WOKE CULTURE – THE PRICE OF APPROVAL

 

 

Yesterday, during a meeting with people of color, it was reported that the deputy socialist mayor of Paris, Audrey Pulvar, said white people should “be asked to keep quiet” when race issues are discussed:

 

·       “People who suffer discrimination for the same reasons and in the same way feel the need to meet among themselves to discuss it,” Audrey Pulvar, who is black, said.

 

·       She added that white people should be allowed to attend the meetings discussing race but added: "They can, however, be asked to keep quiet and be silent spectators." https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/paris-deputy-mayor-race-white-people-asked-be-quiet?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=msn_feed

 

I am concerned because Pulvar’s sentiments presently represent the nature of racial discourse, where it is only permissible to express one set of opinions, those of the “oppressed.” While people are free to congregate according to their common characteristics or interests, the requirement that others must “keep quiet” and just absorb a one-sided presentation is not. Meanwhile, shame, white privilege, and charges of racism are used to divide and silence.

 

Elevating some based on race and to degrade others is not only a betrayal of our democratic principles, but it is also a betrayal of our God who forbids favoritism based upon such superficial characteristics:

·       So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34–35; Romans 2:11; 1 Peter 1:17)

 

If God shows no partiality, we too must not!

 

·       In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. (1 Timothy 5:21)

 

There is no place in the Church for such principles as intersectionality and Critical Race Theory, which privilege those deemed to have been “oppressed” by virtue of sexuality and skin color and degrades those deemed “oppressors” by virtue of these same categories. The latter group is subsequently degraded and held to a higher standard by shaming seminars and is required to remain silent apart from confessing their “sins” of maleness and skin color. Only they must confess their sins. However, we are all sinners, all in need of confession.

 

Instead, the Church is to be governed by the equality and brotherhood:

 

·       My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory…But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. (James 2:1, 9)

 

Woke and intersectionality divide the church instead of unifying it, contrary to the prayer of our Lord:

 

·       “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:20–23; 13:35)

 

We are One. To divide the Church according to race goes directly against the prayer of our Lord. This had also been Paul’s concern about factions within the Church, which elevated one group above another:

 

·       I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:10–12)

 

Today, divisions are entering the Church based upon race and whether we believe in systemic racism and white guilt. And it goes much further – Whether principles of affirmative action should be implemented in the Church in favor of Biblical principles for choosing Church leadership. However, it is only when we unite around Biblical principles that unity can be established (Ephesians 4:1-5). Everything else breeds division and resentment. More importantly, it offends our Savior.

Justice must be based upon the conduct of the individual and not the class or skin color or even the sins of our predecessors:

 

·       “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin. “You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow’s garment in pledge.” (Deuteronomy 24:16–17; 2 Kings 14:6; Ezekiel 18:20)

 

In the Church, justice should depend upon witnesses and credible testimony regarding a specific sin, not on racial or sexual identity:

·       Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. (1 Timothy 5:19–21)

 

Justice should not depend on partiality. Excommunication is to be based upon the refusal to repent of a sin and not skin color or other unbiblical standards:

 

·       From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:16–17)

 

We are new creations. Whatever sins we might have committed in the past is covered by the blood of Christ and should not be held against us in the Church.Therefore, we should not be silenced or shunned because of the past. Instead, our Lord offers us equality, an equal place and voice within the Body of Christ:

 

·       There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:28–29)

 

Therefore, we must not cower and take-a-knee because of skin color or the sins of our ancestors. (BTW, all our ancestors have sinned). Instead, we must clothe ourselves with our forgiven and beloved identity in Jesus and reach out to all with His love.

 

LOVE AND JUSTICE ARE INSEPARABLE PARTNERS

 

A progressive Christian had written:

• “Many Christians love the thought of people justly getting what they deserve. To say this another way would be many Christians love the idea of hell. However, Jesus challenges us or gives us a better way by commanding us to love our enemies, to turn the other cheek, and to forgive those who trespass against us.

At the core of her challenge is the question, “Do the biblical teachings on love and non-retaliation preclude loving justice or can love also include a love and desire for justice?” Here are some considerations on this subject:

We can attend to love because God promises to bring justice:

• Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

God is a righteous God who loves justice. We too should love what He loves:

• “And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.” (Luke 18:7-8)

• He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

To not love justice is to hate our fellows.

