FreeTruth

One of the temptations we face when thugs take over government or the workplace or the neighborhood or the home is to run. We're tempted to try to escape, find a safer place, go into hiding, get away from the danger zone. I'm not sure this is the best way.

I wouldn't say that there is never a time to escape (after all I do remember an Acts 9:23-25 scene in which Paul escapes Damascus in a basket lowered over a wall, a scene that makes me smile as I play back the grainy footage of that night-time escape in my mind; a bit of a humbling moment for a mighty apostle, wouldn't you say?). Friends, if there is imminent danger to body or soul, escape is a very real option, and in some cases duty.

But something tells me that often God's preference for us in hard times, when the heat of persecution or cultural meltdown increases is not that we run but that we root.

You'll remember that Psalm 37:1-40 is God's counsel to us when thugs rule and evildoers turn up the heat. And among the many commands given us is that of Psalm 37:3--"dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness."

The Hebrew word translated "dwell" means to settle down, reside, stay. This is a call to stay put; to dwell in the land; to root rather than to run.

The additional admonition to "befriend faithfulness" is our translator's attempt to capture an uncertain Hebrew phrase. Check other translations and, instead of "befriend faithfulness," you'll find "feed on faithfulness" or "enjoy safe pasture" or "cultivate faithfulness."

One thing all the translation attempts have in common is a picture of steady, staying grace. Psalm 37:3 is either a call to settle down and be faithful, or to settle down and feed on God's faithfulness, or to stay and graze in the pasture of God's grace. One thing it is not is a call to run.

I'm reminded of God's words to His exiled people in Jeremiah 29:4-7. Folks, while in our own Babylonian captivity under thugs and thieves in high places, perhaps the best thing we can do is "build houses (or rent apartments) and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce" and then build godly families as Jeremiah commands.

In other words perhaps the best thing we can do is take root and bear fruit. Perhaps the best thing we can do is to go about the business of everyday living, quite indifferent to the turmoil around, just minding our own business (as Paul puts it in 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12), taking care of our own affairs, working hard, tending our families, living quiet lives of consistent godliness, and whatever happens, simply keeping on keeping on.

Hard times are not times to run and hide; they're times to stay and shine (Matthew 5:10-16). What the world needs today is not more Christians moving away from the hot spots, retreating into safety to build communes, but Christians dwelling in the cultural war zones and staying put come what may.

Today's world and church need willing Christian stayers: men and women who'd rather be faithful than safe; who'd choose deep roots in a war zone over a cozy bunker in the country; who stick it out in church and society even when the times get hard indeed.

Labels: Culture War, Faithfulness, Persecution, politics, Social Action

In our series, Thieves, Thugs, and Christian Faith (which is based on Psalm 37:1-40), we're trying to frame a biblical response to cultural and political evil. You'll have to read back to see what we've covered so far. Today we'll consider how to take meaningful action.

Real, radical Christian social action is this: "Trust in the Lord, and do good...The righteous is generous and gives...Turn away from evil and do good" (Psalm 37:3, 21, 27).

Do good. Be generous and give.

Consider the simple yet radical action to which God calls us when we face thugs and thieves in high (or low) places. He does not call us primarily (if at all) to arms or to political action or to boycotts or to media blitzes. He calls us to do good.

Doing good is biblical parlance for living a generous, kind, compassionate, giving, hands-dirty-with-serving and hearts-connected-with-compassion lives. It's the very opposite of raging and fuming. It's the near opposite of passive news-watching and collective whining via Christian airwaves.

It's getting out there into the real world of human need and doing something through witness, love, kindness, hospitality, service, and compassion for the poor, the outcast, the alone, the alien, and yes, even the thug.

It's not faulting the illegal alien, it's finding him and loving him. It's not condemning the gays, it's befriending them and gracing them. It's not blasting and scorning the politicians, it's praying for them, and pleading for God's mercy upon them--because we actually and truly love them.

