Culture War
Why the Church needs to help the broken and not add to the pile.
By Pastor Adam Fox
The Fox family has a president that they gravitate to normally. While there have been many men who range from good to below average - one is the favorite, Illinois' favorite son - Abraham Lincoln.
Honest Abe was our 16th president and haled from Springfield - which is why we went to Springfield SO MANY TIMES growing up for vacations. We went there so much, I am pretty sure the Springfield Holiday Inn has a "Mike Fox Special". We have done all the Lincoln things, read all the Lincoln books, seen all the Lincoln movies. We know Lincoln from his belief in God to his views on slavery.
"If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong" Abe.
Thanks to our Greatest President, we are a free nation - each and every person in it. No matter what color of skin, what gender or where from. Freedom is a right for the citizens of this country and is one of the hallmarks that America brings to the rest of the world.
While slavery is officially over - it still does exist in dark corners of the world and even in secret here in the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. Children as young as 7 and women mainly are still the primary target for disgusting people to rent for a season, buy and do unthinkable things with them.
For most of us, slavery is not something we think about, worry about or come in contact with on a day-to-day basis. Good thing we are not in the old Roman Empire then.
One of the books on my desk that I read at in spurts is Paul and His Team by Ryan Lokkesmoe. This marvelous little book had a fantastic chapter on the book of Philemon. Philemon was written by the Apostle Paul around the year 60 AD and was written to a single person in a church named Philemon about his slave named Onesimus.
Classic Painting of Philemon being served by Onesimus
Today we can read this letter and look at a Christian owning a slave and have more questions. But Philemon was still a citizen of the Roman Empire and when in Rome...
Apparently, men in Roman households ruled like an autocrat and their decisions were law for that house. As few of these men who were heads of their house as there were, the opposite is true of slaves. Slaves had nothing and in fact were considered non-human.
The estimated amount of slaves in Rome during this time period was 20-50%. Could you imagine living in a country where 2-5 out of every 10 people are owned as slaves. Unreal! This over-run slavery problem did not stay outside the walls of the church though because Philemon owned Onesimus. And that is why we get this very short letter from Paul.
Because slavery in Rome was such a great problem, it brought up other issues as a result of - even for these believers. Onesimus was owned by Philemon and he had no rights. Lets review the circumstances of this tiny letter.
Onesimus was a slave of Philemon and there was some type of conflict with between the two that is not mentioned in this letter. Onesimus ran away from his master and became a fugitive. The speculation is if Onesimus had to steal from Philemon to finance his get away. While on the run - Onesimus had to avoid slave catchers and some how made it to Rome and found Paul. The good news from all of this is that Onesimus accepted the Lord as his savior.
Out of all this drama, we get the letter of Philemon and Paul's diplomatic actions to help the broken, hurting and forgotten and heal this division. But on a bigger scale show us how we can rise above the normalcy of culture to show love and help the marginalized and hurting.
Let's take some time and look at the single chaptered book of Philemon.
6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
Paul was a master of dialog, he takes time in verses 4-7 to praise Philemon for his spiritual maturity and expressing his respect for him but at the same time softening him up for a difficult conversation.
8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— 10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains,
Read this again - look at the tone used by Paul. This is what we all need to hear and learn about dealing with anyone and everyone in our modern world. Paul, the experienced and older believer could have ordered or demanded that Philemon to release and forgive Onesimus but instead appeals to Philemon's character. What a small reminder for us as Christians in how to act and behave when in dialog with anyone.
Paul refers to Oneisumus in verse 10 as his son, a useful and valuable person to Paul. If Paul were to follow the rule of society, and jump onto the hate and self-centered society and take Onesimus back for a reward since he was a run away slave. Or perhaps go the opposite direction, demand that Philemon just deal with the loss of his slave and order him to get over it since it did not effect Paul personally or even the church.
Does that sound like a modern American to you? Shoving down the values and morals that God instills in us to join in with the loud and angry crowd? Ignoring the hurting and need of a person because it does not affect you?
