CRIME AND INJUSTICE

How long, Lord, must I call for help and You do not listen, or cry out to You about violence and You do not save? Why do You force me to look at injustice? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates. This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted. Habakkuk 1:2-4 (HCSB)

I find it amazing that the same complaints Habakkuk expressed in 620 BC can be truthfully expressed in the United States today. **  For us to find an acceptable resolution to these complaints, we have to acknowledge that the problem begins with each individual person.  

The Old Testament book of Habakkuk (wedged in between Nahum and Zephaniah), like Jonah, is a story about God molding the character of an individual.  The text begins with ranting, raving, and complaining, then concludes with a statement of renewed faith in a sovereign God.

We read Habakkuk’s complaint (verses above) and then, beginning in verse five, God replies basically saying, “Habakkuk, I’m about to do something that you wouldn’t even if I personally tell you what I’m going to do.  I’m gonna send the Chaldeans to discipline Israel.” (Hab.1:5-11 paraphrased)

By the end of the text, Habakkuk with renewed confidence declares, “I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. . . . I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Habakkuk 3:16,18 (NIV)

OK, so what does that mean to us?  Habakkuk was frustrated as he looked at the world around him, specifically Israel, and saw that things are not as they are supposed to be.  We are indeed in the same situation today!  Things are not as they are supposed to be. 

We proclaim our freedom but we really want entitlement! We protest for justice, but we really just want to have our own way! 

Our problems are not the crime and injustice so common in our society.  It is not the incompetence that exists in our elected officials. Our problems are not the slanted and one-sided reporting epidemic in the media.  Our problems begin with us, each of us. 

 Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:4 (NASB)

What I’m saying is that change, real change, “THE CHANGE WE NEED” must begin with you and me.  Real change must occur in the heart and mind of each individual citizen. That kind of change can only occur by God’s power. When I decide to submit to God’s plan for life and  God’s rules for living, I will then experience the heart change needed to affect change. 

Submission begins with humility.  Admitting that I don’t have the answer or the power to implement the answer even if I had it.  When we reach that place, we naturally turn to God.  But just turning to God doesn’t provide change, we need tune-in to HIM as well.



This is what happened to Habakkuk, his heart was changed. He went from a moaning, grieving, sniveling, complaining man, to a man of gratitude, living in confidence and faith.  Habakkuk tuned-in to God and discovered real peace. 







It’s not too late.   Let us begin right now to tune into God and then “watch to see what He [God] will say to me.”  Habakkuk 2:1 (HCSB)

**Personal note: originally I listed several specific examples of “wrongdoing, oppression, and violence” not to mention other examples of strife and escalating conflict.  But I decided that my examples were inflammatory and that is not the goal of this article or of this blog.

FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY (part 2)

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and
do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 (NASB)

In my last post I wrote of freedom and responsibility from a social point of view.  In this post I’ll write regarding freedom and responsibility within the church specifically and Christianity in general. 

There is much freedom in Christianity.  We are free from meaningless rituals. We are free from human or animal sacrifices. We are free from legalism and what I call “behavior management” religion.  There is freedom is styles of worship, posture in prayer, and places to serve. Most importantly we are free from working to be “good enough” for Heaven.  Also, while we are commanded to tell others about God’s FREE gift of salvation, we are not held accountable for their free choice. 

However, like our nation (click see previous post), the church has failed to “keep standing firm” thus succumbing to inconsistencies.  It is quite possible that these inconsistencies within the church have been instrumental in supporting the inconsistences which exist in our society.  To be blunt, where society may have some excuse for being inconsistent, the church has none. 

Twenty-first century Christians gather weekly to declare our loyalty to God.  We sing praises to The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost.  We proclaim the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the offer of salvation that results from that sacrifice. But when the service is over, we depart the gathering to live like everyone else. 

In our daily lives, no appears to be no significant difference in our behavior and the behavior of those who don’t believe.  More importantly, for all of our singing, clapping, teaching, preaching, and other activities designed to exalt God, once we are away from church, we tend to live lives of secret agent Christians, fearing to reveal our true identities. 

