Civil Disobedience

This is NOT about civil disobedience as a tool of Mohandas Ghandi. He used nonviolent resistance as his political device.

Nor is Henry David Thoreau's book, Civil Disobedience, the object of this post. As an advocate for people not permitting governments to control a conscience, he urged citizens to avoid acquiescence, thus not becoming agents of injustice.

Being civil disobedient usually is recognized as non-violent passive resistance. Demands are made, but nothing happens.

God agrees. Note these examples.

• In Exodus 1:15-20, the king of Egypt told the Hebrew midwives to execute all males emerging from the womb. But the Hebrew midwives "feared God". They did not obey the kings demand. They let the boys live. Demands were made, but nothing happened.
• Peter was (again) brought before the Sanhedrin, the Jews governing body. They had ordered him (and Jesus' other apostles) to not preach or teach Jesus. But they did. Peter's reply to them: "we must obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29 . Demands were made, but an atypical civil disobedience occurred.

Uncle Sam

Christians are true-blue to Uncle Sam. Christians comply with the edicts of governments. Laws are for our good. But civil disobedience is imperative when laws or government codes collide with God's commands or doctrine.

What should Christians do when homosexuals, and those promoting or protecting them, cloak themselves behind man's laws? (Rom 1:27-32)

Should I pay taxes to a government that endorses embryonic stem cell research, knowing the cells came from a "sacrificed" human embryo?

Should I support the prolonged process of executing a convicted criminal for a capital crime when God says punishment should be prompt. (Eccl 8:11)?

Should I vote for government leaders that champion evil groups (gays, immigration law violators, etc.)?

Besides, who is mightier than the almighty government? Romans 13:2. (LINK)

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Turn On The Light

Colossians 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness,and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

I knew of a young teenager traumatized by the death of a dear friend. Depression soon began. Her school work plummeted. Friendships were being ended. Soon she was waking up with a "presence" in the room. She recognized the 'ghost' of her friend. Something had to change.

Darkness had descended.

She and her mom visited a Christian counselor. He suggested two answers.

1. a consistent bed time with a Tylenol pm.
2. Turn the light on. Let her sleep with a small light on.

Three days after the lights were 'Turned on', changes were evident. Improved attitude. Friendships restored. Interested in school. And no 'presence' in the well-lit bedroom.

Her mother described it her daughter as "coming home."

She had been transferred from darkness to light.

When we commit ourselves to Christ and are baptized to have our sins removed, Jesus 'Turns on the Light.' By faith we can now:

• navigate life.
• see sin's reality.
• See the 'coffee table' on life's dark nights.

What changes should be noticed?

• Thank God for turning on the light -- his son (LINK TO KOHN 8:12)
• Reinstate right.
• Give up greediness.
• Cancel covetous cravings. Be satisfied with what you have.
• Strike strife. Work out the differences.
• Divert deceit. Tune-up transparency.
• Give up gossiping. Slay slander.
• Make humility happen. Arrest arrogance.
• Obey parents.
• Turn trustworthy.
• Love.
• Mold mercy.
• Do not approve of others sins.

"You want ME to do WHAT???"

He might have said, "You want me to do what???" But he didn't. He felt he was just an ordinary man, but one working hard to dedicate himself to Jesus. No, he didn't live it perfectly. He made ordinary mistakes that any follower might make. He used ordinary language, not like an orator. He lived in an ordinary Jewish home, not like those upper-crust Pharisees in Jerusalem. His home was plain and adequate, not large with plenty of servants. He was just an ordinary man.

But this particular ordinary man had been asked by the Lord to do what most would think as crazy, if not insane. His God-directed mission was to go to the world's most potent persecutor, the Disciple-Killer. He was to talk to this legally-empowered, follower-destroyer about his inability to see and his need to immersed to have his sins forgiven. And the persecutor knew more Bible than he did. An extra ordinary missions given to an ordinary man.

I can just see this ordinary follower approaching the dwelling of the persecutor. I see him hesitate just a moment, before his knocked on the door. I am sure he swallowed twice and took a deep breath. Then he did what God had told him.

Without hesitation, intensely, anxiously, almost hurriedly, the persecutor listens to the words. The persecutor jumps up and tells everyone to "Hurry up! We are going to the river right now!" He follows every instruction of the ordinary man.

The ordinary man can hardly believe what is happening. He is in the river. He baptizing the repentant persecutor. He hears himself say, "I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost for the remission of your sins." All he was doing was what God said,  "Go,...". A simple man following simple orders.

I am sure he didn't know all the 'softening up' God had done with this tormentor. He didn't know the awkwardness the persecutor felt. He did not know the pleading prayers the oppressor whispered. The persecutor's fasting may not have been obvious to this simple, ordinary man. The ordinary man had heard a simple message from his Lord, and did it. Now, this little plain man felt like a dragon slayer.

It is then I remember a passage from the Book of Acts about how Jewish priests became followers.

I know an ordinary man in Missouri I'll call 'Steve'. He is about as ordinary as they come. He looks after the animals that provide his income. He lives in his wife's grandparents home. He drives small cars and big trucks. He wears blue-jeans and a cowboy hat often. He is just an ordinary man.

But this ordinary man visits with his friends about Jesus. It doesn't matter to him if they are leaders in the Baptist, Methodist, or Pentecostal churches. He doesn't know if God has been 'softening them up' or not. He talks with them about their souls. He doesn't see himself as a dragon-slayer. I'm certain he seems himself as an ordinary follower who heard his master say, "Go....".

Do you feel religious leaders are too staunch and unchangeable for you, an ordinary follower, to attempt to study with them? Do you feel they know more Bible than you do? Are they unreachable? Or are you afraid? Do you pretend to not hear the Almighty One saying, "Go,..."???
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