Thriving In Babylon | Living In Tension

We are looking down onto our current moment from a Biblical perspective

If you are already offended, this conversation is not for you

 

Two-week series called:

THRIVING IN BABYLON
What is Babylon?

Historical city of beauty, power, and evil

• God used the city as judgment on the People of Israel
• Destroyed Jerusalem and carried off much of its people
• Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Babylon became a SYMBOL

Babylon is used as a symbol to represent the center of human society that is hostile to God

• Babylon symbolizes Rome in 1 Peter 5:13 and Revelation, referring to the church in Rome as “she who is at Babylon.” Like ancient Babylon, Rome was immoral and idolatrous, oppressing Judean exiles and persecuting Christians.

Like Daniel and many others, we are called to live in the tension between God’s Kingdom and worldly kingdoms.

More on Daniel next week

 

How do we do that?

By Living in the tension…
Living in Tension

Rubber Band
Tension Point #1:

Regardless of who is elected, Jesus is still in charge

Matthew 28:18

18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
This means:

We care about nations and their people, but never forget where our future lies…
Philippians 3:20

20 Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We keep our eyes on the CORRECT THINGS in mind

The is only ONE messiah
We can take a lesson from Joshua

Joshua 1

7 Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. 8 This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.

• Not our opinions of emotions that direct us, but God’s instruction

 

Let’s talk about an important question…
Should Christians care/be involved in our government?

• The answer is YES, but why…

Tension Point #2

Christians should care about government and politics because they affect Human Flourishing

 

Leadership Matters…

• Poor leadership leads to poor outcomes

 

This is part of the TENSION

Many of us may have differing views on WHO or WHAT makes a good leader…

 

Let’s talk about HOW WE GOT HERE…
Culture is downstream of cult

Cult – The overall belief and actions of the whole
To say it another way…

Politics are downstream of philosophy (how we think) and morality (what we do)
The Culture determines the politics

• If the culture moves in one direction and politics in another direction, Culture will OVERWHELM the politics

 

Our current political environment is a product of the last 30-50 years of moral and philosophical changes in our culture
So here are some critical questions?

1: How do Christian believers need to influence our current culture to honor God more in the 20 years that it does now?

2: Who’s policies will slow or increase our society’s decay?

 

Christians have been the best source of THRIVING (human flourishing) over the last 2000 years

• Not perfect, but the best thing for society

 

>What are some examples of HISTORIC Christian Values and Morality?
Christians believe that the family unit is an essential part of God’s plan for human flourishing

 

Matthew 19

4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that he who created them in the beginning made them male and female, 5 and he also said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
What are policies that affect the family?

• Divorce policies (no-fault divorce)
• Redefinition of marriage
• Incentives that keep families intact

Who benefits from healthy families?

• Children
• Women
• Orphans
• The church

Another historic Christian value is…

Christians believe that ALL human life reflects God’s image in creation
Genesis 1:26

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.
James 3:9

9 With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness.
This has led to…

• End of slavery in the west
• Medical care (nurses)
• Social programs
• Women’s rights
• etc…

It also led to our country’s founders writing…

Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness

• Have not lived up to that standard, but it is still unique to our country
• The value is the ideal, regardless of how well or poorly it has been followed

In any country that they live, Christians should be about trying to make a “RIGHT” society

• A society that does right both before God and for its people

>>A right society protects the most vulnerable

• Poor
• Broken
• Orphans
• Widows
• Unborn

>>A right society teaches and promotes the responsibility of the individual for the collective

 

2 Thessalonians 3:10

In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.”
Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people,

• Why we do the things we do matters…

>>A right Society instructs and enforces righteous morality

 

Don’t get gaslighted by saying like:

“Don’t try to legislate your morality!”

• All legislation IS MORALITY
• It’s WHO”S MORALITY

The Morality a Government endorses has consequences

Good – The FLOURISHING of people and society (especially women and children)

Bad – Crime, instability, destruction (especially women and children)
All morality is imposed through Violence

• The thief imposes violence on the victim
• The state imposes violence on the thief
• There is righteous violence and unrighteous violence

 

What is the Role of Government

• Maintaining law and order
• Protecting rights
• Promoting social justice
• Law-making and policy implementation

Romans 13

3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. 4 For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason.

 

Why should we care about politics as Christians?
Matthew 5:13-14

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.
It is a significant way to love our neighbor

We care about government and politics because they affect Human Flourishing

Politics matters because policy matters because people matter. ~ Allie B Stuckey

 

The problem isn’t that the church has gotten more “political” but that the government has gotten more Philosophical

 

Things to think pray through the country votes:
1. Our identity in Christ determines our view of politics. Politics do not determine our identity. ~ Derwin Gray

• Most Christians in history have never heard “Democrat” or “Republican”

2: A vote is NOT a valentine ~ Josh Howerton

• You are voting for POLICIES, not just the person

3: You are called to love your neighbor/enemy on Wednesday the same as you are today
Romans 14

For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God. 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.