There are three central questions all humans are confronted with during their lifetime. Maybe they learn to suppress them or avoid them but that are the questions deep thinkers have pondered since time began.
The questions are: how did we get here?, what is our purpose while here? and ultimately, where are going when we leave here?
Thankfully, questions 1 & 3 are explicitly addressed by our creator in His revealed Word. Question #2 has proven to be more elusive. Does one marry Jill or Jane? Do I live in Chicago or Charlotte? Do I pursue a vocation in Physics or instead become a Peace Officer?
Unfortunately, we can never be sure of God’s Decretive (decretive is what God has stated will take place in time and space. It is like when a King would make a pronouncement or edict) Will until AFTER the fact. For instance, I know it was the express will of God to marry my wife simple due to the fact I have been married to her for the last thirty years of my human existence.
Some acts, like loving my wife are easy to understand as God’s Will since the Bible expressly indicates I am to do so but what about a myriad of other issues the Bible does not mention or address.
I like how John MacArthur handles the matter. He believes when a believer obeys what God has expressed in His revelation (that being the Bible) then the believer is free to do whatever he desires. MacArthur’s point is when we are walking in obedience our desires will be so shaped by God’s Holy Spirit that we will never desire what is NOT pleasing to God.
A passage like Psalms 37:4, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” presents that propositional truth.
While a believer can never live in perfect fidelity to Psalms 37 we can claim the promise due to the direction as opposed to the perfection of our life. Each day we humbly, yet boldly, seek to conform our live more and more to the ways and Will of God.
That is my current station in life. Thus, I seek to redeem the time and pursue a lofty ambition. I have long stewed about writing a book addressing the how body of Christ must bring the Gospel to bear with our political engagement. I remain flabbergasted that 94% of self-professing African-Americans Evangelicals voted for President Obama, when considering the moral stances President Obama took on foundational issues the Bible expressly forbids.
I readily concede there would be a number of A-A Evangelicals who voted as they did simply because President Obama’s was A-A and his election would be historical. I similarly concede that not all of the 94% who identified as Evangelicals are genuine believers.
What I remain flabbergasted about is the overwhelming number of 94%. That means 9.5 out of every 10 professing A-A Evangelicals voted for a major political candidate who embraced the slaughter of innocent victims in the womb, who went on to sign into legislation a embrace of the redefinition of marriage and facilitated a radical embrace of the transgender revolution.
While that reality was startling enough it has been only been compounded by the subsequent election of President Trump with Caucasian Evangelicals voting at clip of 88%.
A candidate who, had he been a Democrat, would have been eschewed as a person unfit for public office. Republicans have consistently claimed the high ground with issues like abortion, marriage and human sexuality. Yet, that worldview seemingly vanished because of the alternative Democratic Candidate.
That is pragmatism on steroids. Ethics and morality are not situational, they are fixed points. If it was wrong and rendered President Clinton unfit for office then it did the same for candidate Trump. Evangelicals used to believe if it was true then it would work. Now, many embrace the motif that if it works it must be true.
I have decided to procrastinate no further and enter my voice in the marketplace. Why me? Because I believe it is my duty to use my meager gifts and callings to fulfill the second question every human must answer. I humbly believe my one of my purposes is to serve as God’s watchman. My contribution will certainly NOT be the definitive or authoritative word on the matter. No, it will be of one of many others. I will be probably be one of the few A-A Evangelicals possessing a conservative Reformed Conservative Evangelical Worldview.
I believe charity starts at home so I will address the A-A question first since I am a A-A. I believe I may gain a hearing that a fellow Caucasian brother would not receive. Yet, I know I will be summarily rejected by many A-A Evangelicals because they are wedded to anything that is Anti-Conservative. That is most unfortunate but not totally unwarranted.
There are legitimate concerns about the Republican Party. I am not naive nor do I drink the Republican kool-aid without discernment. Yet as one of my past pastors was fond of saying, “I would not vote for a dog catcher if he supported abortion.”
There are clearly other issues an Evangelical must consider but there are some issues that should be considered the “sine quo non ( absolute essential). Abortion and what constitutes marriage are two such issues.
I hope to complete the 1st volume dealing with A-A Evangelicals by March 2019. I invite all to hold me accountable so I will reach my goal but more importantly I am asking all Evangelicals who know the power behind fervent prayer to partner with me seeking God’s will and His manifested power of this enterprise if this is truly His will.
As I said earlier we do not realize God’s Will until AFTER the fact. So if this action never transpires or is ultimately a flop that will only confirm it was NOT the will of God. Yet, the converse is equally true. If it is in fact God’s Will and His best for me then the Gates of Hell will not be able to prevail.
I enter this pursuit with a paradoxical equilibrium. I am excited but deftly afraid. This will stretch me in ways I have never been stretched. I am buffered by the methodology of William Carey, the modern father of the missionary movement. He knew his desire to be in a missionary in India was a God-sized undertaking. As a result, he prayed that he would attempt great things for God and he was simultaneously expected great things of from God.
If I ever needed mustard seed faith it is now. I am comforted by the belief when God grants a desire He equally grants the grace to accomplish the task.
Keep your hand to the plow and keep serving for an Audience of One!
Your brother in Christ,
Ricky