and prosperity is a false gospel.
We must speak truth in love. We must have a correct diagnosis. And we must have proper expectations. Take heart, we have our hope in Jesus. We are promised that, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”-John 14:3 and also, “But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—” 1 Corinthians 2:9. We also know that if we are in Christ, there’s no condemnation for us (Romans 8:1) and that we are promised to be a part of an eternal kingdom, God’s kingdom, a place where there will be no more pain, no more suffering, no more tears (Revelation 21).
We have a blessed hope in Jesus Christ. And eternity with Him and all of us as one huge loving family, with true diversity, true love, and true peace follows. Even the apostle Paul himself said he’d rather depart and go there to be with God (Philippians 1:23) but he said to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). And so, Christian brother, sister, family reading this, let us speak truth in love with realistic expectations, but let us also keep in mind that we have a blessed hope of eternal life—a life that will be more awesome than anything you or I could think of, which awaits us. Let us run our race and finish strong (Hebrews 12:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:7).
Thank you for reading. God bless you.
