There have always been those who are chosen to take up the sword against evil.”
–Lou Bradshaw (Blue)
“You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.”
–Exodus 23:2 (NKJV)
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This week has seen me rushing around in the mornings, so I should apologize if the Echoes came out late yesterday. I saw something the other day. It was a picture of an ol’ grizzled cowpoke, thought I might have recognized him, at least he looked familiar. But he went in to see one of those smart, enlightened doctors, those shrinks. The gist of the story fits my situation right on the nailhead. The ol’ boy told the doc: “I’ve got a hitch in my gitalong that takes all the fun out of moseying.”
So if I’ve been slow a few days it’s because my moseying has taken a detour due to the gitalong that has a hitch.
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Yesterday I used a Scripture from Amos that spoke of doing good rather than evil and to have justice in the gates. I’m not going to get heavily into the culture of the day, nor the symbolism implied, but I reckon that the root of our problems is definitely sin. How and why it seems to be flourishing today – I can think of two main reasons: first, lack of courage and fortitude in the pulpits, and second, lack of justice in the gates (i.e., the seats of government).
Just recently the United Methodist Church has chosen not to be “united.” The reason is the ungodliness that some have accepted in the church. Marriage between members of the same-sex is never to be smiled upon. It is an abomination to God. There are several verses in God’s holy Word to support this, but one that many forget is the symbolism of the Church in the New Testament. The Church is the Bride of Christ and is referred to as feminine with Jesus being the Groom. Marriage between humans is supposed to mirror the wedding of the Bride and the Groom–the Church and Christ. That Church will be pure and undefiled when the Groom comes to get her. He will not stand for the world and Satan to sully and spoil her.
That’s just one example where the pulpit has compromised with culture. Many say that the Church must sway with the times. As culture changes, so must the Church. Not so! The Church is to be a bulwark against evil. Where are those pastors to stand up and decry the evil that is surrounding them, even invading them? Woe unto those who say that good is evil and evil is good!
With that being said, the same is true in the gates of justice. When lawmakers, with glee, will fight to kill unborn babies there is something dreadfully wrong with the culture. There is no justice in the gates. When justice is perverted to fulfill the demands of an evil agenda there is no justice in the gates.
Study the prophets. Two things that will certainly bring the wrath of God to bear is when justice is perverted to serve evil ends and when there is spiritual adultery. Those who have an ear to hear might better listen and turn their eyes toward the skies. Perhaps this what is means when Paul says to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12, NKJV).