Choices for Troubled Times – 3. Redemption and Restoration

BACKGROUND: In the previous blog of this series, Choices for Troubled Times - 2. My Responsibility Matters, we discussed our human tendency to demand our rights and insist that others accept our way of viewing the faults of our fallen world.  At the same time we shirk our individual responsibility to show kindness and contribute in positive ways as stewards of the relationships and institutions that support our culture.  Among the loud voices and angry demonstrations occurring this summer are some with a sincere motive to improve American society. But there are many who are motivated out of selfishness and greed, and who are in fact criminals in need of redemption and restoration.  Part 3 of this series aims to present the good news of how people written off as criminals or victims of crime are finding Redemption and Restoration.

This morning, I was awakened by the brightness of the dawn.  Having slept peacefully for about seven hours without fear of danger, I paused to remember and reflect on the gift of life and the promise of a new day.  To be sure, I’m not a perfect man.  Even when I offer thanks and praise to God, it is only my response to His Spirit already alive within my spirit calling me to walk in step with Him. 

According to the Bible, each person bears God’s image and is created with a spiritual awareness, a capacity to respond to God’s Spirit.  Like a tuning fork used to tune a musical instrument, our spirits are designed to vibrate and resonate in harmony with God’s Spirit so that we are able to walk in step with our Creator.

Thankfully, I am blessed with a family heritage and Christian home environment that led to my submission to God through faith in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for my sin.  My faith and walk with Christ have allowed Him to influence the choices I have made over the past seventy-three years.  Those choices, though not always the best, have led to habits or disciplines, including the blessing of having my first conscious thoughts directed to God in thankfulness for a new day.

But on this same morning, there are many men and women who have awakened to a new day with a different disposition, one ruled by selfishness, greed, anger, malice, and suchlike.  This is not to say that I am a better man than they are.  But the fact is, not all men are blessed with a family heritage and home environment that nurtures them in body, mind, soul, and spirit.  Not everyone is blessed with parents and mentors to help them honor God and make the choice to submit their lives to His love and authority. 

Broken People
Today, people all around us are suffering from bad choices.  Although each were born with the free will to choose rightly, many were born into dysfunctional families and have not had the blessing of godly friends, good schools, or a supportive community.  The following lyrics from Mac Davis, popularized by Elvis Presley, describe the plight of so many children who grow up without the supporting network to shape their character and values:

People, don't you understand
The child needs a helping hand
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day?
Take a look at you and me
Are we too blind to see
Do we simply turn our heads,
and look the other way?

Restoring Broken People
During the past century in America, there have been many attempts to restore the brokenness of people who suffer from bad choices and bad decisions of their ancestors and those in leadership in their communities and cities.  The infamous War on Poverty launched by the Johnson administration in the 1960’s illustrates how a government welfare program falls short of having a positive impact.  While it aimed to lift the poor and disadvantaged out of material poverty, it did not address the poverty of their soul and spirit. According to the Cato Institute, this welfare program has cost $15 trillion dollars since its inception in the 1960’s but has scarcely moved the needle on poverty.

The “welfare approach” fails to address human need of love, respect, a sense of dignity, higher education, job skills, and development of character and responsibility.  However, in recent years, the federal government with emphasis on the private sector has begun to recognize these human needs.  Several initiatives, some launched and supported by the Trump administration, are showing success in redemption and restoration of “forgotten people” because they address the needs of the whole person.  Many of these programs were highlighted in the Republican National Convention held this week and are featured in video recordings accessible via C-SPAN.

Living Testimonies of Redemption and Restoration
What follows is a sampling of personal testimonies and video clips that reveal how the lives of broken people are being redeemed spiritually and emotionally, and being restored with dignity and the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to American society.  Just click on the highlighted text to view each.

I watched as President Trump awarded a full pardon to Jon Ponder, a former felon who grew up without a father and made a series of bad choices leading him to serve time for a number of bank robberies.   While serving time, Jon started the non-profit re-entry program called Hope for Prisoners.  In the words of President Trump, “Jon’s life is a beautiful testament to the power of redemption.”

Criminal justice reform advocate, Alice Johnson, once sentenced to life plus 25 years in prison, was released by the efforts of President Trump who later signed legislation called the First Step Act which will allow many like Alice to be pardoned from unreasonable prison sentences.  In Alice’s words, “What I did was wrong.  I made decisions I regret…none of us want to be defined by our worst decisions.  I always knew that God  remembered my name, even in my darkest hour, but I never dreamed that a president would.”