Doers of justice are God’s ministers. Therefore, we should support them:

• Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God...for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. (Romans 13:1, 4)

Jesus taught on the eternal judgment more than anyone. If He was not ashamed of hell, we shouldn’t be either:

• “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 7:19)

Even the saints in heaven cried out for justice, and God was approving:

• They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” (Revelation 6:10-11)

Common sense alone should inform us that love requires justice. When our institutions withhold justice and police are given stand-down orders, allowing rioters to destroy or bullies to bully, then it forces the innocent to take the law into their own hands – a great prescription for destruction and chaos. In love, then, did God ordain a criminal justice system:

·       Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,  or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. (1 Peter 2:13-14)

In light of these considerations, a Biblical faith needs to include the many teachings about the justice and righteousness of God. A faith that refuses to do this cannot please God. Nor will it be validated in our hearts and lives!

CHALLENGING INJUSTICE

Justice is a complex issue. Therefore, our response to injustice should take account of many factors. First of all, Scripture places a lot of emphasis on honoring the institutions that God has ordained:

·       Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him [God] to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. (1 Peter 2:13-15; Romans 13:1-5)

When we do what is good by complying with these institutions, we silence the forces of darkness. When we resort to violence, our light goes out, and our evil brings contempt upon us.

No human institutions are perfect. Therefore, simply by highlighting some areas of their injustices should not become an excuse to disobey or to seek to overthrow these institutions. Instead, we are taught that “by doing good you should put to silence... ignorance.”

Jesus had counseled that we should obey the institutions of the land, even when staffed by evil people:

·       Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.” (Matthew 23:1-4)

Our obedience shouldn’t even stop at institutions run by our own people. Peter claimed that we are to also honor oppressors, even the Roman emperor:

·       Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:17-21)

To many, such teachings are highly distasteful, even reprehensible. However, the Word of God will never be otherwise to the unconverted. Instead, our job is to please God, not man.

However, we also have a responsibility to oppose injustice:

·       Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Behold, we did not know this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work? (Proverbs 24:11-12)

However, opposing injustice does not require us to tear down those institutions that inforce justice. We are our brother’s keeper. However, I think that several things should be noted. These verses pertain to clear instances of injustice - genocide and murder. Too often, we are apt to believe the many allegations of injustice to fuel our anger.

Nor do these verses (or any others) counsel insurrection or rebellion but the most restorative means possible, like exposing injustice and raising our voices against it (Ephesians 5:13).

Many of us raise our voices against the genocide of abortion. However, we do not advocate the overthrow of the government or even its God-ordained institutions. Instead, Christians are to work within the prescribed means.

Also, the beliefs that had once held us together have now dissolved. Consequently, what one side sees as injustice – for example, income inequality – does not look at all like injustice to the other side. Even worse, what had once been regarded as “evil” is now regarded as “good”:

·       Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

The concept of justice has been taken captive by competing worldviews. Marxists divide humanity into two groups - the “oppressed” and the “oppressors,” based upon class and economic disparities – rather than according to the guilt of the individual who breaks the law.

Therefore, according to Marxism, justice was never a matter of restoring peace and order but the bloody matter of class struggle.

In the Bible, justice always involved an individual breaking the law of God. Consequently, it was a matter of punishing the guilty and protecting the innocent. (However, God could apply His own forms of justice, like replacing one king with another or by punishing Israel as a nation.)

Our philosophical differences have led to intense antagonism. As a result, some believe that the opposition must be re-educated or even eliminated. Jesus had warned His disciples:

·       “...Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.” (John 16:2-3)

This testifies to the overwhelming power of self-delusion. Idealistic people have been able to convince themselves that they are serving a higher good as they kill those who disagree with them. This has been the history of Marxist Socialism and National Socialism. Jesus’ warning has become very real for us, even in the USA, where church burnings and shootings have become more commonplace. As Jesus had warned, the minds of our society have become increasingly twisted – all the more reason to retain our institutions of order and justice and to look to Jesus on a personal level:

·       He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness...(1 Peter 2:22-24)

Jesus’ example should be a model for the rest of us. To our Savior, be the glory and also our unwavering allegiance.

