The Gospel Compass is Dead

THE GOSPEL COMPASS IS DEAD

Believers are worried that if gay marriage becomes legal that the moral structure of America will come crashing down. Some even suggest that polygamy will soon follow. Well, it’s way too late. The New Testament clearly warns about a marriage between men and money. But that marriage is not only legal in America, it is encouraged as a sign of Christian patriotism.

Well, polygamy is already practiced throughout the evangelical community. It’s called divorce and remarriage! What is the greatest enemy to Americans? It would be a gay Muslim who is a communist.

Lions and tigers and bears - Oh my!

Run to the hills - Run for your lives!

What a weak kneed brand of Christianity some practice. While they claim to be inhabited by the God of Creation who bows to no one, they tremble at the power of one, rather thin, American president. We all know what is happening here. Nationalism and latent racism have become blood brothers. And throw out any hint of the gospel and voilà, you have moral vigilantism fueled by fear and anger.

Dan.3: 19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

Because the three Hebrew children would not obey the commandment of Nebuchadnezzar he ordered them thrown into the fiery furnace. But the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, and he ordered the flames be made seven times hotter. That did two things. First it killed all those who threw them in, and secondly if God had not protected the three Hebrews they would have perished immediately and without any pain. So the desired effect Nebuchadnezzar wanted would have been just the opposite because he acted in fear and anger.

The gospel has been ignored and yet that is our message that was paid for by the Blood of the Lamb. Do we really believe Christ died and suffered only to compete with moral and national crusades against the ghosts of nationalism and moralism? And while we chase moral apparitions the souls of men perish. One man suggests natural birth control inside a rape victims body while another suggests rampant polygamy and incest if gay marriage is legal. What kind of Neanderthal atmosphere is emerging? This is what happens when men reject the Christ and engage in a political feeding frenzy hoping to win a war which has already been lost. Message to self - sinners cannot be changed inside without the gospel and any outward changes without the gospel represent the clothing of Cain.

Words and attitudes can be violent. And violent words can and do lead to violent actions. When men create an atmosphere of hatred it influences men’s hearts and engenders all kinds of mischief. And when words are arrows of anger then the fallen nature of men rises up and becomes the driving force of everything. And like a cat chasing its tail, men think themselves as warriors gaining on the enemy when in fact they are nothing but pawns in a useless gambit.

The entire culture is fallen, so how much more fallen can it get? Romans chapter one traces the descent of a fallen culture, but the entire book points to faith in Christ as the answer, not political leverage. Like attempting to put out a gas fire with gas, the evangelical community continues to fight the wrong war. This is not a war “to form a more perfect union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity”. This is an eternal war which has already been won and calls us as soldiers of redemption!

Compared to a large ship its rudder is very small, but still it can turn the course of the greatest vessel. And all it would take is for the church to turn their eyes and look toward Jesus and the entire redemptive vessel could begin to turn. But instead the church continues its fool’s errand and pursues a better life through the annihilation, or at least through the annulment of its moral enemies. And yet these so called enemies are exactly to whom Christ has sent us. Do we not realize that when Christ came He came when all of us were His enemies? Had He chosen to confront us with His holy power we would have all been doomed. Instead He laid down His power and became obedient unto death and through His sacrifice we have life. Where oh where is that same spirit today expressed openly to our enemies? Where is the love we are commanded to show to our enemies?

But allow me to let you in to a little secret. When God opens your eyes to the futility of politics and the idolatry of nationalism, it takes years for most of the vestiges to dilute, and every once in a while they still crop up inside. But let me illustrate further.

A group of people were playing a game called Fallen. They had no idea that their lives were in jeopardy. But one day the Master came and rescued them. They had no idea just how much danger they had been in, and they were completely grateful and submitted to their Master. They desired to do whatever He said.

Well the Master gave them a new game called Gospel and He commanded them to only play that game and to invite others to play. That sounded so good to these people and they were only to happy to do what the Master desired. But after a few hundred years these people began to look over the fence and see people playing the game called Fallen, the one they knew so well. They saw that people were flocking to play that game while new players in their game were scarce. Suddenly they got a new thought. They reasoned that if they left the Gospel game and climbed the fence and began playing the Fallen game they could help people. They had completely forgotten what the Master had said, and because they thought their cause was right they went and enlisted in the game called Fallen.

Year after year after year they played the game Fallen, but instead of helping people they themselves began to forget the rules of the game Gospel. They knew that the rules of the game Fallen were completely at odds with the rules of the game Gospel, but still they desired to play Fallen. They thought they could play both games at once. But their Master had said, “No man can play two games at once. He will either love one game and hate the other, or hate the one and love the other.” After a while the people forgot how to play the Gospel game, and they became satisfied with playing the game called fallen.

Fortunately most of the away team which traveled all over the world still played the game called Gospel. They did not adopt the game of Fallen as had their team members back in the home stadium called Western Culture. This world wide team played in the stadium called “Uttermost Parts”. They still played by the rules of the Gospel.

The western church has all but given up the cause of the gospel except in the corners of doctrinal orthodoxy. No longer do believers stand with bold humility and give their very lives for the cause of Christ. Inventing all kinds of enemies while refusing to emulate the cross, we have become a vacuous voice of moral outrage and political patriotism. There is no way to find our way back until we come out of denial and see what has happened. Then and only then can we expect to see the glorious light that can only come through the Lord Jesus.

Until then stoke the fires of condemnation seven time hotter and take hold of these moral miscreants and toss them under the doctrinal bus. Yes, sinners like me were rescued from their midst through God’s grace, but since I am now free I can turn and toss my own self righteous stones. After all, I am no longer a part of them.

Very short memories indeed.