Read--and practice--the words of Jesus in Luke 6:27-35. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless and pray for them. Turn your cheek. Give. Lend, expecting nothing in return. Be merciful. That is radical Christian social action. Everything else is bluster. Worse it is quite possibly simply fear, self-righteousness, and/or bigotry.

The best way to change really bad people is to love them. Remember Romans 12:14-21. Make sure to stop and read that Romans text really slowly and thoughtfully, or you'll blow a chance to be transformed.

Simple series of questions (some with answers):

1. What is the best way to overcome evil? Do good.
2. What is the best way to handle the illegal alien problem? Love the alien more than you love a healthy economy or the nation's future well-being and lead the alien to Jesus.
3. Are you more concerned about the homosexual's agenda or the homosexual's soul?
4. If Obama is really an evil enemy of all that is good, then what are specific good things we may do for him to overcome his evil?
5. Are you against higher taxes simply because you want to keep more money in your pocket, or because you truly believe that you can give it away in a more effective, others-helping way than government can? You shouldn't want lower taxes so you can have a higher standard of living; you should want lower taxes so you can invest in heaven through greater giving.
6. Do you speak out and take action more vigorously for the plight of the unborn or the cause of missions and evangelism than you do for the state of the economy or the defence of American style democracy? What have you given more time, attention, and tears to in the past six months?
7. Which worries you more and prompts you to more prayer, generosity, and action: the fact that we have thugs in high places, or the fact that there are neighbors next door who've never really heard the gospel or met a sane Christian with a bold witness, and that there are 10-15 thousand people groups around the world who have never even heard of Jesus Christ because American Christians refuse to give and go in such a way as to finish the task of local and global missions?

With all due respect and deep affection for all the dear saints who are doing much good every day to affect others for Christ, may I say this bluntly about the majority in churches today: maybe American Christians should whine a whole lot less and simply do good a whole lot more.

Labels: charity, Culture War, Giving, Love, Social Action

So in Psalm 37:4 we are told to "delight in God and He will give us the desires of our heart." As mentioned yesterday this is a way of saying that when evildoers seemingly have the upper hand (which is the case in Psalm 37 and today), believers must gaze at God with affection and delight rather than at their surrounding circumstances or the powers that be.

In so doing their fear, fretting, and fuming will dissipate, and their desires (for more of God and grace and joy) will increase. The spiritual formula is really quite simple, even if not always easy to apply. Here it is: In hard times, delight in God. When times grow dark gaze at the Light. When times are tough, turn to the bright, pleasing, satisfying Wonder, whose name is God.

When you do, fear will be expelled and desires satisfied.

One reason why so many Christians today are all hot and bothered to the point of spiritual distraction is because they are spending far more time gazing at problems than at the God above those problems. Time doesn't permit me to expound at length about how to remedy this, but can I suggest a simple piece of advice (which I know you're all smart enough to figure out how to apply)?

For every ten minutes you spend watching the news, evaluating economic and political theory, critiquing politicians, reading the lastest alarms from conservative watchdog groups, or keeping current on the latest scandal in Washington or on Main Street, spend an hour delighting in God.

I'm not exaggerating or kidding. Ten minutes watching the news should be preceded or followed by an hour in the Word of God or prayer or fellowship with believers or reading a book extolling the attributes or gospel or grace or glory or sovereignty of God.

Delight in God and he will give you the desires of your heart. Wallow in the gutter of political thuggery and theory or cultural decay and you will only get mad and afraid.

I heard yesterday (in a conversation) about a local civic leader apparently taken down in an FBI investigation. Guess what: in a total of five minutes of conversation and follow up reading I knew all I needed to know about it. If I spend any more time on it, I lose joy, fuel anger, get weak, start sinning.

I can get all the news I really need daily in a very few minutes of headline reading. More than that and I'm headed for the gutter. Instead I choose to spend my time beholding the One whose glory fills the earth and whose hand rules the nations.

Delighting in God, I get more of God and all the joy he gives, even when the world is upside down with corruption.

Today's thought.