A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO THE REFUGEES

Over 500 Christian leaders have signed a letter addressed to President Trump expressing concern about his policies to limit the refugees:

·       As Christian pastors and leaders, we are deeply concerned by the recently announced moratorium on refugee resettlement. Our care for the oppressed and suffering is rooted in the call of Jesus to “love our neighbor as we love ourselves.” In the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus makes it clear that our “neighbor” includes the stranger and anyone fleeing persecution and violence, regardless of their faith or country.

·       As Christians, we have a historic call expressed over two thousand years, to serve the suffering. We cannot abandon this call now. We live in a dangerous world and affirm the crucial role of government in protecting us from harm and in setting the terms on refugee admissions. However, compassion and security can coexist, as they have for decades. For the persecuted and suffering, every day matters; every delay is a crushing blow to hope. https://welcomerefugees-worldrelief.nationbuilder.com/

Truly, there are numerous admonitions to love the alien, stranger, or foreigner:

·       “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. (Leviticus 19:33-34; Deuteronomy 1:16-17; 10:18-19)

·       If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.” (Exodus 12:48-49; Numbers 9:14)

What did it mean that “There shall be one law?” It didn’t simply mean that the sojourner would enjoy the same protections under the law. There was also the requirement that the sojourner would behave like the Israelite:

·       “If there is found among you, within any of your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, in transgressing his covenant, and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have forbidden… then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you shall stone that man or woman to death with stones. (Deuteronomy 17:2-5)

Clearly, the Christian cannot appeal to the Mosaic Law to make a case for Islamic immigration. This law did not allow for the practice of a non-Israelite religion in Israel. If a case is to be made, it must be made from the NT. Romans 12 is often invoked:

·       Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.  Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:14-21)

This requires me to love the Muslim even if I know that he has ISIS sympathies. I therefore applaud churches that are reaching out to Muslims with the Gospel. However, Romans 12 only pertains to individuals and their personal lives. We do not seek revenge, because God has entrusted vengeance to His ordained systems of justice. The government will exercise the “wrath of God,” (Romans 13:1-5) not us. They are to protect us so that we can live lives of love. They are to protect us against murderers, rapists, and those who want to dominate us through the imposition of sharia law – the very thing that Islam requires. The judge and the policeman are not to “turn the other cheek” and to forgive. They are not to empty the prisons of dangerous people. This is not their calling. Their calling is to protect and ensure the provision of justice. In order to do this, they must keep out of the country those who want to kill and rape. To not protect is to violate their calling – a calling we must uphold.

Indeed, the Christian is to play the “good Samaritan.” However, this isn’t the role of the government. Besides, the good Samaritan didn’t attempt to unleash upon his neighbors people who wanted to kill them.

Ibn Khaldun, a 15th century Tunisian historian, has spoken for the majority of the Islamic world by writing:

·       In the Muslim community, the holy war is a religious duty, because of the universalism of the Muslim mission and the obligation to convert everybody to Islam either by persuasion or by force... The other religious groups did not have a universal mission, and the holy war was not a religious duty for them, save only for purposes of defense... Islam is under obligation to gain power over other nations.

This teaching is derived straight from the Holy Koran:

·       “Make war on them until idolatry is no more and Allah’s religion (Islam) reigns supreme, (Koran Surah 8:37)

·       “When the Sacred Months are over, kill those who ascribe partners [like Jesus] to God wheresoever ye find them; seize them, encompass them, and ambush them; then if they repent and observe prayer and pay the alms, let them go their way’.” (Koran 4:5)

·       “…kill the disbelievers wherever we find them” (Koran 2:191) and “murder them and treat them harshly” (Koran 9:123), and “Strike off the heads of the disbelievers” (Koran 8:12, cp. 8:60).

Do most Muslims believe this way? Evidently! Surveys have demonstrated that the majority of Muslims still seek a worldwide Caliphate, which will place everyone under Islamic dominion.

It is these teachings that have led to the slaughter and destruction of the Church wherever Islam has gone. And where the Church still exists in Islamic lands, it must submit to Islamic domination.

