One of the saddest statements in the Bible is found in John 19:15– 

“But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

We have no king but Caesar.” 

It’s the grim echo of 1 Samuel 8:7 “And the LORD told [Samuel]: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. “

I recently had a respectful discussion with someone who asserted that one political party in the United States was more in line with biblical teaching, especially with respect to care for the poor and issues of social justice.  

I answered the assertion with this statement:

But the result of political social tinkering is that masses of people no longer seek God or the Church to care for the poor…where they might find Jesus in the process. The government drives a wedge between people and their God.”

In my book, good and evil don’t fall along party lines.  As I see it, both parties agree that caring for the poor is a good thing to do.  We may disagree about what truth we’re seeking or what true justice is.  And I’d say that we definitely have a disagreement about the best way to go about truly helping the poor and the oppressed. 

Perhaps we have different goals in mind altogether.  Our solution for how to care for the poor is intimately related to the question of which god we serve?   Do we serve the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob or do we have no king but Caesar?

This conversation started my prayerful thinking about what the Bible says about care for the poor and social justice as well as what it says about the purpose and role of human forms of government.

Are people in America looking to the government instead of to the Church in their times of need? 

Increasingly, that answer is “Yes.” 

 Is that the way God designed life to be?

I am personally convinced that God wanted His people to do the job of caring for the poor as a reflection of our faith.

I am drawn to the idea that God is looking for a big, brawny Church—working so hard spiritually—that it doesn’t have time to become rich, fat, or lazy, waiting for people to enter the opulent, architectural wonders to be fed off the pastor’s spiritual plate, along with everybody else.

The Church is not supposed to be a feeding trough with clever branding and nice carpeting. 

Isn’t God’s intent that the needs of people draw them to…God…who provides for every need? 

Then God’s Church does what He designed it to do: be a place where people have come (on account of their physical, spiritual, and emotional needs) but in the process of being satisfied, they will meet God, learn about Him, and find salvation in Jesus Christ–and also satisfy their greatest need for all eternity.

What, then, is the role of government?

The Bible is clear on this.

Romans 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4 For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

The government protects the public interest by maintaining law and order, bringing punishment upon wrongdoers, and being the human instruments of God.  Government is completely legitimate.  But note that while it is legitimate and an instrument of God, (1) it is not the Church, (2) its role is not to care for the poor, (3) it is not to substitute as Messiah, and (4) it is not to separate people from their God.

When we see the limits, we can embrace a lean and muscular government—one like a marathon runner—an institution so focused on the finish line of civilization, humble restraint, and shepherding law and order that it has neither the time nor the desire to grow fat and lazy.  A Jabba the Hutt government with an insatiable appetite for power and money isn’t what God had in mind.

What did God intend in giving us both a Church and a Government?  Two institutions, each doing their job and not trying to do each other’s job, forsaking their own job in the process.

Sadly, as people look to the government as a place where all their needs are met, the Church’s unique role is diminished and people no longer seek God.  The consequence of this is hardening of people’s hearts toward helping the poor as a reflection of their faith.  “Oh, let the government do it.  That’s why we pay taxes,” becomes the cop-out response of a people who have lost sight of God’s ability to provide for people.  “Take from the rich and give to the poor” becomes the mantra of those who have no king but Caesar, clearly not knowing that if God wanted the poor to be rich, He has wealth, power, and opportunity to accomplish it without human help.

Therefore, both miss the point that sometimes people have needs SO THE CHURCH WILL MEET THEM with the goal that they’ll meet Jesus and be fed spiritually for eternity.  Some people are designated “grace recipients” …if the Church is doing its job (and not submitting to the concept of government enablers to do our job for us) or shirking its God-given role.

Yes, I believe the government drives a wedge between people and their God.  Because one thing is for sure: a government without limits is a counterfeit king with an appetite that is never satisfied.  Tragically, those who are hungry will never be satisfied in the long haul, if they seek to be filled by mere government hands.

Isaiah 55:1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. 4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples. 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.” 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”

Have we rejected God as king? 

 Do we have no king but Caesar? 

For a wide swath of America, sadly, the answer is a grim resounding, “Yes.” 

Not for me.  My King is still on the throne.

I find it instructive and quite horrific that a handful of Muslim extremists around the world are zealously protesting (not with mere placards and raised voices, but with flag burning, violence, and killing) their prophet Mohammad being portrayed in a way they alone consider blasphemous.   All this they justify by some obscure video that would not receive any attention were it not for the Internet which—just about everyone knows—is filled to the brim with hate, lies and deception against every group known to man.   Going viral sounds like a sickness and indeed this situation bears all the hallmarks of something truly sick.

The low budget and now high profile clip has been glommed onto by the mobs looking for an excuse to denounce their enemies–particularly America and Israel–and engage in some holy war, all ostensibly to defend their prophet.  To these extremists, their prophet needs defending, I guess.  Mine doesn’t.