Immigrants to the United States were sworn in as citizens at a naturalization ceremony and were honored for having chosen to complete the legal path to citizenship.

Tera Myers, wife and mother who is also a school choice advocate.  Tera works in support of efforts to allow parents, especially in urban communities with failed schools, to choose a better school for their children so that they may break out of the cycle of poverty to fulfill their God-given purposes.

Jack Brewer directs The Brewer Group, a consulting firm that aims to promote educational programs, health care, agriculture, sports and media, particularly in many of the underserved populations.  Jack is a “former 3-time NFL team captain, college professor, coach, husband, son, and father; and tells the story of his personal successes and struggles.  

Lou Holtz, former Notre Dame and NFL coach explains how his life was fulfilling in spite of his humble beginnings because of the right choices he made in life.

Herschel Walker, Heisman Trophy winner, former NFL football player, bobsledder, sprinter, mixed martial artist, and 37-year close friend of President Trump.

Stacia Brightmon, Marine Corps veteran and single mother of two boys who works in Houston, TX as a warehouse receiving clerk.  After becoming homeless, she applied to a learn-while-you-work apprenticeship program supported by President Trump and daughter Ivanka.

Abby Johnson, formerly a worker at Planned Parenthood, now leads a pro-life ministry called, And Then There Were None (ATTWN), which encourages abortion-clinic workers to make the bold choice to leave the industry.  ATTWN provides financial support and counseling for those who make the right choice.

Two Visions for America—One Involves Redemption
Today, America is deeply divided over what appears to be two major visions for her future.  One vision sees America as an unjust product of colonialism that has never been “great,” and is beyond redemption and restoration.  Seldom included in this truth claim is the truth that only God is great, good, and just.  But God is also merciful.  Lacking belief in this biblical claim of God’s justice and mercy, the first vision of America is darkened by pessimism, selfishness, intolerance, judgment, and even violence toward anyone who disagrees.

The other vision for America, often grounded in biblical truth, recognizes the fallen nature of man.  Therefore, America is “great” not because it she perfect, but because she recognizes she is part of a noble experiment “to form a more perfect union” by eliminating injustices and continually pursuing God in an attitude of humility and repentance.  This vision recognizes that ultimately, individuals are responsible for their actions, and that whole groups or nations are only as good as their citizens. 

Therefore, because God is both just and merciful, we who have received His mercy and forgiveness ought to extend mercy to our neighbor (Matthew 18: 21-35).  Many of those whom I have referenced in this article are living by this truth and are acting as channels and “stewards of God’s grace in its various forms (1 Peter 4: 10).  May their stories inspire us all to a positive outlook, and to an awareness that, as stewards of God’s grace and  mercy, we ought to sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts and always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us, yet with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3: 15).

How Do You See America and Her “Forgotten?”
I have presented my vision of America, hopefully true to a biblical view of and relationship with a God who is just, yet merciful toward me.  This article also introduces you to the testimonies of many who have received God’s mercy and who now are a part of extending mercy to others.  I welcome your insights, comments, and questions.  Just use “Comments” or email me at silviusj@gmail.com.  Thank you for reading.

Individual Accountability and Spiritual Awakening

In the previous Oikonomia article, “Cultural Influence of a Committed Minority,” I confessed that my first reaction to the High Court legalization of same-sex marriage was to resent how five unelected justices could alter the definition of marriage when a large majority of Americans had opposed it.  I even blamed President Obama for not providing moral leadership in opposition to this “legislation from the bench.”

Then I realized that biblical morality is not ultimately upheld by the bench, the legislature, elite focus groups, or the will of the masses.  The Bible teaches that a nation rises or falls based on whether or not individuals and leaders respect God’s moral absolutes, or “ancient landmarks” (Proverbs 22:28; and, see Oikonomia, “Stewardship and ‘Natural Law’.”)  Throughout history, God has used a committed minority to provide moral leadership and spiritual revival.  According to many Christian leaders, America needs revival now more than ever.  Now, I wondered what it would take to bring another great revival.

