Christians: Who Do We Blame for the Rioting?
Answer: Us.
But not in the way you think…
- It’s not an answer based in white guilt or privilege or genuflecting to the reigning culture
- It’s not buckling to the astonishing power one part of our society now wields that will cancel, crush and ruin anyone who not only criticizes the current accepted “correct thinking” but will do the same to those who won’t actively promote and support what is now pronounced “acceptable opinion”.
No, my answer of “US!” is based solely in the Truth of Scripture.
It’s Not About Politics Either
With all due respect and admiration for the accomplishments and influence of patriotic, diligent, law abiding talk radio and TV hosts:
- All the optimism in the world about the American spirit, American exceptionalism and the “goodness of most people” is not going to keep our country from degenerating and imploding
- Even the founding fathers of America declared that the government they had setup was only suited to a people who FEARED GOD and their ultimate accountability to him (more on this later).
People Don’t Change
Generally speaking. People don’t change. Apart from God, they only exist in various shades of the same form.
Genesis 6:5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.
Matthew 24:37-39 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage [hedonism, whatever they feel like, only “self” matters], until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
- What has been true about people before the flood, is true after the flood and will be true until Jesus finally puts an end to it all.
Bizarre Times
We are obviously living in very bizarre times [compared to what we are used to, but not compared to most of human history] that have produced massive fear and confusion.
We have been lied to about everything and this is a sign of who is running things:
- 2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. [his appearance is a lie to begin with]
- John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
The Truth
Truth can only be found in God:
- Romans 3:4 By no means! Let God be true though everyone were a liar…
- John 14: 1, 6 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
Isaiah Speaks to the True Nature of Man
By determining the truth about the character and nature of mankind, we can truthfully determine what is wrong, who is at fault, how can it be fixed.
- Isaiah 1:2-23; Isaiah 5:20–23 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
The World is Upside Down
- Right is wrong
- Good is bad
- Up is down
- Virtue is evil
- Evil is righteous
Lies, lies, lies… all is lies. Politics is lies. False religion is lies. Media is lies. Education is lies where is teaching on origin, worldview or politics. LIES… lies.
- Isaiah 28:17 Also I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place.
This is exactly what we are seeing today: REFUGE IN LIES
Lies become truth by simply declaring them relentlessly until there is no dissension
Isaiah 59:3–4 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with evil; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. 4 No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.
Wow, if someone would have simply written that today about the world we live in, I would have never guessed it to be 1500 years old.
BUT… this sad state is not particular to Americans or the 21st century…
- This is the nature of all of us, to believe lies, to follow the father of lies, to overturn right and wrong, and the current situation in which we live is just another historic manifestation and picture of the perversion of humanity.
It’s Happening Before Our Eyes
The world is turned upside down. Truth is a lie; the lie is the truth. Evil is reward, goodness, punished, Right is wrong, wrong is right.
- Use the God ordained institutions of government and police to grind the world to a halt to stop a virus, then remove all restraint when a far more deadly virus sets out to destroy a whole nation (rioting, looting, destruction).
- Demand justice when a man’s life is taken, and then applaud lawless mobs of criminals attacking the police.
- Create a NO WIN situation for those who protect us – the police – where they are told to “stand down” to the need to protect property from rioting, but protect and defend rebel mobs who loot and destroy, then accuse them of racism, murder and call for their defunding.
NOTE: yes, there are racist cops; yes, there are cops who abuse their power. They should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. FACT: “justice for George Floyd”? who was NOT calling for justice? Who defended the cop? NO ONE.
The Guilty are Innocent and Innocent are Guilty
- Charges being brought in these riots, not against the rioters, but against the police or church goers and hardworking business owners and employees
- Celebrities and politicians who encourage violence, hatred and spew venom at those they disagree with are being promoted, celebrated and applauded while those who are speaking the truth about the lies, pointing out the facts, and condemning the hypocrisy are censored, cancelled and deluged with death threats
- We have Leaders who lord over and become mini-dictators of the weak using fear about public safety and health, but refuse to confront or control the violent and the lawless because those same leaders are moral cowards and afraid motivated only by popularity, fear of the mob or getting re-elected.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
All the Wrong Reasons
We hear much from experts and pundits and political commentators about the root cause of our cultural demise.
- It’s climate change…
- It’s lack of education…
- It’s lack of economic opportunity…
- It’s social inequality…
- It’s racism…
- It’s whites… it’s blacks
- It’s leftism, its al-right, its blue, its red
- It’s imperialism… its colonialism.. its statism… its fascism… its Marxism
- Its politics… the wrong party is in charge… the wrong ideology embraced… the Constitution is being ignored…
I have my own very strong opinions in each of those areas, and I believe that changes in all those areas would result in some temporary civic good
- But they are NOT the answer, they are NOT the root cause of our disintegrating culture
We Need Truth
We need the truth, and the truth is in the Word of God.
- My opinion doesn’t matter, no does the opinion of any other human when it comes to exposing the REAL problem.
- The Truth, the real reason and source of societal ills can only be found in the one unchanging source of Truth
Romans 3:10–18 (NKJV) 10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one…
To be continued…