But they now have a pretext, a convenient excuse.

An excuse is nothing more than the skin of a reason, stuffed with a lie.

The skin of a reason is easy enough to discern.  What is the lie?  The lie is that innocence may be found among any Muslims, people of any other religious group, or humanity period.

In all earthly history, there has only been—and will only be—one innocent human being. 

Only one innocent Prophet. 

That Prophet was the person Jesus of Nazareth.

Ironically, as Christ, Jesus was exposed to ridicule, charges of blasphemy, and died a cruel death on a cross to purchase our souls.  He was ridiculed, blasphemed, persecuted, mocked, stripped, beaten, and crucified in His lifetime, not after His death.  Of course, after His death and resurrection, Jesus’ followers—the Christians—have certainly experienced their share of persecution.

Persecution happened to Muhammad too—at least that’s what some supporters of Islam assert.  It’s a religion of peace, they cry.  David Wood writes, http://www.answering-islam.org/Authors/Wood/two_faces.htm

“Islam has never been able to decide whether it wants to live in peace with unbelievers, or to pile their severed, unbelieving heads into a giant pyramid. I’m sure many would disagree here, but they would be disagreeing with one of the most empirically verifiable facts in the universe. Think about it. One Muslim beheads an innocent woman to protest the war in Iraq, while another Muslim curses him for slaying the innocent. One group of Muslims flies an aircraft into a building, while another group condemns the attack. One Muslim detonates a bomb on a bus filled with passengers, while another Muslim says on the evening news, “Islam is a religion of peace.” Each side quotes the Qur’an to support its actions. However, it may be even more important to note that each of them is following the example set by Muhammad.”

The italics are original to the piece and highlight something truly interesting.  Muhammad did set an example of both violence and peace in his lifetime.  Does Muhammad truly need defenders within Islam?

Well, the strong Messiah—true Prophet—needs no defenders.  That’s the lesson Jesus teaches.  He needed no defenders at all.

The proof is in the Resurrection.  The proof is in His present sitting at the right hand of the Almighty in heaven.  The proof will be case-closed when He returns to judge the quick and the dead.

Muhammad died either in what is claimed to be a natural death in the arms of his wife…or a death from poison, proving that he was a false prophet.  But frankly, how he died is immaterial.  Muhammad died.  He is still dead.

Jesus, on the other hand, rose from the dead. 

The strong Messiah, the true Messiah, the innocent Prophet needs no defenders. 

His life both in the past, but importantly—in the present—is all the proof one needs. 

How He lived set an example. 

How He died changed the world as we know it.

Why are these Muslims so upset about the ridicule of their prophet?  The Bible tells of Jewish prophets being persecuted throughout Scripture.  Is anyone defending them by killing those prejudged to be infidels?  Nope.  With the exception of Elijah, all of Israel’s prophets died.  Why defend the man Muhammad?  What makes the human prophet of Islam different? Whether Jewish or Muslim, a dead human prophet is still dead.

I can tell you what makes Jesus different:

• He wasn’t just any prophet.  Jesus is the innocent Prophet because only He is the Son of God. 
• He is the innocent Prophet because He never sinned, not even once.
• Nor did He ever shed blood, except His own on the Cross at the hands of others. 
• In His entire life, He never encouraged His followers to pursue violence in His name, to defend Him, or to save His reputation. 
• Not even in his early days. 

On the contrary, He said this, Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Jesus is the innocent Prophet because He told us to love our enemies.  He is the innocent Prophet because even when people tried to take defense of Him into their own hands and solve things in a violent or political way, He reacted thusly: 

Matthew 26:49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 50 Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him,

for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

55 At that time Jesus said to the crowd,  Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Jesus is the innocent Prophet because He is God and knew every detail of the past and foresaw that true prophets of God will get persecuted and He would be sending prophets, wise men, and teachers whose role would involve persecution:  their own persecution, not persecution of others.

John 15:18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

Violence—as a holy war—is the path of those who do not know God.

The strong Messiah needs no defenders. 

Matthew 23: 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers! 33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.

The violence we see today piles up as accumulated signs of the end of the age.  Whether today or tomorrow or the next, the Gospel of Peace—the Gospel taught by Jesus Christ—will be preached until He returns.

This Messiah–Jesus Christ–is not dead.  He is alive!

Dead men cannot get out of their graves!  But Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man, rose from the dead.  This is how He—and He alone—can return as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

 The strong Messiah, the innocent Prophet, Jesus Christ needs no defenders. 

He is God and one can’t get any more powerful than that.

Whatever happened to shame?  I was listening to oldies radio the other day and Love Child by Diana Ross and the Supremes was playing.  As I reflected again on the lyrics, I became aware that it was written in a different age: 

Don’t think that I don’t need you
Don’t think I don’t wanna please you
No child of mine’ll be bearing
The name of shame I’ve been wearing

Love child, love child, never quite as good
Afraid, ashamed, misunderstood

There was a time in America in which shame still existed, wasn’t there?  When there were things people were ashamed about?  People hid events and histories, behaviors, beliefs, and life circumstances from public view because they brought a name of shame upon the person or their family—a sense of guilt—as though the public understood a generally-agreed-upon-wrong to have occurred.