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

In the mid-1700’s, the Holy Spirit moved through men of moral conviction like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield who preached that salvation depends upon individual accountability to God, not family traditions or church membership.  The American Revolution and the founding documents of America were consistent with a biblical understanding of individual responsibility, moral conduct, and governance.  Later, the Spirit used leaders like George Finney (second awakening, 1790 to 1840) and Jeremiah Lanphier (third awakening, 1857 to 1859).  The latter began with a small prayer meeting in New York City.  Each awakening brought men and women back to God’s moral landmarks, and each influenced the social and political landscape of America.   

Today, many are praying for revival in America, believing it to be the only answer to our spiritual decline.  As I have sought revival in my own life, I am learning there are no quick answers or “how-to-do-it” steps to revival.  Rather, by remembering the principle of individual accountability, I am first seeking to identify those hindrances to revival in my own life.  I am becoming less prone to find fault or assign blame to others for moral decline in America.  Christ’s “Beatitudes” are teaching me about my spiritual poverty (Matthew 5: 3), the logical response to mourn and confess my sin (v. 4), and the need to exercise gentleness when I confront my neighbor who lives in rejection of God’s plan for him or her (v. 5).  On the one hand, I want to offer acceptance and compassion toward my “neighbor” (one is gay, one, a lesbian).   On the other hand, I must ask if I am helping my “neighbor” by offering only acceptance and compassion? 

Andree Seu Peterson, in an article, “Compassion in the Midst of Evil”, addresses this difficult balance:

All of us were at one time lost, and occasionally lose our way even now, and so we all want compassion, and must all exercise it too. The main ground rule seems to be that compassion must never wimp out into any sympathy for evil. That would do no good for you or for the one you’re trying to help.

The Apostle Paul, when speaking to the Greeks in Athens about the God of creation said, Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent….  Elsewhere, in Romans 1: 16, Paul professes that he is not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  And, in verse 21, he adds (emphasis mine), For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  While it may seem arrogant (and can look that way to those who reject God’s plan), Christians have been given the commission to be salt and light (Matthew 5: 13-16).  Salt can sting in wounds and light can reveal embarrassing flaws—but salt can also preserve against rot, and light can reveal deadly danger ahead. 

The Gospel of Matthew emphasizes, Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (v. 16).   Today, Christ’s followers are enduring great suffering and even death to glorify God (See “Christianity Shines in Dark Places,” Oikonomia July 11, 2015).  Am I willing to at least “die to my pride” so that my neighbor might be reconciled to his or her Creator?  After all, it’s not ultimately our government or the collective will of Americans that will steer us toward godly living.  Rather it requires our individual accountability to God and to our neighbor, in addition to being responsible citizens who will participate knowledgeably in government and hold our respective representatives accountable to exercise moral leadership as civil servants.

How about you?   How have you come to terms with offering acceptance and compassion to our “neighbor” versus challenging him or her to consider the claims of Scripture that will decide their eternal destiny?   I welcome your thoughts about our need for revival as a nation and within the evangelical church.  Perhaps you can suggest spiritual disciplines that are essential to the working of God’s Spirit in our lives to bring revival in the midst of our wandering, wanton, weary world.  What helpful resources in Scripture or extra-Biblical have you found helpful?   I am currently reading some articles from the Gospel Coalition webpage (Search under “Church Life”/ “Revival”). 

Marvelous Stewardship of a Roman Centurion

One need only to consult the daily news for evidence of the erosion of moral standards and values in America.  Consequently, there is no longer a moral consensus of what were once considered fundamental rights of each American citizen-- the right to freedom of speech, to bear arms, to have private property, and to hold religious convictions in the workplace.  Even within Christianity there seems to be less devotion to the institutions of biblical marriage, the home, and the local church.

Photo of the Sign from President Truman's Desk (with slight modification)

May I suggest that the crumbling foundation of moral standards and values can be traced to the failure of individual accountability and responsibility within the moral and civic structures ordained by God—namely, the family, the local church, and the government at the various levels?  Increasingly, our leaders are sacrificing their moral virtues for acceptance within a “fraternity of mediocrity” where each individual blends in and becomes entangled with the collective view of what is politically correct.  