We will never speak louder or more clearly about our faith as when we live it out openly and without shame.  It is not enough to say “God is my top priority.” we must demonstrate it in our choices.  Not just the choices we make publicly, but also the choices we make privately. 

If I want a better World, we have to have a better nation.  If I want to have a better nation, we have to be a better state.  If I want to have a better state, we have to be a better county.  If I want to have a better county I have to be a better city.  If I want to have a better city, we have to be a better community.  If I want to have a better community, we have to be a better church.  If I want to have a better church, our families have to be better families.  If I want to have a better family I have to be a better me.  If I want to be a better me, I have to commit to living like Jesus! 

In our freedom to live, we cannot neglect our responsibility to imitate Jesus.  In our freedom from the punishment of sin, we cannot neglect our responsibility to make disciples of Jesus.  So it all comes down to who I want to be like.  Do I want to be like me or do I want to be like Jesus?

FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY (part 1)

In the movie “Braveheart” there is a powerful scene where William Wallace is being tortured to death.  In that scene with his last breath he shouts long and loud, “FREE----DOM”. 

As I am writing this post, it is the morning of July 4, 2013.  Today, like most citizens of the United States of America, I am reflecting on our freedom and on our nation. 

The Bible has a lot to say about freedom, one particular text that comes to mind this morning is found in Galatians chapter 5, verse 1:

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (NASB)

Please note the connection of freedom with the responsibility of “standing firm” and the warning not to return to slavery. 

Our nation has enjoyed many blessings during the 237 years since it declared independence from England.  Much of those blessings have been the result of choosing what is right over what might be profitable.  However, our nation has lost sight of right thinking and pursued profitable thinking. Profitable thinking has caused this country to become inconsistent in our core values and the character of our nation has suffered.

For example our definition of murder.  If a pregnant woman is killed or if her unborn baby is killed (either accidentally or intentionally) by another it is a criminal offense.  However, not only is it legal for a mother to kill her own baby (abortion) but in many cases a woman can receive government assistance to do so.

Another inconsistency involves immorality.  Members of congress, generals, admirals, judges, and cabinet members have all had to resign because of immorality.  Presidential candidates have been forced to drop out of elections because of implied immorality.  However, we allowed a sitting president, one who fired generals and admirals, to remain in office in spite of overwhelming evidence regarding his immoral behavior.  As one news anchor said,“This nation owes Richard Nixon an apology."

What is my point and how does it connect with the Bible verse above?

This nation has not “stood firm” on the basis of our social morality.  In our free living, we have ignored those activities which maintain that freedom.  We have become too focused upon our entitlements at the price of our responsibilities. We have forgotten the challenge spoken by then President John F. Kennedy,

“Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”  

Instead we have a nation of people not asking but demanding that the government “do for us.”  Standing firm doesn’t begin in Washington D.C.  It begins in each person’s own life.  In my own home. 

By not “standing firm” we have surrendered to our own “yoke of slavery”.  Not slavery to a nation, army, or king, but slavery to our desires for pleasure, possessions, power, and popularity.  We have become slaves to our pursuit of happiness.  Voters often vote not on what is wise, but instead based on what will benefit them personally. The result is many elected and appointed leaders make decisions based not on what is right or wrong, but rather what will keep them employed.  We have become so busy pursuing pleasure, that we don’t take the time to listen to what politicians are saying.  The result is we vote based not on facts, but more on feelings and misplaced loyalties.  Unfortunately many trust a news media which spends more time editorializing the news than it does reporting it.

Finally, The United States was established as a Bible based nation.  Every one of the key written statements in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are founded upon biblical principles. We need to stand firm on a biblical perspective in our evaluations of right and wrong. 

So we are free, free indeed! We need to celebrate our freedom.  But lets not forget that our freedom isn’t free.  We need to accept our responsibility to preserve that freedom not just for the future, but also for today.