Freedom of conscience is one of Christianity’s trade marks.
The Gospel brings liberty. Historically wherever the Protestant faith went
liberty was gained, over time. Next time you look at the globe mentally check
which nations are free. Research their heritage. You will inevitably find
liberation came via consistent, intentional, familial and societal Christianity.
The majority of “free western civilisation” was firmly anchored to the Scriptures.
Unfortunately many of these nations, including Australia, are living off old
capital. What we must remember is that the prodigal son did not eat with the
pigs immediately. His funds did not dry up overnight. The inheritance lasted a little
while. Many “western countries” seem to be living off old capital. Deep Christian
heritages, those our forefathers instilled in the legal systems of our countries,
are eroding. Licentiousness now abounds in our society. As a result our liberty
is waning. Australians live in a permissions based society. Your land sort of
belongs to you. To build, extend a house, make major renovations etc you must
receive civil government permission. With legislative force “your” children
must attend a civil government approved school. Permission must be granted to
school at home or via distance education. The list goes on. Civil government
authority abounds. Where is the conscience of the state? When was the last time
a sermon was preached on political responsibilities? How many preachers tackle
the difficult questions of; how should we respond to the decline in our
societies and the unbridled power of civil government? Should the Church be
silent on these issues?
Often Christians talk about the general demise of our society. As a
result prayers for Jesus’ eminent return resound. Escapism undershoots the
purpose of the Church. The flow of Scripture is not a downward spiral of
society. Rather it is restoration, an upward movement. Throughout the Bible
worship is usually on a high place, a mountain top. The Garden of Eden was a
high place; the four rivers ( Genesis 2:10-14) flowed from it (i.e. downward). The
Ark landed on top of Mount Ararat where Noah sacrificed. Abraham ascended Mount
Moriah to sacrifice and worship ( Genesis 22:1-19). The sacrificial alter was a mini-mountain,
from which the sweet smelling aroma of the burnt offering ascended to God (e.g.
Exodus 29:18). Under the Old Covenant no man entered the Highest Heaven. The
High Priest went into the heavenly copy (i.e. the Holy of Holies) once a year
to atone for the people’s sins. The Old Covenant flows toward the New. The
sacrificial system was a replica of the realities found in heaven ( Hebrews 9).
The theme of worship on a high place, where heaven meets earth, continues into
the New Covenant. Jesus was transfigured upon a high mountain ( Matthew 17:1-9),
which led Peter, James and John to fall prostrate and worship. On the Lord’s
Day the Church corporate ascends into the Heavenly Jerusalem (Mount Zion) to
worship along with all the saints and innumerable angels ( Hebrews 12:22-24). No
longer is a localised temple required. Christ’s body becomes the Temple. Notice
the flow of events climaxes in the destruction of the physical temple (Matthew
24:1-34) and its “bloody shadows.” Christ enters the reality of the Highest
Heavens and sits at the Father’s right hand. Jesus is the first man to enter
the Highest Heavens. Thus the keys of heaven are taken from the cherubim and
given to the Church (i.e. men). Throughout history it is victory unto victory
for Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, via the means of the preaching of
the Gospel. Jesus will only return, in the body, when all enemies are subdued
and a complete Kingdom can be handed up to the Father ( 1 Corinthians 15:24-25).
This is important for understanding our Christian purpose. Christ will return
in the body. There are some premises before His return; 1. “He shall have put
down all rule and all authority and power;” 2. “He must reign, till he hath put
all enemies under his feet” ( 1 Corinthians 15:24-25). The conclusion flows from
these premises. Christ will return once these two things occur. I must
emphasise that this is not achieved via a military, guns blazing approach. We
don’t seek a Christian government to enforce God’s Word from the top down.