Verses 12-14 is a masterclass for us on being believers in God in a morally religious (and pretending to be Christian) country.
12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
Of all the ways Paul could have handled this situation, he leaves it up to Philemon. Letting this former master decide the fate of his slave, but also of a person who is now a believer in God too and fellow human who has become a large asset to Paul. By doing this, Paul is coaching Philemon and us in how we are to act and handle difficult and unclear situations.
Philemon has rights as a Roman and a male and could or should be made whole by forcing his property Onesimus to come back to him and work for the rest of his life. Or Philemon could be completely counter culture and do what Christ would do and lay down his rights.
To make things easier for Philemon, Paul even volunteers to ease any financial burdens that Onesimus may caused when he stole from Philemon to fund his escape. What a mensch! Paul did not need to do this but offered to do this as a way to help the two brothers in Christ. Paul is such a Godly generous example to all of us! Paul does not just talks the talk about being an example of God to the world but walks the walk with his actions.
This tiny little letter from Paul to Philemon is an education on how we as believers in God should act in difficult situations. While the advice from Hollywood or Washington may be to get your pound of flesh and seek vengeance on all who cross you - that is not how God wants us to act. Paul is showing us how we as Christian influencers should approach difficult situations.
Paul showed Philemon in this letter of how to see people as God sees them in an age where the value of humanity was varied. Instead of seeing people as Roman or not, freed or slave but rather as someone that Jesus Christ came to Earth and died for them so that they can have the opportunity to be forgiven. Nothing more. Paul writes as much in his letter to the Galatians.
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
How would our world, our country, our city look if we applied with boldness what Jesus is teaching us and Paul is reminding us of?
As believers in God, the Church, we are called to be examples of God to all of the world. From friends and family, to neighbors and strangers - the field of opportunity to witness is massive. But we cannot fall into the trap of acting like the world and culture does, of elevating some and demoting others.
Look at Scripture for example on how we are supposed to act, as Christian Influencers in a sinful world. Because of Jesus death and resurrection, both Jews and Gentiles could worship together - at the same time in the same location. Unheard of!
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, Eph. 2
God is our peace, we are all one race - not a divide and separated group. This is evident in all free people and all slave people in the world today as well as discourse with those we do not agree with too.
These could be the driver in your commute who has those bumper stickers that offend you. It could be the actor who is promoting a person or organization that is un-biblical. And it definitely means with who we each vote for.
Politics is an area that is difficult to talk about in our country lately. When an opinion is lifted into the air, it normally gets jumped upon and driven into the ground with much venom and lack of love and kindness, inside the church and outside of it.
"We ought to avoid seeing one group as all wrong and the other as all right. We need to avoid unwittingly affirming divisions in our communities by not speaking out or by viewing them as the product of insurmountable problems. and we definitely need to become aware of how our modern political allegiances may be hindering our efforts in this area or shaping our rhetoric in unproductive ways. We must become the relentless voices of grace and unity in the name of Christ." Ryan Lokkesmoe
While I am not asking any of you to vote against your heart or against Biblical principles. What I am asking is that we stop joining in the chorus of tearing down people for how they vote or in any choices. If Neighbor Bob is going to vote for Kodos instead of Kang - that does not give any of us the right to talk about them on social media, call them stupid, attack the character or life choices... that is not what Paul shows us how to act.
We are called to be salt and light to the world. Not to join in the song of hate, rudeness and discord that the world sings. Instead we are called to be Influencers of Christ and use diplomacy that we see in Philemon, love and kindness.
Thanks to Mr. Lincoln, slavery is over officially in America but the astigmatism of better than and less than are not. If we are to be great examples of Jesus to all of the world, we need to start with our words and actions towards the people who are hurting the most. The ones who are clinging to the fringes of society, the forgotten and the ignored. Showing them God's grace, love and kindness no matter how much we agree with them or not. Because the same grace, love and kindness was shown towards us on the cross.
Change the culture by ending the war of words.
Cheers and Excelsior!
Pastor Adam