It is clear that true Muslims do not respect our Constitution and the laws it embodies. They believe that they can only live under sharia. Why then do they come here? They might truly be oppressed, but they also believe in the Koran’s teachings about immigration Jihad:

·       Koran Surah 4:100-01: He who forsakes his home in the cause of Allah [Jihad], finds in the earth Many a refuge, wide and spacious: Should he die as a refugee from home for Allah and His Messenger, His reward becomes due and sure with Allah. And Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. When ye travel through the earth, there is no blame on you if ye shorten your prayers, for fear the Unbelievers May attack you: For the Unbelievers are unto you open enemies.

Believing Muslims regard all “unbelievers” as “open enemies.” Therefore, they will not be grateful for the shelter and hospitality that they are now receiving in the West. Instead, they will conjure up all forms of distortions to convince themselves that we are evil.

They also deceptively use “friendship” in order to advance the Islamic agenda. Meanwhile, a believing Muslim is not allowed to truly befriend the non-Muslim:

·       Koran 3:27 Let not the believers take the disbelievers for friends rather than believers. And whoever does this has no connection with Allah unless it is done [deceptively] to guard yourselves against them, guarding carefully.

·       Koran 5:54 O ye who believe, take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors. They are but friends and protectors to each other.

How do Muslims interpret these verses? This comes from the following fatwa which quotes the Koran in support (www.koranqa.com; fatwa 59879):

·       “Undoubtedly the Muslim is obliged to hate the enemies of Allaah and to disavow them, because this is the way of the Messengers and their followers. Allaah says:

o   [60:4] “Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibraaheem (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: ‘Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allaah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allaah Alone’”

·       “Based on this, it is not permissible for a Muslim to feel any love in his heart towards the enemies of Allaah who are in fact his enemies too. Allaah says”:

o   [60:1] “O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies (i.e. disbelievers and polytheists) as friends, showing affection towards them, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth”

·       “But if a Muslim treats them with kindness and gentleness in the hope that they will become Muslim and will believe, there is nothing wrong with that, because it comes under the heading of opening their hearts to Islam. But if he despairs of them becoming Muslim, then he should treat them accordingly.”

Consequently, in view of Islamic deception, there are no reliable means to vet Muslim immigrants.

What does it mean to treat the non-Muslim “accordingly?” The many Koranic teachings on Jihad tell us:

·       Koran 2:191-193) - "And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah [disbelief or unrest] is worse than killing...but if they desist, then lo! Allah is forgiving and merciful. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah [disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah] and worship is for Allah alone. But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun(the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)" (Translation is from the Noble Quran)

·       2:216 - "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not."

·       3:151 - "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions [like Jesus] with Allah, for which He had sent no authority".

·       4:89 - "They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks."

·       8:12 - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them."

·       9:5 - "So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captive and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them."

These are not verses about self-defense, but about worldwide conquest. What about the “peaceful” Koranic verses. As any Islamic scholar knows, those verses were uttered before Muhammad had an army. In his earlier years, the only way to win converts was through preaching a message of peace and acceptance. However, these verses have been replaced (the doctrine of “abrogation”) by later verses, according to the Koran:

·       2.106  “If we abrogate any verse or cause it to be forgotten, We will replace it by a better one or one similar.” [also 13.39]

In view of the threat and reality of Islam, are Christians mandated to be concerned? God is concerned. He cares deeply about justice and the protection of the innocent, so much so that He instituted a criminal justice system in the hearts of humanity:

·       Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. (Romans 13:1-5)

What does it mean for us to “be in subjection?” For one thing, we must uphold justice and the protection of the innocent. For this reason, we do not empty the prisons because people argue that “God is love.” This would not be an act of love towards the innocent, but an act of hatred.

Because we “love our neighbor as ourself,” we are required to seek their protection and welfare. We, therefore, do not want to see released criminals hunting them down or turning them into sex-slaves. This would not serve their welfare.

A Christian must be concerned about all those in need, but there are ways to fulfill this concern without unleashing horrors upon non-Muslims. Even now, Jews are fleeing Western Europe from Islamic violence in mass. Can we remain unconcerned about them?