Labels: christian life, Culture War, Faith, Joy in Trials, Persecution, Social Action, Trust

Having seen that we are not to fret or fuss when evildoers have the rule over us, we need to learn from David what we are to do. Psalm 37:1-40 is laced with positive imperatives well worth our reflection.

Let's start where David does: "trust in the Lord...trust in him, and he will act" (Psalm 37:3, 5). This is connected in Psalm 37:5 with another command to "commit your way to the Lord." The Lord calls us in difficult times under dangerous people to make sure that our primary response is one of trust; trust in God.

The Hebrew words speak of entrusting ourselves to God. One word means literally: to roll onto. We are to roll our way onto God. That's another way of saying what Peter says: "[be] casting all your cares upon him for he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). 1 Peter was written for believers in days of thugs and thieves as well. His counsel then matches Ddavid's counsel hundreds of years before. Cast or roll your cares onto God.

Friends, I do not mean to be cliched. What we need in these troubling days is not bogus religious platitudes. What we need is real Godward faith; a conviction that every ruler, every thug, every thief, every trial is nothing more than a puff of air momentarily exhaled by a soveriegn all-wise, all-good heavenly Father who has nothing but the good of his people and the glory of his name in mind. Each will vanish as quickly as it appears, once its divine purpose is complete.

What we should feel, speak, and live in these hard days is simple, solid trust. What people should see and hear above all the shrill cries of Fox News on the right and NBC on the left, is our steady, calm, peace-filled voices, saying: "Our God is in the heavens doing whatever pleases him" (Psalm 115:2-11) and "Though he slay us, yet will we hope in him" (Job 13:15).

Every word we speak, every attitude we express, every response we exhibit should communicate that "though this world will devils filled should threaten to undo us, we will not fear for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us." I am in God's hands, not man's. And there I am truly and eternally safe--even if persecutors come, arrest, and kill.

So Christian: rise up against the tide of rage and fear. Stand in God and in an unshakable trust in his good and sovereign hand. And make sure that it shows. The world desperately needs to see that someone on this crazy planet has the inside scoop on Who's really in control.

Labels: Culture War, Faith, politics, Social Action, Trust

Sorry for the few days away, but it could not be helped.

In my current series I'm trying to answer the political/social crises of our times with a biblical perspective. Psalm 37:1-40 is a timely and powerful response, not only to the thugs and thieves that govern us, but also to the less than stellar, that is to say: the largely ungodly response that many Christians are displaying toward these powers that be.

Given that we've had a few days pause, let me review to get us all up to speed. Friends: this is a moment for us to shine, not to whine; a moment to radiate hope and grace, not to communicate despair and rage; a moment to so live in the midst of confusion and chaos that people actually ask us for the reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:13-16), not see in us the same frustration and fury that they see in everyone else!

So (by way of review) I've asked the question: "How is your present ('Christian') response to all these evildoers different from that of others in the world who share you basic political or economic point of view, but who are not Christians?"

I have also wondered if our response reflects a sound, solid, sure conviction that while presidents and kings come and go, "in the end there will be only one King standing?"

You see: a right relationship with, and view of, God should enable us to stop fretting (remember: the psalmist exhorts us not to fret three times). So Christian: "Cool down. Chill. Don't get emotional heart-burn over the thugs and thieves of human society. Whatever right responses there may be--like speaking out against evil, voting evil out of office when able, not conforming to the evil, rescuing victims from the evil, and praying for the evildoers--one thing we are not to do, is go into a slow burn. Don't become a boiling cauldron of worry, anger and rage (Psalm 37:8). Just don't go there."

The psalmist would have us be content, not envying the wicked or desiring more than we have (Psalm 37:1, 16). So what if politicians take away our present standard of living? So what if they limit our freedoms? So what if they don't listen to our voice? So what if they seem to get away with political thuggery? So what if my taxes go through the roof? So what--and yes, I mean it--if the USA we have known is forever a thing of the past?