Once a person belongs to the collective, “safety in numbers” becomes evident.  The old adage that “one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel” certainly applies here.  Any emerging rot of corruption can grow and fester within a corporation, church, or government agency while individuals responsible are hidden or insulated from accountability and justice.   Instead of reporting and bringing to justice the individuals suspected of such crimes as extortion, taking bribes, sexual abuse, or failure to enforce laws, members of the collective make excuses or shift the blame.  As a result, the reputation of businesses, churches, and educational institutions decline.  Many are placing their hopes in our ever-growing federal government to administer rights and entitlements while ignoring God and the importance of the fundamental rights and responsibilities that He has clearly revealed in Scripture.

The progression I have described is explained by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1: 21-22 when he declares that ...even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools….  This loss of a thankful and reverent spirit toward God and His Word were the root cause of the original sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3).  When our thankfulness and reverence toward God are diminished, individual integrity and responsibility needed for strong leadership are undermined.   Consequently, families, communities, and nations deteriorate as the crumbling of civilizations throughout biblical and modern history testifies. 

However, in the midst of each sad chapter of history, God’s unique blend of mercy and justice has also been at work.  Over and over, God’s grace pierces the darkness through one or a few men and women with humble hearts who show reverence for Him.  These heroes realize they are stewards of the grace of God and of the opportunities God affords to them (1 Corinthians 4: 2).  Many have been the spark that ignited spiritual revival and cultural renewal.  Several biblical characters who come to mind are Noah, Abraham, and Joseph; and in the New Testament, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Mary of Magdalene (Luke 8: 2).

Recently, I’ve been interested in a character described in Luke 7: 1-10 who embodies the qualities that Christ desires among leaders, and all of us who strive to be responsible stewards of the opportunities God affords us.   We are not given his name; only that he was a centurion in the Roman army stationed in the town of Capernaum (Luke 7: 2).  Centurions were the backbone of the Roman army, and this particular centurion was apparently in charge of an outpost under the authority of King Herod Antipas.  [This Herod is the same king who ordered the beheading of John the Baptist and participated in the trial of Jesus.] 

A Roman Centurion

Although Roman soldiers had to possess outstanding character to achieve the rank of centurion, Luke reveals another outstanding trait of this centurion.  Centurions often discharged their duties with little regard for personal needs of their subordinates or subjects.  However, Luke tells us (7:2) that this centurion was deeply concerned for one of his servants who, according to Matthew’s account, was paralyzed and in great pain (Matthew 8:6).  The centurion’s genuine affection prompted him to seek immediate help for the servant in a way that reveals yet another unusual character trait.


According to Luke, the Jewish leaders in Capernaum held the centurion in very high regard.  Meanwhile, the centurion had become aware of the miraculous healing power of an unusual Jew named Jesus.  So, he decided to make his request for Jesus’ healing power by sending a polite request to Him through his Jewish friends.  These friends gladly conveyed the centurion’s request to Jesus along with a statement of  their deep respect for the him by saying, He is worthy for You to grant this to him; for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue (Luke 7: 4-5). 

The manner in which the centurion conveyed his request to Jesus to heal his servant was even more unusual for a Roman.  As a result, Jesus marveled at him, saying …not even in Israel have I found such great faith (Luke 7: 9).  What caused Jesus to marvel at the faith of this Gentile?  I believe the answer paints the portrait of one who exemplifies responsible stewardship of the opportunities God affords.

First, Jesus marveled at the origin of the request for healing of the servant.  It did not originate from a Jewish countryman, but rather, from a Roman soldier—a Gentile.  This centurion was not a member of the chosen nation Israel to whom, as Paul would later write, was given... the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises… (Romans 9: 4).  Yet somehow, this non-Jew believed Jesus could bring relief to his servant from paralysis and pain.

Second, Jesus marveled at the messengers chosen by the centurion to carry his request.  It came to Him by way of Jewish elders who were somehow willing to serve as intermediaries between two unusual parties-- a Gentile centurion and a radical, Jewish troublemaker.  Only God could orchestrate such a scene in which representatives of His “chosen people” would carry a message of faith no less from a “pagan Roman” outside the Jewish nation to a heretical Jewish rabbi whose legitimacy and power they questioned!  

Third, Jesus must have marveled at the sense of urgency, devotion, and compassion on the part of the Jewish messengers toward this Gentile officer (emphasis mine):

And when they had come to Jesus, they earnestly entreated Him, saying, "He is worthy for You to grant this to him; for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue (Luke 7: 4-5).

