"Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord."
2 Kings 22:19
Sometimes revolution is necessary because reformation is necessary. On July 4th, we Americans celebrate a revolution regarding political and social reform. Our Declaration of Independence from England in 1776 wasn't just about taxation without representation. It boiled down to oppressive government and tyrannical rule. But the seeds of revolution were sown long before.
Some trace the roots of the Revolutionary War back to the Protestant Reformation, when, on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther, an heir of Augustine of Hippo, was a student of the Scriptures. Throughout his study, Luther struggled with reconciling what the Holy Scriptures revealed as the ministry of Christ's Body & Bride, i.e. the Church, and what was actually going on.
In Luther's day, the Roman Catholic Church was guilty of inventing and preaching false doctrines and traditions, like the Papacy and Purgatory, and essentially extorting people for prayers (called indulgences), to build a morally corrupt earthly kingdom rather than loving, serving, and shepherding them well to usher in Christ's Kingdom. The Roman Catholic Church was repeating the folly of the Sadducees, Pharisees, and religious leaders of Jesus' day, who loved their traditions, their lofty places, and the praise of men more than God.
The Protestant Reformation set the wheels in motion for more than a religious revolution. It was the catalyst that sparked the Enlightenment Project, an era of artistic, political, social, psychological, and scientific revolutions as well. Once Luther kicked open the doors of reform, in fact, revolution, Pandora's Box could never be closed. John Calvin didn't agree completely with the Lutherans, thus Calvinism became a theological framework rather than a denominational branch. There were those who fought to redeem and purify the existing Church, i.e. Puritans. Additionally, there were those who considered the existing Church far too corrupt, i.e. Pilgrams, religious rebels and revolutionaries who burned the whole system down and began from scratch.
In John 17:20-23, King Jesus prayed to the Heavenly Father, "I am not asking on behalf of them (the Twelve Disciples) alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one— I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as You have loved Me."
Jesus' prayer was for the unity of His Bride as our testimony of God's holy and perfect love for the world. What Martin Luther set in motion through the Protestant Reformation has been a never-ending series of schisms, revolutions, rifts, splits, battles, and wars over denominational distinctives, doctrinal points, interpretive decisions, worship styles, hairstyles, carpet and paint colors, chairs or pews, and what Jesus' really wanted us to fight about... the great "Wine or Grape Juice" controversy.
The truth is, we've had rebellion, revolution, disobedience, and independence down since Eden. In Galatians 5:19-21 the Apostle Paul said, "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
So why is it that we're so quick to point out the low-hanging fruit of sin in the LGBT+ community, but refuse to address the discord, jealousy, rage, rivalries, division, factions, and envy that goes on within our churches when Scripture reveals that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God?
One of the things I truly love about my home church is that it's a place where the people of God, members of the Body & Bride of Christ, come together in the unity of the Gospel. It's a place where the main things (Inerrancy of God's Word, Eternal Holy Trinity, the exclusivity of Christ, the depravity of humanity, etc.) stay the main things.
It's a place where one's personal views on the end-times, rapture, millennial kingdom, etc., don't just take a back seat, but stay in the trunk. It's a place where Christ is honored and glorified as we strive to honor His prayer to the Father, "...that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as You have loved Me."
None of us need help with rebellion. We've all got independence, hatred, discord, rage, rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy down pat. Where we need the supernatural help of the Holy Spirit is in humbling ourselves. We need to learn to let go of the pride associated with our personal opinions, personal preferences, and personal convictions. None of that equates to watering down the Gospel or compromising the truth of God's Word.
"...Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you." -Romans 12:3
"To this day they have not humbled themselves or shown reverence, nor have they followed my law and the decrees I set before you and your ancestors." -Jeremiah 44:10
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." -James 4:10
"Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble." -1 Peter 3:8
Since personal pride has always led us so easily into the sins of independence, revolution, rebellion, protesting, divisions, rage, and rivalries, rather than celebrating pride, independence, and revolution, let us instead strive to live humble and compassionate lives as Christ did. Let us seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and trust that in doing so, God Almighty is faithful to cause everything else to fall into place for His eternal glory.
Grace and Peace,
Kevin M. Kelley
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