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Introduction
Welcome to The Beacon, a podcast network of Watchlight Media, which is dedicated to the principles of true religious liberty and freedom and liberty of conscience for all. My name is Shawn.
We’re in the midst of celebrations of 250th Anniversary of American Independence and also in the middle of a conflict over our national origins and the meaning of American democracy. The Christian church is also grappling with issues of meaning, power, and identity. So leadership is more important today than at any point in my lifetime.
I was moved to address the subject after observing a member of my faith community remain silent while an official they’re standing next to denounces separation of church and state.
This has caused a stir among some of us that is similar to other instances recently when people in positions of influence or organizations that we expect to be more vocal during times of emergency are silent and apparently inactive.
So I’m using the lens of three different Bible stories to understand what might be going on and the risks of staying silent for too long. We’ll start with a scene from the story of Elijah the prophet.
This Isn’t a Plan
In 1 Kings 18 the testimony of the Bible concerning Obadiah, a servant of the notorious King Ahab, is one of faithfulness. He reverenced the Lord and bravely hid 100 prophets from the wrath of Jezebel. That took a lot of courage but it also took careful planning and discretion.
Ahab searched for Elijah for years but was unable to find him. Now, out of the blue. here he is standing in front of Obadiah.
“Go and tell your lord that I’m here to see him,” Elijah says.
Obadiah panics. He’s survived by planning and discretion; this is not a plan. It’s an unnecessary, ill advised risk. What if the Lord decides to whisk him away again. Ahab will take his anger out on him.
Elijah reassures Obadiah he’ll be here to meet Ahab. And Obadiah goes to tell Ahab Elijah has returned.
* I want us to notice a few details in the story.
* They all live in a place governed by fear and desperation. Ahab and Jezebel are tyrants will not hesitate to kill anyone who defies them.
* Everyone on the right side of things seems to be acting alone, unaware that others were faithful too.
The situation has taken its toll on everyone. Obadiah protests when asked to step out side his fear. Elijah believes he is all alone because no one has spoken up.
The Aftermath of Silence
At the showdown on Mount Carmel Elijah says, “I, even I only remain a prophet of the LORD.” Even though there were at least 100 prophets true to the Lord still around, Elijah was facing the 450 prophets of Baal on the mount alone.
When Elijah asked whether the people would follow God or Baal not one person, faithful or otherwise, said a word.
Even after the great victory, Elijah found himself sleeping under a Juniper tree when a messenger from Jezebel delivered her threat on his life. He then ran a day’s journey into the wilderness, alone and then another forty days. When God gently asks “what are you doing here Elijah?” He replies “…and I, even I only am left; and they seek my life.”
God uses a Still Small Voice to reveal where He dwells, then encourages Elijah by informing him there are 7,000 who are still faithful. I wonder if Elijah would have been as discouraged if someone else has spoken up? Would he have run so fast or so long or at all if more of those silent folks had stood with him?
There is a prominent member of my church who on two public occasions has silently sat or stood right next to a person denouncing separation of church and state saying it is “not in the Constitution” and “ from this day forward, that phrase should have no power over people of all faiths ever again in America”. And both times they say nothing in support or in opposition, they register neither agreement nor disagreement with the dangerous idea that combining church and state should be embraced by our country.
I cannot put words in their mouth or give them instructions on what they ought to say or do.
There are many people in positions of influence who are silent while falsehoods and distortions are proclaimed over and over again in their presence. The most good faith construction that I can place on their inaction is maybe they’re like Obadiah. They are careful and discreet, working behind the scenes to save doomed possibilities for good.
I see no evidence of this so far but I hope that’s what’s happening.
Still there is a high price for public silence when a crisis demands resolute bravery and clear proclamation of what is right. I believe we’re in such a crisis now.
Good Work, But…
There are those who are opposing the encroachments of religious nationalism. Separation of church and state is the foundation of all other liberties and freedoms. We are living in a time of urgent risks and many are wondering what to do and who to turn to.
Obadiah did good work but he was also constrained by circumstances. He was careful for good reason, let’s not forget, because he lived under an oppressive system. And that system taught the people there is safety in fear and silence.
So when it was time for a breakthrough neither he nor the 100 prophets nor the thousands of others, faithful but fearful, had the courage to speak up when it mattered most. An opportunity was lost and a man at the forefront of the conflict was left alone, battling loneliness and depression, running for his life.
When Silence Becomes Complicity
The silence of Obadiah can become the complicity of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah. He was nervous about an alliance with Ahab against the Syrians and knew better than to trust him. But Jehoshaphat ignored the evidence from God, which he insisted be provided before agreeing to anything, which plainly told him not to go.
Still Jehoshaphat stood by Ahab anyway and agreed to an alliance. Before the war even started he was set up to draw fire away from Ahab. Why he agree to this is unclear but it all ended in tears. They were losing badly to the Syrians when Jehoshaphat was forced to flee screaming like a child that he wasn’t Ahab.
Going along to get along robbed Jehoshaphat of his dignity and almost cost his life.
When we see prominent people from our communities in positions of power, we have hope they will stand up for our shared beliefs, stay true to our common commitments.
We hope they will be like Daniel or Esther.
There are those who are faithful AND courageous just like them.