Jesus discerned from the earnest plea of the Jews that the centurion had won their affection by the manner in which he had been discharging his duties in Capernaum.  The centurion’s Roman superiors had entrusted him with the authority, military might, and material resources to control the lives of the Jewish population in his charge; and, to make their lives miserable if they did not submit.  However, this centurion had invested his authority and the resources of Rome with an apparent gentleness, kindness, and helpfulness that had won the hearts of his Jewish subjects.   The centurion is a portrait of responsible and benevolent stewardship of the resources and authority vested in him. 

If Jesus had begun to marvel because of the origin of the centurion’s request, the messengers who carried it, and the urgency with which they delivered the message, Jesus must also have marveled because of the content of a second message from the centurion, one conveyed to Him by friends of the centurion while He was on the road to the centurion’s home.   Knowing that Jesus was coming, the centurion expressed his misgivings about Jesus coming inside his home:

Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.   For I, too, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes; and to another, 'Come!' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it (Luke 7: 6b-8).

From in this second message, Jesus could sense that the centurion was a man of humility, of great faith, and of understanding (wisdom) in regard to the larger order of God’s kingdom.

Jesus must have deeply cherished the centurion’s humility, conveyed in the words …I am not worthy… (Luke 7: 6b).  Both Peter and James teach us that God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5: 5; James 4: 6).  A humble heart provides the “good soil” for our soul and spirit that the Word of God can grow within (Luke 8: 8) so that we can …receive the word implanted, which is able to save [our] souls (James 1: 21).  In light of this, I believe that the humility demonstrated by our centurion is a fundamental virtue of a godly steward.

Jesus was amazed not only by the centurion’s humility, but also to a fruit of that humility; namely, his great faith.  The centurion not only believed that Jesus could restore his paralyzed servant but that Jesus could do so from any distance.  Such amazing faith!  And Jesus was joyfully amazed.  I would have loved to see the expression on Jesus’ face when He declared, …not even in Israel have I found such great faith (Luke 7: 9).

Finally, we see in the centurion’s message to Jesus an understanding of the larger order of things—things that are both visible and invisible.  This centurion understood that he was but one “cog” in a much larger authority structure within the mighty Roman Empire.  Specifically, he understood that the quality of his role as a steward depended upon his obedience to his superiors and to his ability to exercise rightful authority over his subordinates—i.e. he understood his place in the “chain of command.”  Stewardship of authority demands both willing acceptance of our orders and provision of accountability toward those who serve under our charge.  Instead of pointing fingers to deflect responsibility, those who do not exercise responsible stewardship must be held accountable.

Not only did the centurion understand the “visible order of things” but he also seemed to integrate this visible, earthly order with a faith in the “supernatural order of things.”  We can see this faith in his analogy between his own power within the authority structure of the Roman system and Jesus’ power within the larger, invisible, spiritual realm.  Perhaps Jesus sensed that the centurion’s heart was receptive to the essence of a message once given by the prophet Isaiah (6: 1a-2) concerning the two realms over which His Father rules (emphasis mine):

Thus says the LORD, ‘Heaven is My throne,
and the earth is My footstool…
For My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being,’ declares the LORD.
‘But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.’

We will not know this side of heaven whether the centurion was saved through faith in the atoning work of Christ.  However, Luke’s account as we have seen reveals the centurion’s progression of faith, a faith first nurtured by his gracious stewardship of authority over God’s chosen people.  This responsible stewardship allowed mutual respect between the Roman and the Jews, and paved the way for God to bring the Jewish elders to the feet of Jesus with the request to heal a paralyzed servant.  Finally, God’s grace enabled the centurion to believe in the unseen supernatural order of God’s kingdom based on the analogy of his authority within the Roman government.

The centurion’s humility and faith which amazed Jesus presents a portrait of good stewardship for us today just as it provided a remarkable testimony to the unbelieving Jews of his time.  For God had placed the centurion in center stage of a drama in which his faith enlisted the Jewish elders into the role of carrying a message of humble saving faith to the only One Who could bring ultimate healing.   Jesus had the power not only to relieve the physical paralysis and pain of the centurion’s servant.  Jesus could also overcome the spiritual paralysis and pain of God’s chosen people represented by the centurion’s Jewish messengers—and, ultimately, for anyone who would believe among the Gentiles!  Indeed, Scripture later records the role of another faithful centurion whose name is recorded in Acts 10.  God used this centurion whose name was Cornelius to reveal His plan to bring the Gospel of His saving grace to the Gentiles.  I wonder if the beloved centurion of Luke 7 and Cornelius were acquainted.

