Have we got it right, yet?

Recently, I read a post that cited a number of examples of people claiming to be Christians and then saying and doing evil or stupid things and using the bible to defend their actions.  The writer ended with the following:

I wish I knew for sure what I would have done...but I don't. I'm humbled, and a little frightened, by how often true justice is only recognized as such in hindsight

This does present the Christian with a problem.  It seems that all of our attempts to apply scripture could be wrong. 


So, take the question from the same writer if your pastor told you that integration was "unbiblical" and MLK was a dangerous, anti-Christian communist, (which is what plenty of white pastors in the South did), which side would you have chosen?

With the communists controlling half the globe, desiring to take my property and religion from them, and pointing nuclear missiles at them, I can see how white people, even those who may not have it in for blacks, would be scared of King if they heard this kind of thing from their pastor.  I don't mean this to justify their actions, merely to explain.

Here's another example from Richard Foster's Challenge of the Disciplined Life, chapter 10: [Hitler] campaigned on a 25-point platform that included...a pledge to improve educational opportunities, a concern for "raising the standard of health in the nation", and a belief in "positive Christianity"

Again, I could see how people still reeling from the humiliation and the loss of millions in WWI and the chaos and hyper inflation of the Weimar Republic, might ignore Hitler's anti-semitic rants and support him (Perhaps the thinking was- I mean after all, Luther was an anti-semite and he was OK, right? Come on, "Germany is a civilized nation".  This is no different than things have always been...)

This inability to see what's really going and to try to fit God into our plans instead of follow his, seems it could lead to despair and frustration which is what I think read in Evans' blog. 

Being a Christian, I think God is just and merciful and guides us.  Not only do I believe the scriptures are a reliable guide, I think that inspite of man's sinfulness, we can still understand them and follow them.




I am heavily indebted to chapter 6 of Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology for the following and highly recommend all lay people buy the book.

To begin with, no where does the Bible state it is impossible to understand.  Difficult, yes (II Pet 3:15), but not impossible.  Moses expected his people to teach the Torah to children and to discuss it among themselves (Deut 6:6-7).  The Psalms say that the testimony of the Lord makes the simple, wise (Ps 19:7).  Grudem points out that nowhere does Jesus blame anyone's problems on the scriptures being unclear.  But, he does go off on the Pharisees partially for not knowing the scriptures (Matt 22:29).

So, we know the problem is with us, not the Scriptures, are there things we can do to deal with that problem?

Jesus is described as being full of grace and truth in John 1:14.  I heard long ago that Christians tend to err in one extreme or the other.  Some of us teach a doctrine of "cheap grace".  Others, are shocked and go off when sinners actually sin.  It's tempting to say balance is the solution but I'm not sure balance is the best way to describe it. Jesus promised that he would send the Spirit of Truth to us to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgement (John 16:8).  Paul also said this same Holy Spirit is the means through which God sheds his love in our hearts (Romans 5:5) and that love is His fruit (Gal 5:21).  Jesus promised the Spirit would teach the apostles (John 16:9).  Finally, Paul said that the scriptures are breathed by the Spirit (II Timothy 3:16).

So, getting back to MLK and Hitler, how does a Christian use scripture to respond?

1.  Act in love.  Check out this picture of a telegram from MLK.  Note point #6- this is supposed to be a victory for the whole south.  The protestors were to seek the best of the people that hate them.
2.  Act in truth.  I have friends that have sex outside of marriage.  The bible is clear about what's going to happen to them if they don't repent (Gal 5:19-21, I Cor 6:9-10,Rev 21:8).  But, it's also clear that the kindness of God can lead them to repent (I Cor 6:11, Romans 2:40).  They know all of this, but they also know I value them.  And knowing that God leads us to repent, I can pray for them and trust the judge of the universe to do the right thing.

I think these two principles can keep us from error.  But, a reminder, we are not yet perfected.  We will still fail and God will have mercy.  If he can use Joseph's brothers' evil for good, he can do the same with our attempts to be good.

Let me close with a couple of encouraging examples:
1.  the great southern evangelist Billy Graham became friends with and worked with King.  He also had a black worship leader named Ethyl Waters as part of his crusade staff. 

2.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer was able to recognize evil in his own country and died resisting it.