Christians and the Church have flourished in conditions far worse than any on our horizon. We should prepare to do the same without grousing or complaining. The testimony of the gospel and the glory of Christ is at stake. We should be far more concerned about handling the abuse of our rights with grace than we are about the fact that our rights are being abused.

I'm not advocating that these evils don't matter at all, or that they shouldn't grieve us (for all evil should grieve us). But I am saying that whatever a right response to them might be, it does not include fret, rage, and discontentment. We should not fret over evildoers or allow ourselves the crippling and dishonorable "freedom" to rage against others or sink into unhappy discontentment because society just might be taking a really bad turn for the worse.

Based on David's inspired words I'd ask: "Do you have a little? Do you have today's bread, a couple of outfits to wear, something simple to get around in, a roof over your head, a glass of water, enough health to get by? Then you are better off than the D.C's power-grabbers and all the kings and presidents on earth. Make sure to enjoy what God has given you more than you worry about what government is taking away. Don't panic and fret over the media and cultural elite's seeming stranglehold on our culture. In the end they will perish while you endure."

I think that an accurate read of American history reveals that she has endured thugs and thieves at least as bad, and I think, far worse than what we have today (read about the political, business, slavery and segregated world of the 1,800's through 1960). I'm telling you: those were evil, evil days; days of unspeakable injustices at the hands of slave owners, business tycoons, and political power-brokers.

Yet those evildoers have come and gone--and the Church and people of God remain and are going strong! Brothers and sisters: in the end there will only be One King, One Power, One Dominion standing--and we'll be part of His kingdom.

So Psalm 37 has helped us to see what we are not to do in reponse to culture's thugs and thieves. From here on for the next several days we'll look at what we are to do. I hope you'll stay tuned.

Labels: Culture War, Faith, politics, Social Action

So what do we do when it seems that thugs and thieves have the upper hand with no one to stop them? How do we respond when the wicked flourish, and the righteous don't?

Once again I call us back to Psalm 37:1-40. There are more than 20 imperatives in this Psalm, with 3-5 more implied commands for us to keep in mind. Three of them tell us what not to do when the wicked prosper; the rest tell us what to do. Let's look today at one of the "thou shalt nots", thrice repeated in the Psalm:

"Fret not yourself because of evildoers...
"Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way...
"Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil" (Psalm 37:1, 7, 8).

Sounds a little emphatic doesn't it?!

The Hebrew word repeated in each of these verses actually means: to burn, to kindle, to get all heated up. The translation "fret" is actually a little weak. It speaks of emotion more heated than mere fret or a tad of worry. David is telling us not to get all "hot and bothered" when the wicked seem to have the upper hand.

Cool down. Chill. Don't get emotional heart-burn over the thugs and thieves of human society. Whatever right responses there may be--like speaking out against evil, voting evil out of office when able, not conforming to the evil, rescuing victims from the evil, and praying for the evil-doers--one thing we are not to do, is go into a slow burn. Don't become a boiling cauldron of worry, anger and rage (Psalm 37:8). Just don't go there.

In Psalm 37:8 David gives a compelling reason why we must not travel that road --"Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil." When we allow the prosperity and success of the wicked to get to us, we begin to share their wickedness. Sustained fret and anger, even when we think it's justfied, begins to eat at the soul, and sin is not far behind. Fretful anger leads only to evil.

Soon, instead of loving, doing good to, and praying for our enemies, as Jesus tells us to, we will be:

-cursing the wicked
-plotting against them ourselves
-justifying lying and shenanigans of our own to try to dethrone them
-indulging unsubstantiated rumors about them
-believing the very worst about them
-hating and despising our enemies

So what do we do? One way to turn down the heat a bit is to consider the following question: "When all is said and done, what is the very worst that man can do to me?" Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:28 not to "fear those who can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul."

The very worst that man can do to me is kill me. But when man kills, God makes alive. What man puts in the ground God raises up. If the wicked persecute the righteous they only add to the reward of the righteous (Matthew 5:10, 11). If they kill the righteous, they only hasten the day of the saints' going home to glory.

Man's worst is God's best. That ought to help cool our passions.