In my own small way, I too am amazed at the life of the Roman centurion.  Even though he lived in the midst of a pagan, Roman culture, he exercised faithful stewardship of his responsibilities and resources.  Therefore, he cancels my excuse not to strive to be a faithful steward of my responsibilities and opportunities as salt and light in our current needy culture.  Even though our earthly institutions and authority structures are crumbling, all of us are accountable as stewards of the Good News of the coming kingdom of Christ.  May we pray in the manner Jesus taught us and then serve well under His command:

[May] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done,
[Let it be] on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6: 10).

No Gun Control Without Self-Control

What do firearms, knives, and words have in common?  All three can protect or save lives; and, all three can destroy by sharp and deadly replies. 

Thanks to the First and Second Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, we Americans have freedom of speech and freedom to bear of arms, respectively. These freedoms also mean relatively few restrictions against fiery tongues and fiery guns.  Nevertheless, our protection from both tongue and gun is rooted not in civil law but in the moral code.  The moral law is grounded in Jesus’ teaching that it is out of the heart [that] come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders (Matthew 15:19).  Therefore, the answer to a safe and civil society is not found alone in “tighter controls” on guns and speech.  Instead, there must be a revival within institutions that nurture a godly disposition of the heart; namely, the family and the local church, both within the context of caring communities.

All Violence Comes Ultimately from the Heart

I believe government is ordained by God to establish rule of law, execute justice for lawbreakers, and protect the nation from foreign invasion.    But, for such a system to work requires both leadership committed to just enforcement of the laws of the land; and, a citizenry that recognizes its individual moral and ethical responsibility to higher authority--and ultimately to God.  This relationship requires no less than a partnership between government and religious institutions, both functioning in their respective roles to maintain order.  While civil authorities encourage social behavior by external laws and deterrents to anti-social behavior; family and church nurture character qualities that promote self-restraint, personal responsibility, and benevolence.  Alexander Solzhenitsyn, in his essay "Repentance and Self-Limitation in the Life of Nations," underscores the necessity of strong character in individuals if a society is to prosper:

Whatever feelings predominate in the members of a given society at a given moment in time, they will serve to color the whole of that society and determine its moral character.  And if there is nothing good there to pervade that society, it will destroy itself or be brutalized by the triumph of evil instincts no matter where the pointer of the great economic laws may turn.[i]

Although many believe that government shouldn’t “legislate morality” or “engineer” society, still federal, state, and local governments continue to move in this direction.  Perhaps the moral laxity and the decay of the nuclear family have created the vacuum that government now seeks to fill.  Leadership in Washington, through “ObamaCare” has taken on the management of human health care and even the ‘health’ of planet Earth.  At the local level, the city of New York is attempting to ban big sugary drinks as If to occupy the vacuum left by an adult population that seems less responsible for both their own nutrition and that of their children. But government efforts to legislate individual and planetary health are both doomed to fail without a revival of godly human character and personal responsibility.

The Bible emphasizes individual or personal responsibility under the concept of stewardship.  Stewardship is managing that which is not ours but has been entrusted to us by our Creator—our abilities, our time, and our opportunities to become responsible, members of society.  Stewardship is taught in many parts of the Bible as I have previously highlighted in Oikonomia.  Of particular relevance here is Colossians 3: 23-24 where Paul states:

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.
It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

In order to fulfill our responsibility as stewards of creation, we have been entrusted with great potential as image bearers of the Creator Himself.  We are to be God’s caretakers who represent His interests as we rule over His creation.  But instead of representing God’s interests, our father Adam acted on his individual interests and consequently brought God’s judgment upon him and all his descendents.

In spite of the fall of man and the curse upon the creation, mankind was allowed to remain as stewards of  creation.  What followed was a steady march of “human progress” in the development of more sophisticated technology.  Each development increased the reach and power of humans to utilize the richness of creation’s treasures of soil, water, minerals, metals, fossil fuel, and biodiversity.  And, with each new technological advance from club and arrow to gun and bullet, and then, to rocket and drone came the challenge to use the potential of that technology either for human benefit and God’s glory, or for human destruction and God’s dismay.

