We are
seeing a lot of changes in our world today. When was the last time you wrote a
letter? When was the last time you took a call on your home phone, or made one?
Most likely the last time you used your home phone was to help find your mobile
phone. Have you noticed how few young people there are on Facebook these days?
That’s because they are on Snapchat, Tumblr, Reddit, Tinder or some other
service that I haven’t heard of yet, because I’m over 30, and not a youth
pastor anymore. Things are changing more and more, some things for the better,
some for the worse.
One thing
that has changed for the better is how connected we are to the rest of the
world. We can know about riots at the G20 summit in Germany as soon as they
have happened, or the target of the US President's latest tweet. Just as quickly as we can know what the score of NRL games were
on the weekend, without even turning on the TV. We are uber-connected. But this connectedness has enabled us
to be saturated by so many different messages in this world today. So many
different causes, so many different noble fights and not so noble fights. It’s hard to know when to plug
in and when to shut it all out. We can see how
people are thinking, more and more, both at home and abroad, and there is one
thing I am seeing more and more that I think is going to be devastating for the
Church. I call it The Great Betrayal.
Before I
explain it, let me say that I won’t be surprised if persecution eventually
comes in state form, or some other form, to churches in the West, and even
Australia. We have had it really good for a really long time, and Jesus told us
to expect opposition. Mostly we have not been opposed in the West, but rather
competed with, and not just by other religions, but by malls, TV, movies, and
all kinds of fun and distracting things. This has made us a bit lukewarm, and
complacent. It’s easy going most of the time for a Christian in Oz, and besides
the occasional mocking or individual persecution at school, or in the work
place, we have had it very good here. But I am not the first person to see that
this is changing and this change could accelerate quickly to full blown
persecution eventually, maybe even soon. I hope it doesn’t happen, but again,
we were promised opposition by Jesus.
But what I
think a lot of believers haven’t seen coming, and maybe don’t expect as much is
The Great Betrayal that is about to come, if persecution starts to heat up. You
see I think that one of the main places from which Christians will be targeted
and exposed, is by some of their very own brothers and sisters in the faith. I
have already seen signs of this. Let me give some examples.
How many of
you saw all the kerfuffle in the US over wedding cakes for same sex weddings?
Many opinions were given from different perspectives. Some said, ‘let them eat
cake!’ Other said, ‘No.’ But what concerned me was the number of ‘Christians’
who were delighted to see their brothers and sisters in the faith lose their
business for taking a stand on marriage. These progressive Christians took an
even more hard line stance, if you don’t play by the world's rules, you should
be punished. They labelled their fellow believers as bigots for defending the
historical Christian view of marriage and some even delighted in seeing the
trouble this brought these believers. This should not be.
Another
example I saw was during the federal election last year. There were many
Christians who believed that Manus Island, and Nauru, should be determining
factors for Christians who voted. Now please don’t misunderstand me, I think
our government must balance security and justice for the sojourner (refugee). This is a complicated issue.
But I saw multiple, mostly young Christians say that they were going to happily
vote for a particular political party, who had hard line stances that would
restrict the freedoms of Christians, but shut down these facilities. Even though they knew this might lead to
persecution for their brothers and sisters, they were ok with this. They were
still willing to put this issue ahead of the potential safety of people they
say they share faith in Christ with.
Another
example, which really disappointed me, was a discussion I saw on personal
boundaries for male ministry leaders. I saw many, who would claim, and likely
were genuine believers, condemn leaders who put into place boundaries which
separated them from one on one private meetings with people of the opposite
sex. Never mind that these leaders have well established reasons for such
boundaries, still the men especially, were accused of being sexist, and
disempowering of women, because in a male dominated profession like the
pastorate these boundaries limit access for women. My issue wasn’t so much that some people
disagreed with these boundaries; because personal boundaries are just that,
personal. My issue was that instead of a discussion over what best enabled
someone to remain holy in their conduct, men who practiced such boundaries were
accused of simply sexualizing women and insulting men. It became about gender politics. It was mentioned that after
all the world doesn’t follow such rules in business, and social interactions,
and they make it work…can’t the church do the same (I would argue the world has
caused itself a lot of trouble with a lack of boundaries).
All of these
examples have a common thread, a disturbing thread. There are many believers
out there who would more quickly ally with the causes of the world than fellow
believers. Of course many think they are doing God’s work, and maybe I am the
one who is wrong here on these issues, though I am willing to defend my
positions. But what I am not wrong about is that there are massive divides in
the church over social issues, and for many us, we see more and more of the church
becoming like the world in how it thinks, and the issues it tackles. Since when
did the Apostle’s mission line up with third wave feminism, or the modern
identity politics movement? I really hope I am wrong, but as persecution heats
up I think we are going to see more and more people who consider themselves
parts of the church betray their brothers and sisters for the causes of the
world. Or at least, be willing to sacrifice the livelihood and safety of their
brothers and sisters in the faith for what they see as a cause of justice.
I call this
The Great Betrayal, because I think many Christians don’t see it coming, but
the signs are there and its effects will be great. Already many believers
compromise on long held traditional beliefs like eternal hell, one man one woman
marriage, and even the substitutionary atonement, among others, to stay in good
with the world. I think many of these ‘believers’ are more than willing to
sell out their more traditional brethren who hold these beliefs and others as non-negotiable. After all our views are considered more than controversial
in today’s culture, in one instance an American politician just recently called traditional Christian views on hell dangerous.
Again I hope
I am wrong, but didn’t Jesus say: “34 Do not think that I have come to bring
peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have
come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a
daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be
those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is
not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy
of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of
me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my
sake will find it” (Matthew 10:34-39).
Perhaps Jesus
meant this to apply to the household of faith, as well as the family? I hope I
am wrong about this, but the signs don’t look good.