Labels: Culture War, Faith, Hope, politics, Social Action

Recently in the space of minutes I read first, numerous comments by Christians regarding our present political/cultural/social situation, and then second, Psalm 37:1-40. The contrast was so sharp, so diametrically opposite, so glaringly revealing that I knew as a pastor and brother in Jesus, I would need to call attention to it. I do so not to criticize sincerely concerned people, but to call to a better and more soul and God-pleasing way.

Daily comments from Christians about our cultural situation and political leaders express such anxiety, such anger, such fear, such hostility, such despair, such rage, such angst that I am much concerned that we as Christians are missing a grand opportunity to shine forth something very different to a watching world.

We are missing an opportunity to shine forth Psalm 37.

Over the next week or two I think it could transform us to meditate together step by step through this Psalm for the deepening joy and shining testimony of our lives.

I'd begin by calling attention to what this psalm makes obvious: there have always been thugs and thieves in high places. David uses multiple words to describe those of his day:

-Evildoers (Psalm 37:1, 9)
-Wrongdoers (Psalm 37:1)
-The wicked (Psalm 37:12, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21, 32, 35, 38, 40)
-Enemies of the Lord (Psalm 37:20)
-Ruthless (Psalm 37:35)
-Transgressors (Psalm 37:38)
-Duplicitous thieves (Psalm 37:21a)

The psalmist calls his times "evil times" (Psalm 37:19) in which sufferings were many, and plotting and dangerous people (Psalm 37:7, 12, 14, 15) gnashed their teeth against the righteous, conniving and scheming to destroy. These were people who gathered in dark, secret, smoke-filled rooms to formulate evil devices and strike deals to foist their evil agendas on common ordinary run of the mill decent people, no matter what the cost in human life or suffering those agendas might entail.

Let me be clear right up front: I agree with my many Christian friends who believe that there are such thugs and thieves in high places today. The degree of political muggings and evil shenanigans currently going on is appalling. Evildoers are in high places (and by and large such evil-doing is bi-partisan, spilling over into Tea Partiers, libertarians and the whole lot of them). Everybody's got an agenda. Few have a truly godly one.

So what do we do? David's inspired counsel to the oppressed victims of thugs and thieves differs sharply from the common response of American Christians. We'll examine that response in coming days.

But first let me ask a question to help you examine your own response: "How is your present ('Christian') response to all these evildoers different from that of others in the world who share you basic political or economic point of view, but who are not Christians?"

Is your response different in any clear and obvious way from Rush Limbaugh (the blustering rant), Glenn Beck (the mad Mormon), Bill O-Reilly (the verbal 'Catholic' bully), Sean Hannity (the smirking wiseacre), or any of the other conservative, anti-Obama, anti-establishment, government-bashing voices that don't seem to have a God-centered breath in their lungs, or Christ-satisfied, Heaven-trusting bone in their body?

Would an observer be able to tell the difference between you and them? Think about it.

As you do this, you may choose to read Psalm 37 repeatedly. Such reading in faith will be like an oxygen machine. It'll fill your lungs with faith and joy, yes even when thugs and thieves seem to prevail.

Labels: Culture War, Faith, politics, Social Action, Trust

Regarding the Manhattan Declaration (MD) I feel the need to post some thoughts for your consideration. Having read a number of articles pro and con on the merits of signing the MD, I have thus far decided against doing so. If you will indulge, let me give you several reasons why I would like to sign this document, and then a few reasons why I cannot in good conscience do so.

Please be ready for a more lengthy post today as I will not be able to post again on this matter in the near future. So if it takes a few days to digest this, feel free. You may want to read it in two sittings, first taking in the reasons why I'd like to sign; then reading the reasons why I don't believe I can.

