Our country is experiencing an enormous mixed bag of rejoicing at one end of the spectrum and mourning at the other. Strong and biased opinions permeate the media. Social media is over the top! I have read more proclamations from would-be prophets in the past few weeks than I care to recall. Some simply make predictions while others “decree” what is going to happen, promoting their will and imagination as perfectly in line with God’s thoughts.
The strangest thing of all is that at both extremes there are devoted faith-espousing people who have ironclad, yet contradictory perspectives. At one pole, it is impossible to be a person of faith, and in particular a Christian, and promote a political party that endorses the right to abort an unborn child. At the other pole, it is impossible to be a person of faith and not care for the sick, the poor, the wayfaring immigrants and the children yanked from their parents at our boarder. Both sides have scripture and theologians galore to back them up.
This past week I could not help but think about the approach that the Book of Revelation takes to address such inconsistencies within the faith community. In chapters 1 through 3 of Revelation, we find Jesus asking the Apostle John to write a letter to each of seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. John was asked to explain to each church what he witnessed in his mystical encounter. The predominant pattern in these letters was to start by congratulating each church for the positive and faithful actions they exhibited and the witness they were being. However, these congratulatory comments were not the end of the story. Most of these letters ended with, “But these things I hold against you . . . “
None of the churches had the whole story right. They each had deficits that were, according to some, casual mistakes, and to others, mortal sins. I am sure you can see the parallel that is coming . . .
“To the church that endorses the Democratic Party: I congratulate you for your social concerns, for putting the needs of the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, the immigrants and their children ahead of your personal prosperity. Your focus on international relations and care for the Earth are to be commended. But, these things I hold against you: you recklessly murder unborn children, placing your personal rights over the sacredness of life. You forsake me when you bow to self in idolatrous worship. You are not God.”
“To the church that endorses the Republican Party: I congratulate you for your convictions about the sacredness of life, abortion, and the rights of the unborn child. Your desire to be faithful in interpretations of scripture, living Godly lives, and promoting a Godly nation have not gone unnoticed. But, these things I hold against you: you commit the same sins that brought Sodom to its destruction: you are arrogant, unconcerned, and haughty, ignoring the orphan and stranger while fighting for personal rights (Ezekiel 16:49-50). You exalt a government that bullies the world.”
Do you get the picture? None of us adheres to the whole story. What does God want from us? Scriptures, both Old and New, tell us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God, exercising compassion/love as we go. Elections, human institutions, violently strong opinions, and intolerance of divergent views will come and go. Only love is everlasting. Love never fails.
– Sam Augsburger