The table below lists several common technologies that are influential in today’s culture.  (Click on table to view.)  The middle and right columns demonstrate that most technology can lead to either morally “good” or “bad” outcomes.

There are differing viewpoints about the moral component of technology[ii].  However, I believe the quality of moral character, judgment, and personal responsibility of the individual user is the chief determiner of whether a morally “good” or “bad” outcome will result from the use of technology.  For example, the same firearm used by an elementary school policeman to protect the students and teachers from the murderous intent of intruders can also be used by the same policeman in a fit of rage to commit the horrible act he or she is hired to prevent.  It follows that our society will not prosper amid a myriad of guns, gadgets, and goodies unless greater attention is given to the importance of each individual taking personal responsibility for his or her actions.

Mass shootings like the ones at Aurora, Colorado [See Oikononia, July 25, 2012] and Sandy Hook, Connecticut have prompted requests for new laws to prevent such tragedies.  Sadly, the moral and spiritual principles voiced by our clergy at memorial services for the dead are not allowed into our public schools, universities, and halls of government where attempts are being made to make sense of such behaviors and to prescribe ways to stop needless killing

Dr. Alveda King told Newsmax (March, 2013) that both her grandmother and her uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King, were killed by guns; but her father was mysteriously killed with no gun involved.  She concludes that,

…rather than giving all of our effort to gun control, we need to start looking at the hearts of the people and even consider when you do things like taking prayer out of schools…or just cut off all efforts to give people value systems, and morals…

Solzhenitsyn claimed that the only “way out” is through repentance:

What way out remains to us?  Not the embittered strife of parties or nations, not the struggle to win some elusive victory -- for all the ferocious causes already in being -- but simply repentance and the search for our own errors and sins.  We must stop blaming everyone else -- our neighbors and more distant peoples, our geographical, economic, or ideological rivals, always claiming that we alone are in the right.  Repentance is the first bit of firm ground underfoot, the only one from which we can go forward not to fresh hatreds but to concord.  Repentance is the only starting point for spiritual growth. ‘For each and every individual.  For every trend of social thought.’

Shouldn’t we who are so rich and surrounded by gadgets—we who are even shaped by them, and who are killing and being killed by them (whether gun, knife, or pen)—shouldn’t we TAKE the only “way out?”  Solzhenitsyn’s “way out” of this rings consistent with God’s heavenly call recorded in the Old Testament:  If…my people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land (II Chronicles 7:13 (part)-14). 

Taking the only way out?   Perhaps during this Holy Week, we can begin by setting aside a quiet time (away from distracting gadgets if possible), obtain a copy of the Bible, and read God’s Word.  Christ’s “Sermon on the Mount” recorded in Matthew Chapters 5-7 may be a good place to start.  Then, pray in communion with our Creator God, allowing His Spirit to illuminate our reading and our medication upon His truth claims.  After all, isn’t …the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12)?

Prayer:   Thank you Father for being a loving God and even “Father” to those who have simply surrendered their pride and rebellious hearts to receive forgiveness for sin based on Christ’s sinless sacrifice on the cross.  Help us to recognize that our hearts are deceitfully wicked without your transforming work through your Holy Spirit.  Without your transformation of our dispositions from pride and hate to humility and love, no amount of man-made legislation will bring resolution to the problems we face in our homes, churches, schools, governments, and environment. Conversely, as we surrender to You, be pleased to mold and shape our hearts so that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds [so that we may] prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).

---

[i] I am indebted to Dean Ohlman for recent discussions in which he pointed me to Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s essay cited herein.   He has developed these thoughts very well at http://wonderofcreation.org/2012/07/03/confessing-for-the-church-part-2/

[ii]  Admittedly, there is disagreement as to where the moral component resides, whether in the technology itself, in the human creator, or in the interaction between creator and technology.  For example, see the following source:  Latour, Bruno.  2002.  Morality and Technology: The End of the Means.  Theory, Culture & Society  (SAGE, London, Thousand Oaks and New Delhi), Vol. 19(5/6): 247–260

Post-Election -- Guarded Optimism

Regardless of whether your pick for president won or lost, you are likely in camp with many Americans who are experiencing a “post-election hangover.”   I decided to wait at least 24 hours before ‘penning’ any thoughts.  Meanwhile, I’ve been thinking a lot, reading, and watching news reports and commentaries.

