The Day After

²⁰ Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter. – Isaiah 5:20

Yesterday seemed to last forever. In the times we live, a daily news cycle matches weeks in its intensity. While the events that chaotically unfolded were awful, they were not unexpected. The past few years have led to this, and though we hope they have met their peak, sadly we have no reason to think they have.

The past few months, I have spoken out more plainly on political matters. Though, I would not categorize these as political as much as matters of faith. For many, including those who built this nation, politics and religion should not mix. While I agree in most cases, I find the matters of our nation to be the best avenue to practice our faith, most notably compassion, empathy, and grace. All of these are cornerstones of the message of Jesus. My faith teaches me to be a peacemaker. When I see a politician and a movement, go against such human decency while courting a wayward flock of Christ, it is my duty as a believer to stand on the side of grace. Such grace is kinetic, moving within the stream of current events. The God of the Bible is the ultimate unifier and the Easter story is one of a radically loving God, reconciling a divisive and broken world to Himself. Yet, we can be under no illusions. Christ was still mocked, beaten, and murdered for standing for peace. Like those who murdered our Lord, those who clinch tightly to their political affiliation with one hand and the Bible in the other, will never satisfy their bloodlust.

I have been saddened by the embrace of such a movement by those I consider brothers and sisters in the faith. Espousing conspiracy theories, idolatry, and a hardened heart for not only political matters, but those of virus tragedies as well. What hurts is not only do I know these people to be decent, but I know them to pronounce the name of Christ, even when they fully support a political evil. The good of the Gospel has become subverted in the name of power and a few Supreme Court justices. Working within the church for years, I am honestly surprised how deeply this runs. Whether this is a small minority or not, it must be rooted out proactively for the sake of a burdened world. Those who are not familiar with Jesus have now unified Him with the same traits of sin He died for. In the minds of many, Christians have been shackled to a political party, a celebration of guns, and hatred instead of a celebration of compassion. Make no mistake, our faith is a rare and upside-down belief system in that it exists for its non-members while wasting all of the resources afforded us in service to them.

End Times theology has become a foundational piece of faith for many Evangelicals. It teaches about a potential anti-Christ coming to pave the way for the return of Christ. This was written in the shadow of Emperor Nero and immense persecution. For years, many have believed this to be a person who came in from the outside, the remnants of an evil world. Perhaps now, in this dire moment, it is time for us to look within, recognizing the evil we have blindly accepted and celebrated.