Likewise, Christ’s rule is not simply over the hearts of individuals and the Church
corporate. Notice the flow of Paul’s eschatology (end times). Death brings
life. Christ dies and then rises as the first fruits. Then His rule and
dominion come through history. Christ sits at the Father’s right hand having
defeated death (i.e. eschatological victory) and then He continually defeats
His foes through the Great Commission (i.e. historical victory). The direction
is onward and upward. Notice also the context. It is all rule, authority, power
and enemies that are spoken of. Not simply the hearts of believers or life within
the Church. The context of the Old and New Testaments reveal that the Word of
God will flow out from Mount Zion to all the ends of the world. Christ’s
commission of His Church is historical in nature. It identifies how Christ will
“put down all rule and all authority and power.” Preaching the Gospel of
personal, familial, societal and national redemption brings “all enemies under”
His feet. Again, notice the consistent flow and context of the Great Commission.
All nations are to be baptised. They are to be discipled in obeying the Law of
God ( Matthew 28:18-20). Personal, familial, societal and national flow is
onward and upward. All of this is toward greater, world wide, obedience to the
Word of God. Individual conversion leads to the renewal of every facet of
society.
If we peer out into society and see great evil we must look to the focus and
flow of the Church. What is that focus and flow at the moment? Focus seems to
have narrowed itself to the salvation of the individual and that individual’s
relationship with God. This aspect of Church focus is important. All of heaven
rejoices at the repentance of a single sinner. However, the focus needs to broaden
to match that seen in the context of all of Scripture. Individualism is a
threat to western civilisations and churches. As the Gospel goes out to the
nations; individuals, families, churches and societies should be transformed
and renewed. Christ came to redeem the whole world. If we stop our thinking at
the individual then society will crumble around us. This is due to corporate
(church) disobedience rather than the eminent return of Christ.
It is our duty to role up our sleeves and work in restoring all things back to
God. That is the nature of the work in the New Covenant. We are in the business
of culture building, developing societies that glorify God in all things. These
societies are couched in objective truth, beauty and purpose. They look like something,
have ethical mandates/stipulations and are intergenerational in outlook. Scripture
is the measuring rod. Christ’s commission to His Church truly was great. The
magnitude is enormous. In fact it is a process of reforming and bringing all
the world back under the feet of God. That is the business of the Church. To
accomplish this we are to die to self. In a covenantal manner God blesses the
obedience of His people and curses their rebellion. Under the cross we must
pick up our trowels and build, stone by stone, the city of God in our own
families, churches, societies and nations. It is time to move past the
infantile individualistic focus of our generation. Our focus is the grandness
of dying to self in order to be raised up and labour in building the Kingdom.
It takes self sacrifice to move the Kingdom forward. That is the great paradox
of Christianity; death to self brings abundant life and growth. Through
Christ’s death we find liberty. This new found freedom is not unto lawlessness;
but unto faithful obedience to the commands of God. Christianity’s liberty is thus
“seeking first the Kingdom of God.” Our focus must return to the living,
ascended Christ. He died but then took back up His life to ascend into heaven
and receive His inheritance. Through history the Church will march forward,
claiming every square inch of the globe to the glory of our Redeemer King.
Freedom of conscience is one of Christianity’s trade marks.
The Gospel brings liberty. Historically wherever the Protestant faith went
liberty was gained, over time. Next time you look at the globe mentally check
which nations are free. Research their heritage. You will inevitably find
liberation came via consistent, intentional, familial and societal Christianity.
The majority of “free western civilisation” was firmly anchored to the Scriptures.
Unfortunately many of these nations, including Australia, are living off old
capital. What we must remember is that the prodigal son did not eat with the
pigs immediately. His funds did not dry up overnight. The inheritance lasted a little
while. Many “western countries” seem to be living off old capital. Deep Christian
heritages, those our forefathers instilled in the legal systems of our countries,
are eroding. Licentiousness now abounds in our society. As a result our liberty
is waning. Australians live in a permissions based society. Your land sort of
belongs to you. To build, extend a house, make major renovations etc you must
receive civil government permission. With legislative force “your” children
must attend a civil government approved school. Permission must be granted to
school at home or via distance education. The list goes on. Civil government
authority abounds. Where is the conscience of the state? When was the last time
a sermon was preached on political responsibilities? How many preachers tackle
the difficult questions of; how should we respond to the decline in our
societies and the unbridled power of civil government? Should the Church be
silent on these issues?