President Barack Obama celebrates election victory 2012

Whether you are discouraged by the Romney-Ryan loss, or by the current downturn in the stock market and looming “fiscal cliff”, here are some reasons for optimism.  I am…

·         Thankful that we have been allowed the freedom to vote for a clear choice representing two very different paths, and I hope that those who have placed their trust in an even larger government will not be undone by the consequences.

·         Thankful for candidate Romney who was acknowledged by many mature adults on both sides to be a decent and honest man who was reluctant to “toot his own horn,” almost to a fault; in spite of how he was misrepresented during the campaign.

·         Looking with hope and expectation that President Obama and the legislative branch will work together to use the “check and balance system” of our representative government to do its work.  If not, then hopefully our legislators will remember the 2010 election as they face 2014.

·         Thankful for the “laboratories” of sound fiscal management that exist in states like Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and New Jersey which should provide clues to the Obama Administration as they begin to provide leadership to Congress in efforts to address our fiscal crisis.

Greek protest against government austerity

·         Hoping that the negative examples of California and other states along with European nations like Greece will be a heeded challenge that America must curb her growing debt and stop excessive governmental intrusion and  provision of “free stuff” that we can no longer afford.

·         Opportunity for conservatives to reassess how to clarify and convey the message of how social and fiscal conservatism has been and still is the essential hope for Americans who which live free politically and spiritually.

·         Hopeful that when the tension and frustration of the campaign season (or years?) finally ends, the disagreements can morph into honest dialog from all sides with respect to issues including the following

o   Revival of spirit in America that recognizes the moral foundation of objective truth that must be nurtured if we are to reaffirm what President Obama said in his recent victory speech when he praised the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people.  [More on this in another blog entry.]

o   Religious freedom that supports individual moral convictions and polite expression in the workplace, the media, the academy, and in the marketplace of ideas

o   Policies for health care and welfare that balance “social justice” with individual responsibility and accountability

o   Funding for adequate national defense and other government programs that is balanced with commitment to eradication of waste and duplication

o   Stewardship of natural resources that balances the needs of humankind with wise conservation.  This stewardship should define “resources” as not only “finite reserves in the ground” but also “useful and renewable products of creative technology” yet to be developed in an entrepreneur-friendly economy.

o   Economic policies that promote small businesses and entrepreneurship with recognition that simply “taxing the rich” will not support a ballooning federal bureaucracy an more than simply raiding the henhouse while failing to “feed the hens.”

o   Recognizing that our educational system is increasingly bankrupt pedagogically and morally as shown by our declining rank among civilized nations in the world.

Finally, I am hopeful because of the following post-election e-mail from my son-in-law, Pastor Steve Salyers, who is part of the next generation in our family: 

Hey John, this is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in It (Psalm 118: 24).

I was reminded this morning as I opened the Word that regardless of who’s in the White House this solemn instruction (warning) stands as the Church's 'street-corner' message to the government leaders of this country: 

Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
 Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling.
 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry,
and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!   -- Psalm 2: 10-12  

However, more than living as prophets to the governmental leaders, the church stands as peacemaker as we're called to prayer and intercession: 

 [Instructions on Worship] I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  -- 1 Timothy 2:1-2

NationalMonument to the Forefathers

Be at peace, for He is the God of the ages and our times are close to His heart!  I choose to pray along with the saints of Revelation, How long, O God...?  Even so, Lord Jesus, come!

Blessings,  Steve

In closing, the challenge remains for us, as implied in Steve’s reference to I Tim. 2, to take up our responsibility to pray for our leaders, to hold them accountable, and to be intentional and polite “witnesses” to a lifestyle that affirms the value of marriage, family, sanctity of life, love for ethnic diversity, generosity, etc.  Christianity in the USA and world will become even more secularized and marginalized if we don't deliberately look for opportunities from the pulpit and the pew to be intentional about our valuing of these things in word and in action.  We should welcome the day of Christ's return in balance with an awareness of the great compassion Jesus has for the lost, not being willing that any should perish.  And how will they see and hear without our profession of the Gospel both in lifestyle and in words fitly spoken.

Today, I hope you are hopeful!