Enough is Enough
| By: Dr. Ted Baehr; ©1999 |
| How are Hollywood, the media and the government undermining the mission of the Church? Why is it important that the Gospel of Jesus be preached? |
Contents
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Recently, one of the most prominent anti-pornographic ministries closed for lack of funding. Meanwhile, pornography flourishes. During election years, in particular presidential election years, money dries up for churches and ministries. It is redirected into politics. Politics is important but, and this is a big but, Christians should not adopt the flawed politics of the socialists that the government can solve our spiritual problems.
The great Romanian preacher Josef Tson points out that in socialist/communist countries, the State allowed preachers like himself to preach the Gospel, but it took over all the functions of the church, such as marriage, funerals, social action, and ministry to the poor. Then, the church became irrelevant.
Of course, when the State takes over these functions, it does them in the way that seems right in the eyes of the leaders of the State, but all too often destroys lives or leaves these countries devastated, as in the case of the notorious orphanages in Romania.
Therefore, if we are looking solely to the government to solve the spiritual problems of our society, we are looking in the wrong direction. For instance, a recent article on the Federal Trade Commission investigation as to whether violent computer games and other media are being marketed to children made it clear that the FTC was bending over backwards to work with the entertainment industry. Does the term whitewash come to mind? No doubt, the politicians who commissioned the FTC need the media’s support to be reelected.
Christians should be involved in politics but not at the expense of the local church and the parachurch ministries that are doing the work commanded by Jesus Christ. Redeeming the values of our politicians in our nation’s capitol, in the various state capitols and on the local level requires a grassroots revival that turns the hearts of individuals toward the real, historical, biblical Jesus Christ –not the false Jesus preached by liberation theologians or Gnostics, because that’s how we get misguided politicians who sound Christian but who display little understanding of the Bible’s many exhortations of government leaders and civil magistrates. Such preaching negates the pro-life message of the Bible, and that’s how we get 1.3 million aborted babies every year.
No, the Good News of Jesus Christ must be properly taught by competent preachers and teachers. We must avoid the twin evils of legalism and lawlessness. Properly understood, the Good News of Jesus Christ is life-changing and socially transforming, in every sense of those words.
