Yesterday in Dover, PA, a federal judge named John E. Jones, ruled that Intelligent Design, which suggests an alternative to Darwinian evolution as the explanation for the origin of the species, cannot be taught in public schools. I don't know enough about the case to comment on the specifics, but press reports indicate that the judge went beyond simply deciding that ID was not to be taught. He called the decision of the school board to require a short paragraph about ID to be read to a 9th grade biology class, 'breath-taking inanity,' and noted that ID "is a religious view, a mere re-labeling of creationism, and not a scientific theory." Those who want a completely secular (free from reference to God) society rejoiced.
The judge's ruling got under my skin - for a few moments anyway. But he is reflecting the law created by the majority of Americans! The fact is that those school members who established the ID policy in Dover were out of step even with their own townsfolk. In elections held in November, the school board was swept out of office by Dover voters and replaced with people who do not support the idea of teaching ID. This time, anyway, the judge and the majority of people are on the same side. So, if we're going to angry, how being angry with ourselves for not doing a good enough job in making a compelling case for Christianity? Perhaps we need to ask ourselves if we have created the sense that faith in Jesus Christ is just a comforting sentiment that is marginal, unimportant, to 'real life in the real world?'
Believer, we have work to do! We must hold up the Light. The struggle is about Truth, about the place that God holds in our hearts and minds, but the place to 'win' is not in the courts, nor in the legislature. We each must become a prophet (a good word that means - God's spokesperson) in our own place. Those who marginalize God, must see Him, not just in our words but in our actions at work, in our neighborhood, and in our homes.
As Christians make the case for Christ -
- by the way we serve,
- by our consistent compassion,
- by speaking the Truth lovingly to the this society,
- by cultivating our minds so that our faith is more than saccharine sentiment,
- by making our churches into houses of worship where God is approached in Spirit and in Truth - God's Light will shine.
Let's face facts. A couple of paragraphs read at the beginning of 9th grade biology curriculum suggesting that Someone designed this world isn't exactly going to change lives, is it? This nod towards admitting to God's existence (and that is really what it is about as the judge noted) is not going to save our kids from themselves. Only a vigorous, robust Christianity that is engaged with this culture at every level will survive the assault of secularism.
We should not surprised at the hostility that comes our way over our love for Christ. He warned us it would be this way. Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it. Don't just let it comfort you! Let it challenge you to BE different, to act differently, and to be a living witness to the reality of God before the skeptics.
Jesus said, “When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you. The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don’t. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A servant is not greater than the master.’
Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you! The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don’t know God who sent me. They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
Anyone who hates me hates my Father, too. If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be counted guilty. But as it is, they saw all that I did and yet hated both of us—me and my Father. This has fulfilled what the Scriptures said: ‘They hated me without cause.’
“But I will send you the Counselor—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will tell you all about me." (John 15:18-26, NLT)
Invite the Spirit of Truth to work in your mind and your heart. Invite Him to dig deep to root out sin and unfaithfulness. Pray to become a person of integrity, a person of true holiness, so that the Light will shine from you without shadows, drawing others to consider the way of Christ Jesus.
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