d In the area of ethics, specifically Christian ethics, today's society, and its cultural
norms, are being wrought with misinformation and disinformation. There are
several very negative and inaccurate premises that are being propagated by small
groups who thrive on disunity. These are groups who contend such ideas as "all"
white people are racist, or that "every" Christian who stands against abortion is a
woman hater. They make arguments such as "all Christian men are simply
misogynist" and "all Christian women are simple followers". These types of all
inclusive statements about whole sects of people are both inaccurate and
dangerous.
d d The church is the most significant group of people with regard to this struggle
within our society. The church is commanded to live, work and thrive through
unity with one another. One of the most powerful statements that Christ made
about this, in my opinion, is when He tells His disciples "by this all will know that
you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) Christ made
it clear that all were welcome. (I Tim. 2:4) The most popular verse in the bible,
John 3:16, tells of the greatest love that can ever be shown, "For God so loved
the world..." God is not a discerner of men based on physical traits or biases. God
judges based on righteousness and holiness. This is because God "sees the
heart" (I Sam. 16:7).
d d This is an area where Christian leaders, more than ever, need to be grounded
and willing to stand firm in biblical truth. This is why Christians, leaders and
laypeople alike, need to be students of the Word. To make their theological
beliefs their foundation for behavior. It is unfortunate that some leaders feel that
they can "blend" in with the world surrounding this very important topic. It is
always easier to fit in than to stand alone. The key is that as Christians we are
not alone. If no one else will stand for truth, Christ will stand with us. The "world"
has seldom ever had a solution that would stand the moral test of God, unless it
was derived from the truth found in God's word.
d d The idea that absolute truth is merely a biblical metaphor is a failure from
those who do not want to be ridiculed by the world. I believe there are several
reasons for this, however, the most prominent ones are wealth and position. Over
the last several months we have seen how standing against the cultural norms,
specifically in the area of ethics, can and has cost some their livelihood. This is
such a shame, but it is only possible because we as fellow believers shy away
from standing with those who proclaim scriptural truth. Christ was counter-culture
and so are His followers today. Vanhoozer and Stachan say it best, when they
write about how our culture today has made the position of pastor / minister a
person to be mocked. Someone who is of "low intelligence".1 They are accused
because they refuse to fall for lies of so-called science and other academia
subject areas. As Leaders (pastors, deacons, elders, ministers, etc) we need to
stand firm, whole heartedly acknowledging and practicing the truth of scripture.
As believers we need to come along beside our leaders and shore them up
against the onslaught of the worlds negative perception. d
1. Kevin Vanhoozer & O. Strachan. The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming a
Lost Vision. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Pub.) 2015