Reasons why I'd like to sign the MD:
1. I am strongly pro-life, pro-family, and pro-freedom. Any chance one gets to support these values is worth seizing and supporting if at all possible. As one who has been involved in pro-life efforts for decades (ranging from preaching to letters to newspaper editors to active long-term support of a pregnancy center, to doing ethics talks at a local hospital to spending time in jail for the unborn, I would applaud every voice that joins in in the fight for life. I'd honor every God-glorifying action that defends the helpless and/or strengthens family and freedom.
2. As a matter of biblical principle, I stand against big government and the assault on freedom that MD opposes. It would be a delight to sign on to this publicly declared commitment to obey God rather than government. I'd love in this way to let the world know where I stand at this historical crossroads; one at which I am very convinced that persecution for faithful faith is soon to come.
3. I am a peace and unity lover. If there could be a way to declare my unity with all believers in the true gospel of God's pure grace, and at the same time express solidarity in common cause against the encroaching darkness, I would leap at the chance with a thrilled heart.
4. I respect many of those who have signed the MD and would be honored to have my name next to theirs. For reasons that some have expressed, but I cannot accept, many good solidly evangelical people have signed this document and I would love to join them.
5. I have no pleasure in being misunderstood as narrow-minded and marginalized as a provincial evangelical hick (as I know I am by some). There's no joy in being labeled, scolded, and derided as "doctrinally narrow" or "unloving" or "bigoted" or "Luther wannabes" as I and others like me have been. When one's heart is for love and peace in the Church, one's heart breaks when it is accused of obstructing the very unity it seeks.

For these reasons and more, I'd love to sign on to MD, but for reasons of conscience I cannot do so. Among these reasons are the following (if you're just joining the conversation please read my heart from my previous post and comments before reading the following):
1. I believe the MD blurs and fuzzies the gospel. By calling social issues (however important they may be) "the gospel" MD confuses Christian ethics with what is the actual good news of our faith. The gospel is not the "sanctity of life" or the preservation of the family or defence of freedom. The gospel is that Christ died for sinners, and rose from the dead so that all who believe in His finished work alone for their salvation may be forgiven of all sin. The gospel is that sinners are justified by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.

MD also blurs the gospel when it implies that those who preach another gospel are "Christians" and "brothers". MD states:

We, as Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christians, have gathered, beginning in New York on September 28, 2009, to make the following declaration, which we sign as individuals, not on behalf of our organizations, but speaking to and from our communities. We act together in obedience to the one true God, the triune God of holiness and love, who has laid total claim on our lives and by that claim calls us with believers in all ages and all nations...

We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences to affirm our right—and, more importantly, to embrace our obligation—to speak and act in defense of these truths. We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers...

Paul would have called those who preach another gospel by very different names than "Christian" and "brother" (see Galatians 1:6-9 and Philippians 3:2). Every indicator is that the people Paul opposed so fiercely were right on nearly every doctrine except justification. He says nothing about them being anti-trinitarian or opposing the deity of Christ or denying any other cardinal doctrine of the Christian faith. Their only error was that they mixed grace with works/merit. That error was enough to elicit from him shocking epithets. He did not consider them brothers. Another way of putting this is: I have hard time seeing Paul signing this document if he were present today.
2. As a shepherd of sheep, my daily task is to lead my flock into the green pastures of the gospel. My sheep have a hard time keeping the gospel clear in their own minds. It's amazing how stubborn the tendency to fall back into legalism is. We are prone to measure ourselves before God by how we perform today. I love my sheep so much that I do not want to send any mixed signals about the gospel. The gospel must stay pure and central and all-important or else the road to legalistic bondage will once again be traveled by the ones I love.
3. I believe that the gospel is under full-scale attack on numerous fronts, so I cannot be unguarded in the fight. From the New Perspective on Paul to an increasingly popular rejection of the doctrine of imputation to the Roman Catholic system of merit to cheap grace theology I see the enemy assaulting the gospel from all sides. This is not a day for blurriness and neglect for the sake of lesser matters; it's a day for bold, unadulterated gospel proclamation.
4. I cannot sign the MD simply as a matter of personal integrity. Whatever may be the definitions some signers may be giving to the terms "Christians" and "brothers", I know that the history of key signers and spokesmen shows an understanding of those terms that I cannot accept. Thus to sign a document as a statement of unity when I know that at best, I mean something different than other signers, and in actuality I may mean and think the opposite, would be to compromise my integrity. I'd have to sign with my fingers crossed behind my back, which as you can guess I'm not able to do.