Shame.  It’s not usually viewed as a good thing. 

But I miss it, perhaps because shame served a purpose. 

It reflected a collective conscience that said we still cared about right and wrong.  Truth and lies existed and weren’t muddled into some collage of my-truth-your-truth in every shade of dark but never black and white.   Right and wrong, good and evil have been lost among the 50 shades of gray and are no longer prominent in the American spotlight, although some of us still cling to the idea.  I remember a day when good and evil still mattered.  Or was it a dream gone by?

Shame has disappeared down the same path as truth and conscience.  What used to be a source of shame is now the substance of celebrity, heading off to rehab with 15 minutes of fame, fodder for the nightly news, the ticket to getting on the front page of tabloids, or getting someone a book deal.  Baby bumps are everywhere, far more prevalent than wedding rings or golden anniversaries.

This is what Diana Ross sang about as part of raising the social consciousness regarding unmarried teenage mothers. One blogger writes about Love Child:

 In 1960, approximately 15 percent of teenage women who gave birth did so out of wedlock. In 1970 that number had doubled, to 30 percent. Teenagers began marrying less, too…A 1985 version of the NCHS study noted the following: “Teen parents . . . tend to have larger numbers of children, to face a higher probability of being a single parent, to experience poverty more frequently, and to be disproportionately represented on welfare.”

These are the facts that underscore the song’s urgency. The song isn’t about the rejection of childbirth–it’s about the avoidance of having kids out of wedlock. It’s about not wanting to raise your children single, to avoid poverty and welfare, about not getting locked into a cycle of having even more kids you can’t take care of as well as possible.

But then came Madonna’s Papa Don’t Preach and People Magazine (which is singularly kept in business by parading an endless stream of those who are pregnant out of wedlock, who are going to rehab this week for drug or alcohol abuse, who cheated on whom, who killed whom, and who are getting divorced and battling over custody of their child).

Wasn’t there a time not too long ago when these things above—though they were a sad reality—were not considered socially promising and therefore remained quiet, private matters?  Fearing they’d make for embarrassing gossip not a cause de célèbre, they were hung in the closet, never on a flagpole.

Wasn’t there a time when a person would have experienced–at the very least–the tapping of their conscience upon their heart if they contemplated telling a lie to a good friend or the public at large?  I want to believe there was a time when a speaker taking the public’s podium treated the microphone with a modicum of respect, understanding the heavy responsibility for telling the truth. To tell the truth that a public once expected from its leaders instead of half-truths, self-serving spun statistics, or bald-faced lies.   Now, we don’t know if they will even feel guilty for lying or if it’s just another day at the office.

Shame.  There was a perfect time in which shame did not exist:  before sin entered the world.  Genesis 2:25 tells us, “The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”  There was nothing to be ashamed of, for there was nothing but good in all of creation.  There was a time when we were not ashamed of good, to be called good, or to pursue social good.

Then sin came along.

But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” (Genesis 3:9-10)

Shame and hiding used to go hand in hand. 

But now, the list of generally-agreed-upon-wrongs has been stripped down. 

Don’t get me wrong: 

I don’t like the idea of people being ashamed or experiencing public humiliation. 

I like the idea of shame (as a possible outcome) deterring people beforehand from doing shameful things.  I like shame’s giving people incentive to be responsible today for doing good since it will benefit them tomorrow.  Fear of shame (and sucking up my pride, frankly) kept me from doing many things.  When I was in college and others around me were signing up for charity and public assistance, I said, “I can’t.”  You see, shame limited my seeking charity that I didn’t truly need, though there were times that a little charity would have helped.  But I feel better today knowing it likely helped others–ones who needed it far more than I did–by my sacrificing then.  Shame played a positive role.

Without shame we have lost the positive deterring effect, but we have also become nothing short of shameless in other areas.

It’s like a storehouse of truth that’s being looted and we’ve been watching the whole thing unfold on the footage from the security camera.  We see the truth disappearing right in front of our eyes, but it doesn’t seem to matter.

We’re just gawkers of reality TV…and reality isn’t what it used to be, unless the reality is happening to us personally.  Only then do truth and lies, right and wrong seem to matter.  When you’ve been bilked out of your fortune, had a spouse cheat on you, been served divorce papers, found a + on a pregnancy test and an inconclusive minus for whose paternity, purchased a product on empty promises, or had the theft, home invasion, or murder affect you personally.

It’s a crying shame that only when reality hits us squarely in the head, do we see how we’ve been led along the garden path, waving good-bye all the while to both conscience and truth.

As far as I can tell, for a huge swath of the American public, there is no scarlet letter for anything anymore.  And I wonder if that special time I remember…was it just a dream?