Monday, July 10th, 2017

Over the weekend, protests and rallies that in some cases turned into riots dominated the news cycles. The national news covered the anti-capitalism protests/riots in Germany outside of the G-20 summit, but closer to home in Virginia, there was a well-publicized Ku Klux Klan demonstration in Charlottesville. Well known to all Americans, the KKK has an abhorrent history of hate and violence in the name of a distorted view of Christianity. Today, we face a new element of hate and violence from protesters and activists who profess to act in the name of love, equality, and tolerance, but destroy buildings, physically attack those who are different, and verbally assault dissenting opinions online and in person. While this new threat has not nearly reached the same level of evil as the KKK, both groups subscribe to a perverted system of belief. Our greatest commandment is to love our God with all our heart, soul, and mind. To do this, we must love and obey His word, the Bible. We are called to honor God’s entire word, not cherry pick the bits and pieces of the Bible that suit our preconceived political beliefs. We are called to place God first, not our political party. Most of all, we are called to model a Christ-like love towards all and be the light of the world. No matter our intentions, believing that we are called to acts of hate and violence is to believe one of the greatest lies from the enemy. Paul wrote to the Galatians to address a very similar issue, as at that time the Galatians were lost as to which gospel to follow. Today, pray for those who feel compelled to hate and violence that they turn from the doctrines that have led them astray. Also, pray for our country’s continued healing from violence groups of the past, present, and future.

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” – Galatians 1:6-9 ESV