For the "Least of These"

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. (1 Peter 1:13-17)

What Christians in our nation often struggle to understand, is the influence that societal worldview has upon one’s actions! Regardless of how you came to Christ, if there is true conversion, you do not walk or think in the way you once did. Neither will those outside of Christ understand the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:11-16, 1 Peter 4:2-5). This is why it is an exercise in futility to simply argue someone into the Kingdom of God. They need to be confronted with the Gospel, which includes both the resurrection of Jesus, and the judgment to come (Acts 17:31). The majority may mock, but some, by the Spirit, may be “cut to the heart” and repent! (Acts 2:37)

What every Christian apologist, evangelist, and frankly, minister of every kind should study and understand, prior to service, is this understanding from 1 Corinthians 1 & 2, that the “wisdom of God is foolish to men” or from Jesus’ own words, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,” (John 6:44). That should lead us to be both humble, and bold, recognizing that prayer should precede every endeavor, and that it is “God who brings the increase” (2 Cor 9:10).

What should not surprise us are the actions of those in rebellion against God, including those in authority over us. Our society is somewhat still “running on the fumes” of our Judeo-Christian mindset. Most do not understand the common grace behind their own actions, like why one would wait at a red light when no other traffic is coming (because there is a God who sees!). Those under a secular mindset should be completely selfish, if they were to be completely consistent within their worldview framework!

Jesus’ warning to his first missionaries was this, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard against men…” (Matthew 10:16-17). Yet many Christians are still surprised and fooled by the cunning and craftiness of evil! It should also not surprise us that many around us still profess to be “Christian”, when they have no clue as to what the Bible teaches, let alone be subject to it. Either way, I am convinced that our nation is thoroughly secular in almost every regard, therefore we must tread carefully and pick our battles.

If we thoughtfully consider that those around us operate out of secularism, we must keep in mind what they are worshipping, and what they are capable of in their wickedness. If they believe that the State gives you your rights, it can also be taken away at any time at their whims, or used to manipulate at the ruler’s discretion! That was not the view of our founding fathers, who held that our rights were given to us by God Himself; therefore they had reason to rebel when the right to worship was threatened.

Schools became thoroughly secularized, and then became another arm of the government in order to mold us into their image. They do not believe, thus do not act as if we are created in the image of God. With a loss of intrinsic value comes the loss of personal freedom. In the early 80’s, the schools began to teach a materialistic mindset – that reality is only material, which is shaped by mere chance. This was expanded to public television. Because other views were not given equal consideration, it should be regarded as propaganda! Abortion is widely accepted, because human life under secularism has no intrinsic value, only pragmatic, as a means to personal gain. Interestingly enough, it was Germany in the 80's that fought against the ideology of “easy abortion”, because they of all people recognized where it led!

If I’m not “contributing to society”, either with my tax dollars or towards a particular narrative, I am a strain upon their system and can be expunged. Doctors have shifted in their philosophy from “saving all lives” (Hippocratic Oath) to “Is this a life worth saving?” This is not speaking only of the pre-born; it is extending to you, forcing an arbitrary standard into the value of your life to them, as you get older. Drugs can then be prescribed based on the secular worldview and values: not to extend/improve your life, but to enhance theirs!

There is no objective meaning to life in secularism, so law itself becomes arbitrary, a right to rule by might, even if they may profess to be caring for the various “oppressed groups”. There is no sexual ethic other than prohibiting any restraint upon it! One public school teacher recently expressed concern about bringing her own child into the school system, and understandably so. She wrote, “We need to fight back now before it becomes impossible.” Teaching in a public school in MN requires an “Education Degree” administered by the State, meaning that one needs to be indoctrinated into their philosophy first. A Doctorate in Mathematics is not sufficient to teach Math in public school, but an education degree is!

“Where have the Christians been hiding in the last 50 years? Why aren’t they raising their voices in the public sphere?”, I’ve heard. It was Francis Schaeffer who preached, “A conservative humanism is no better from a liberal humanism”. The primary change that Christians should be seeking is the glorification of Christ; not merely improvements upon our world, but improvements would be found as we provide the hope-filled gospel and consistently back that up with our Christian worldview in how we fight for others, Christian and non-Christian alike! James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

The fight is not meaningless! Even if you are able to rescue one or two children out of the fire of secularism, it is worth it! Though society has gone further into secularism this year, there was one victory that homeschoolers won by showing up in droves at the State Capitol, which kept legislators from requiring standardized tests in the home school! It begins with prayer, and goes from there. Those who fear God, get in the battle, and by God’s Grace you’ll have territory taken for His Glory, especially toward the “least of these” (Matthew 25:40, 45). Let us fight with you!