By Matthew Clark
Jesus Christ's ordeal in Jerusalem 2,000 plus years ago, is an example of courage to the nth degree! Indeed, belief in the saviour as divine becomes easy, when one realizes how bravely he faced his crucifixion. It is a tale of of bravery which motivated Christian worshippers to defy the Roman Empire, often to the point of martyrdom, until the mighty colossus fell to the forces of the true God.
Over the centuries Christians have reaffirmed the valour of the saviour, by displaying immense bravery themselves. Whether it be protestants burned at the stake rather than submit to Papal edicts, or missionaries tortured, then murdered, by unbelievers, Christians have tried to follow the example of Jesus by imitating, however inadequately, his courage.
In contemporary times Christians are busy trying to live up to the legacy of valour through missionary work in Africa, and Asia. In the America's, Europe, and Oceania, ministers of Christ put themselves in vulnerable positions by journeying into inner cities to assist individuals with addiction, mental health, and social malfunction issues. There are many individuals conducting themselves in the same meritorious fashion that their ancestors displayed in the catacombs of classical Rome.
Nevertheless one group of Christ's followers have shown themselves to be sadly lacking in the inspiring legacy bestowed by both the Son of God, and his worshippers. These mortals are the religious leaders of the various denominations, traditional, Evangelical, and Fundamental, which comprise the Western Church in the Western World. Disregarding the example of Christ's bravery, as well as the courage of Christians in all previous ages, these spiritual (?) leaders have chosen to follow the security of compliance, rather than challenge the banal decrees of political rulers. They make the secular choice to interpret Christ's statement, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, Render unto God what is God's," as meaning the State is to be complied with! This is the case, in their convenient oriented view, even when the realm is acting immorally! Logically one would conclude that Caesar, or any other ruler, being human, should be rendered the bare minimum in political power, or any other power, while giving God the maximum in homage. Not so with contemporary Church leaders!
There are a few isolated clerics who have followed the example of the Lord, and resisted the overarching designs of Government on their fellow Christians. For these acts of integrity those few non compliant Church ministers face social, and legal assault. Not a word of support is uttered by other men, and women, of the upper hierarchy, in the established faith(s). Better it seems, to talk of the wonderous example provided by the True God, than try and follow it.
How do I come to such a harsh judgement on the vast majority of Western Christian leadership?
The answer to that question is the compliance amongst senior clergy to the secular dictates throughout the covid lockdowns. Disgustedly the bulk of ministers allowed secular rulers to mandate on church worshippers, even when they were gathered for prayer in the church! In other words politicians dictated how Christians were to behave in God's house. Church ministers shamefully agreed to these decrees! When medical practitioners, and lawmakers, encouraged citizens to give into their fears by hiding in their basement to avoid to avoid a virus with a low mortality rate (.04%), men, and women, of the cloth reinforced this cowardly policy. When lawmakers and medical tyrants enforced rules which prohibited non vaccinated people from certain public spaces, as well as undermining, even preventing, their ability to make a living, the vast majority of Christian ministers disgustedly, and cowardly, endorsed these odious measures. In the aftermath of the Covid era dubious practices against Western youth are being initiated by government, and some educators. Protests from senior religious figures are few, and far between.
There is an attitude among certain Christian pastors that indifference to worldly politics is justified. These could well be the endtimes, it is explained. Often this statement is given with enthusiasm. These persons of the cloth would do well to remember the Scottish saying, " Bad enough something might be so, without you wanting it to be so." Nowhere in the Bible does it say the endtimes are to be desired. Also what if it is not the endtimes? How then do you explain your lack of involvement in fighting injustice, to the Lord?
If the church is to be reinvigorated in the Western World it's adherents must start to follow the example left by Christ. They must display valour! That means getting involved in the politics of this world, instead of being righteous bystanders!