Introduction
Three things I read this morning prompted this blog. My morning usually begins with reading the Word of God. It is always instructive on several levels. First, in some manner, it informs and or reminds me of some important dynamic of the walk with Jesus. It is rather like our brothers who walked with Jesus on the Emaus Road in Luke 24 post resurrection (And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to hem the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures). On another level, it instructs me how to walk well-pleasing in his site. On the third level, it reminds me of the fact that all of life should be understood through the grid of Scripture and the theology thereof.
So, consider three fronts in which we participate, political, cultural and religious, and observe how people do not make sense.
Political Front
President Trump and the selected Senators are attempting to pass a law that will insure that only American citizens vote in American elections. In his speck on July 16, Trump present evident of election interference to promote passage of this bill. In response, liberal Chuck Shummer retorted, Trump pledged that this SAVE America Act would require voters to provide proof of citizenship and that not pass the Senate because Democrats would fight it and prevent Trump from, as he characterized it, “obstructing or interfering with future elections.”
Cultural Front:
Another piece I read this morning proclaimed that women in the West are turning to Islam. I mentioned to my wife at breakfast and her response was like the author of the article I read, she commented, “Young women in the tumultuous culture are looking for some form of security and mystic of Islam, which they do not understand, is attractive.” She was not surprised by the phenomena. Another such mystery is inner city young people are abandoned by families because parents are unwilling to be responsible, turn to gangs for family and gang leaders for parents. For many folks these are surprising actions that do not make sense. But in the confused worldview of those young people, it feels good and emotions drive the choices.
Religious Fron
In my reading this morning from the Gospel of Luke, on two occasions, Jesus healed a person on the Sabbath. The Pharisees objected to healing on the Sabbath. Jesus was not surprised and pointed out that they made not sense by reminding that that they would leader their donkey to water on the Sabbath and then asking, how then do you conclude that healing on the Sabbath is wrong. He went on to make that point that there era was in their worldview because they saw the Torah as a means to end for themselves and their added rules as advantageous for them.
The problem in all three cases, is that folks do not begin at the beginning; in the beginning God. As a result, their worldview is skewed. Now someone will object, but the Pharisees were Jews who possessed the Torah. And I would respond that the German religious leaders who foster the JEDP theory of the Old Testament Scriptures had the Torah, but like the Pharisees they used it to their benefit to demonstrate their academic prowess and secure their importance while diminishing its authority and their responsibility to live by its standard. In so doing distorted it thereby devising a non-biblical worldview that led them to rejecting The Christ and His authority. Today, across Christendom we find the same dynamic on several religious fronts.
Conclusion
Begin with God, the Creator of the world, the creator of Adam and Eve and His design for living. Then watch fallen man concoct his many divergent worldviews and live in conflict with God and each other from Cain and Able onward. Then you will not be surprised when people do not make sense.
