Standing and Acting

Posted by Larry Miller on November 22, 2010 under How | Be the First to Comment

There is a song we used to sing in church, before many decided hymns were not cool and church had to be more “relevant”, personal, warm and fuzzy. Onward Christian Soldiers with the tune by Arthur Sullivan of Gilbert and Sullivan fame has been rejected by many mainline churches and ignored by many evangelical churches as well. It has been consigned to inactivity because of it’s militaristic theme. It has been criticized for summoning images of Crusades where Europeans pushed back Islamic conquerors from their lands… something no politically correct member of the clergy would wish to commemorate as it may offend descendants of those same conquerors.

When Winston Churchill met with Franklin Roosevelt in 1941 to formulate the Atlantic Charter on the HMS Prince of Wales. Churchill selected Onward Christian Soldiers to be included in the church service held on the occasion. When asked about his choice, he responded,

We sang Onward Christian Soldiers indeed, and I felt that this was no vain presumption, but that we had the right to feel that we serving a cause for the sake of which a trumpet has sounded from on high. When I looked upon that densely packed congregation of fighting men of the same language, of the same faith, of the same fundamental laws, of the same ideals … it swept across me that here was the only hope, but also the sure hope, of saving the world from measureless degradation.

He was a world leader, faced with desperate times in his country. He was well aware that some would disagree, and political correctness had not yet reared its ugly head to prevent people from speaking the truth. The British Prime Minister gave a better description of purpose and mission than many pastors. Priests and parishioners do today.

In an effort to be inoffensive to those they are trying to attract, many churches have only presented the kindly grandfatherly image of God. They soft pedal the righteous side and the judgment side of Him. So many are led to believe that they should just go to church to hear inspirational sermons, homilies or meditations, and all will be well.

As with our political life, the idea of responsibility and concepts like right and wrong find little room on many Christian agendas. Our children are being destroyed by the public educational system. Many people’s savings, retirement and homes have been destroyed through governmental interference. Our government has turned its back on Israel, an old ally, trusted friend.

All this, and even more, is taking place right out in the open. Christians have begun to vote, and this is great! Yet this is not always enough. Sometimes actions are needed to get the job of saving future generations done. Perhaps it’s time for a little militancy. Jesus was the Saviour of the world and was silent before Pilate, yet when he saw the temple being desecrated by money changers, he fashioned a whip and drove them from the area. Romans 13 is the excuse many use for submissive behavior even when they are submitting to actions that are just plain wrong.

Have you read your child’s history book, or checked into what he or she is watching on television. Some publishers want to spend more time discussing Gloria Steinem than George Washington and watching channels like MTV will not only rot the kids brain, but fill what’s left of it with all sorts of ideas and values that just don’t work. Many cities and counties are falling in line with the UN’s Agenda 21, though they will not usually present it that way, even as they take steps to restrict use and ownership of private property.

Congress has sold out the public on health care and so much more. Vote, yes, vote, but do not think your responsibility ends there. Win or lose, having visited a polling place does not absolve us of the duty to stand up for what is right; If we really believe in the concept of right and wrong, can we simply throw up our hands if the “wrong” candidate will be in office, or if the “right” candidate wins, yet turns out to be a disappointment?

Did Daniel simply throw up his hand and say “Yes well,” in the Babylonian tongue when he was forbidden to pray as he was accustomed? Did Moses mother say, “Yes well,” when Pharaoh wanted to kill all the baby boys? Did the disciples stop preaching when ordered to by the Sanhedrin?

Now just take the answer to those questions and apply it to your life. Voting is good, but don’t stop there. Learn from the examples of people like Daniel, Moses family, Peter and Paul. This is a time when we have to follow the spirit more than ever. Our actions may not make us many friends and may put us in conflict with the government. Is that any reason to hold back? I’ll let that for the reader to decide. Charles Stanley is fond of telling people to follow God and leave the consequences to Him. Good advice!