And there are those who fail, in silence.
The Spirit of Esther and Mordecai
Mordecai warned Esther not to be so risk averse that she fail to take a bold stand when it’s time for action. In fact he reminds Esther that the crisis is the very reason for her being queen. Their people were in grave danger and her intervention was required.
Eventually there comes a moment where we stand or fall. No one can hide from this reckoning, including a queen.
It is in this spirit of Mordecai that I make an appeal with a respectful question: if not now, when?
Our people, all people are under threat. What’s the plan?
We are in the midst of crisis, where our current government is openly attacking the foundational pillar which allows us liberty of conscience, religious liberty and religious freedom. We’ve been saying this was going to happen for a very long time. And now here we are.
We’ve had our whole lives to prepare for this, why aren’t we ready?
Many in our ranks are confused, fearful, discouraged, or simply exhausted.
Some ARE fighting the good fight of faith but morale is low.
Now is an opportunity for someone who “holds these truths as self-evident,” “inalienable”, precious to speak up and speak truth to power; to tactfully and respectfully object and reset the terms of the debate on firmer, truer ground.
It’s Time
This is the moment all the behind the scenes work, if that work is being done, is really for, the reason for all the access and influence.
There comes a point when association with a correct position cannot be assumed to mean full dedication to principle.
The principles that position represents must be affirmed in the clearest and most unmistakable terms while leaving consequences in the hands of God.
There comes a time in a crisis when what was discretion becomes complicity and silence becomes betrayal of the cause we serve and the God who gave us opportunity to stand in the gap.
Where ever we are, for the sake of those around us and also for those who are taking great risks we must have a ready answer when circumstances question us; do you serve truth and justice or smooth lies and tyranny? There are times when we must take a stand even though its risky.
Otherwise, what’s the point of having correct positions if we’re ready to surrender them whenever Ahab makes an offer or Jezebel makes a threat?
Courage is not the absence of fear, it is doing what’s right while afraid and despite the consequences. Sometimes we have to do it scared.
Those of us who are Christians, do we trust God and believe His promises or not.
The Toll of Crisis
Ahab and Jezebel in the Bible represent a combination of religion and state with all the attendant repression, depravity and corruption inherent in the union.
We can learn a few things from Elijah, Obadiah, and others living at that time:
* Sustained pressure affects the mental health of everyone, especially those with public responsibilities.
* Though feeling alone isn’t always the same as being alone, it is still a heavy burden to bear.
* Our behind the scenes advocacy should be groundwork for eventual public declaration of where we stand.
* Our positions are not only about “us”; we have a responsibility to those who look to us with their reasonable expectations of faithfulness to our shared values.
* Our expectations can cause our disappointments to become obstacles. We end up standing in our own way. God does not always move as we expect but He never fails.
* Regardless of our situation our standards and principles should be unmistakably clear.
* Repeated, conscious failure to take a determined stand when vital issues are at stake signals complicity.
Opportunities to Redeem the Time
Finally, I mean no disrespect to anyone nor am I judging hearts or destinies.
But this moment is too important to allow to pass by passively. There won’t be another 250th anniversary. People are uniquely attuned to these issues of true religious liberty and democracy.
We are in the best position we will ever be in again to defend and advance separation of church and state, religious liberty, religious freedom, and all other civil rights and liberties.
Our arguments that the true gospel is spread by persuasion not by force can land with decided impact now.
Religious nationalism misrepresents the character of God as someone cruel and unloving. But God is love. He commanded the spreading of the gospel and salvation through teaching not by violent conquest, plunder, and colonizing of people and land in His name.
God never said the church should replace the Holy Spirit with state power.
We have to oppose these efforts to distort true religion and to reverse victories and re-litigate arguments over history and the Constitution we’ve already won.
We are in a conflict, a great controversy. Though the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, not violent, not sarcastic, not deceptive, they are mighty. And we must engage the battle to pull down these strongholds of revisionist history, false religion, and structural oppression before they are fully erected.
My favorite writer says,
“Now is the time when the loyal and true are to arise and shine; for the glory of the Lord is risen upon them. It is no time now to hide our colors, no time to turn traitors when the battle presses sore, no time to lay aside our weapons of warfare. Watchmen on the walls of Zion must be wide awake.”—Selected Message Vol. 2, p. 373
It is time, high time, been time for us, where ever we are, to unfurl our colors, pick up our rhetorical weapons, our resolute character, and study war some more.
We can be good people, doing good work and still miss the moment.
Let’s not miss this moment so our good works won’t be in vein, our silence testifying against us in history and in eternity. God can redeem our time.
Will we let Him?
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Take care and grace to you.
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Just some quick thoughts on the need for both liberty and freedom. Liberty, in a semantic but vital sense, applies to full rights recognized by law governing systems: public policy, regulation, legislation, torts, etc. Freedom applying more to a respect of individual autonomy and conscience.In this construction, religious liberty refers to the protections and rights granted under systems which do not establish religion that are completely neutral toward belief. Religious freedom applies to respect of individual conscience without coercion by the state allowing people to choose what to believe or not to believe. We need both systemic and individual rights of conscience.
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Welcome to The Beacon, a podcast network of Watchlight Media. We're glad you're here. Check out what we're doing.
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