Inalienable Rights or Faith in Christ

Recently there has been a lot of news regarding religious freedom. Whether it's a floral shop in Washington, a cake shop in Colorado, or a home schooled family in Arkansas, from the out-side looking in one might conclude that the government is "out to get us!" In this post I will try my best to avoid taking sides and I will admit that because of my background I have an unavoidable bias. Yet, this post is less about who is right and more so about how we as Christians should respond.

The typical knee-jerk reaction to threats to freedom of religion is to run back to the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. These are masterfully written documents  worthy of great respect. But they can't save us. We should and ought to defend the original, and historical context in which they were written, but we should also be prepared to face the reality that they can and will be used against us.

We often shake our fists against Congress and the Department of Justice for forcing their misinterpretations on us. Yes, I will also say that we ought to keep our legislatures accountable to a right and true interpretation of these documents. Yet, let us also not deny that there are powers working against Christ and his followers. Therefore let us not be taken off-guard when injustice knocks at our door.

Now then, how shall we as Christ's followers respond when our shops face bankruptcy or our kids are forced into public schools. Is it to latch onto our our "God Given Rights," as granted through our Founding Documents and cry out for justice? Well, yes, indeed we should not just bow our heads in defeat to the powers and principalities that oppose us. But, I believe it should be coupled with a more powerful response. What is this response?

Recently a group of Christ's followers were executed in Libya for one thing and one thing alone. They served Christ, and they refused to bow to anything else. It has been recorded that they sang praises to Jesus as they gave their lives.

Brothers and Sisters, we are blessed beyond measure to have the freedoms that God and our Founding Fathers laid out for us. Though we must fight, let us also remember that to suffer on account of our Faith is an indication that we are counted worthy of the eternal rewards Christ has in store for us. Let us stand for a right and true interpretation of founding documents, but let us also remember that to suffer for Christ's Name is a vital part of our Faith. Let us also remember that Christ has also overcome the injustices we will face in this world. May I repeat the words of Jesus himself, "yet, when the Son of Man returns, will he find FAITH on the earth?"

Where is our faith? The Constitution, or Christ himself? What speaks the truth of the Gospel more; Creating a Youtube Video describing our plight, or singing praises to God despite of what this world throws at us?

"All We Need is... Jobs?"

Of course we all remember the song by the iconic 60's band, The Beetles. It was a time when an unpopular war raged on and a young, angry, generation looked for idealistic alternatives to solve the world's problem. Back then, it was all about "love," now, according to a State Department Spokesperson, it's all about jobs. "We're killing a lot of them," said the spokesperson, "and we're going to keep killing more of them... But we cannot win this war by killing them. We need... to go after the root causes that leads people to join these groups, whether it's lack of opportunity for jobs whether-" upon which she was interrupted by the interviewer.

The idea is that if one only had more opportunities to get higher paying jobs, it would lessen the appeal to join radical groups such as ISIS. This leads to a number of questions on how the State Department plans implement the strategy. According to the spokesperson, it would take working with foreign governments to provide such opportunities.

Okay, so lets say that the plan is executed and several governments are able to provide good, higher paying jobs. Will this stop the growth of radical groups? Taking from what I know of the human heart, not likely.

I work with a number of individuals who have medium income jobs. Even with all the money they make, their job still turns up short of ultimate satisfaction. One get's up, they go to work, they come home and try to have some time with family, go to bed, get up, and do it all over again. It becomes meaningless. There is little hope for their job situation improving.

Now compare a medium income job which provides little purpose to a idealistic religious desire to take over the world. Which would you say provides a greater sense of purpose?

The Spokesperson has a point, we can't just beat these movements down with military force forever. So where is the solution? My friends it is the hope, grace, mercy, sense of belonging that comes through Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Christ there is purpose and belonging. In Christ there is life and life more abundantly. And we, the Church can provide a path to ultimate fulfillment. This is the only thing that can compete with the appealing message of world domination, and it is the only hope for world peace.

Com'on fellow Brother's and Sisters!

Please comment on how we can articulate this good news of ultimate fulfillment to a world starved for purpose.