Well enough of this for now. Such conversations are never pleasant though sometimes needed. Whatever our conclusions may we be sure to always speak with respect and love for all men, even for those with whom our differences are matters of life and death.

Labels: Abortion, Culture War, Gospel, Social Action

I came into the office today, admittedly with a heavy heart. I knew I'd have to address an issue that the recent Manhattan Declaration has forced to the surface again. I'm heavy-hearted because no matter how carefully and humbly I may try to respond to this I grieve that some will be offended. I also grieve because every time similar conversations occur, I am reminded of how subtle and covert the Enemy's assaults are, and how hard it is to make sure that we recognize them and are not deceived by them.

Likewise I am very much aware of my own fallibility and limited perspective (it's possible that I am seeing an Enemy assault that is not really there at all!). Aware of my inability to see all things clearly, I feel a high-level hesitancy in declaring my views, lest I in ignorance miss something of significant import in the conversation.

With that said I need to respond to this development for the good of the flock entrusted to my care. I admire the views and the courage of all those who have signed on to this declaration. I am in whole-hearted agreement with their views on the moral issues they raise, and think that I have lived and pastored in such a way as to prove that claim. I have long preached and lived and counseled and insisted on the values that this declaration proclaims and seeks to defend, and have done so at some personal cost and sacrifice--in full expectation that more suffering is soon to come.

I recognize that we are on a cultural trajectory that in my judgment, is leading inexorably to an ever-darkening culture of death and also to an inevitable persecution of the church. I do not believe we can ignore this or be silent about it. The Church must be salt and light in the world of our day. We must say all that God would say to this generation--for we are His voice in our times. And we must be willing to back up our words with lives marked by blameless character, fearless witness, and tireless love.

Martin Luther's famous words are apropos for this moment:

If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.

But oddly as it may seem to many, it is this very commitment to confess Christ at the "point which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking" that keeps me from being ready to sign the Manhattan Declaration. Friends, I will agree that all the concerns addressed by the framers of this declaration are points of Satanic attack in our times. But what I really do believe is that there is another point of Satanic attack even more critical for the cause of the gospel and glory of Christ that this very same declaration (perhaps unwittingly) may actually assist.

I believe there are aspects of this document that undermine the very heart of the gospel, that One Thing that matters most, and for this reason I cannot in good conscience sign on. I'll have to explain further in a later post since this one is long enough already.

But for your consideration let me ask some questions, questions that I would ask that you think long and carefully about before you actually try to answer them in a comment: "If the Bible calls people Christians when they trust in Christ alone for their salvation, in no way trusting in their own merit for that salvation...and if those who preach another gospel other than a gospel of God's free justifying grace by faith alone through Christ alone receive apostolic anathemas (which is what Paul's letter to the Galatians is all about, see Galatians 1:6-9) do we not need to be very careful in how we describe those who so distort the gospel? Can we really, under any circumstances call one a "Christian" or a "brother" whom Paul would anathematize? And does not the Manhattan Declaration do that very thing?

My concern with the Manhattan Declaration is not in what it says on paper so much as what it assumes about those who signed it. I really do believe that those underlying assumptions undermine the integrity and essence of the gospel (because they suggest that people that proclaim another gospel are nonetheless brothers in the faith). And I am convinced that in the long run this kind of blurring and fuzzying of the gospel will do more harm to the cause of all that is good, than all other cultural threats to morality ever will.

I know that this is controversial, but for reasons I'll expand tomorrow (and until I am presented with reasons I've not yet considered) I seem bound by faithfulness to the gospel to take my stand here. I truly am open to sound reasons to convince me otherwise, but thus far, I have not been convinced by any I've seen.

Labels: Abortion, Culture War, Ecumenism, Social Action