When I was a kid, police were
wonderful, friendly, and helpful, and they were there to protect me.
I didn't have to be afraid of them, run from them, or attack them.
What's changed? What has turned these "protectors of the
innocent" into violent, cruel killers who have no care for
people and instead turn and attack the innocent?
Hang with me just a moment, and don't react until the end. This is
rather long, so if you don't have time to experience the whole
journey, then feel free to jump to the conclusion at the end.It seems like the news recently has been all about these corrupt people who have taken the power and authority entrusted to them and abused it. They're using their power to hurt people, to force minorities into subjection, and to show their dominance by attacking innocent and unsuspecting citizens.
It's evil, right? This sort of thing is absolutely wrong, and so we should stand up against them and fight for freedom. We are free after all, right? That means we can do anything we want. And if these corrupt people get in our way, then it's up to us to take things in our own hands. After all, that's our heritage. That's what our founders did. They were "freedom fighters" who took things in their own hands to overcome a cruel and unfair police force that was trying to push them as a minority into subjection to the ruling class.
Before we let our emotions control our actions, we should pause for just a moment and think. This is the story. This is what is being told. The first question we need to ask is: "is it true?" Not everything we hear is true, and not everything in the news is true. The second question we need to ask is: "is it right?" Ultimately, "Truth" and"Rightness" will always match, but sometimes things happen (the story is true) but they are not right.
First, I believe that most of the hype in these stories is simply false. Second, I believe that the story of our founders as "freedom fighters" is also false. And third, I believe that the general response we have seen in the media to these events is wrong. And I believe the driving force behind much of it is perception. Let's investigate.
When I was growing up, I was taught 3 things about the law. In fact, I think many kids were taught similarly. Overall, cartoons, programs, games, and things like that also emphasized the same three points. What were they?
1) obey the law (law is good, it's there to protect you)
2) respect and obey those who are law enforcers (i.e. police)
3) if you obey the law, then law enforcers are there to protect you
If this is our perception, it has an impact on the way we act. Sadly today, the perception has changed. Cartoons, programs, video games and other things have shifted away from displaying laws and law enforcers as good things to something that is infringing on our right of personal expression. Our games now teach us to kill the cops, steal what we can and get away as fast as possible. Our cartoons and shows teach us to misbehave, treat others rudely, and watch out for number one. This also has an impact on the way we act.
So the truth is that we have different perceptions. Which of these perceptions is right? Let's see where they come from.
The first perception, lifting up the law as a good thing and law enforcers as positive forces in society is coming under fire. But I would say that it's been the general understanding and perception in our US history. It may or may not surprise you that this is a Biblical concept. Check this out:
"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake." (Rom 13:1-5)
Wow, that's basically exactly the three principles I mentioned above that I was taught as a child. We could look at other Scriptures as well and we see resounding from the beginning to the end of the Bible these same principles. And this Biblical concept has been the general understanding in the history of the United States? How can that be, if we were founded by rebels and "freedom fighters?" Frankly, because we weren't. We were founded by men and women who believed in Biblical principles. Many of them were indeed Christians. Many were not, but still held many of the Biblical principles in place in their lives. To support this claim, I point you to the Declaration of Independence. I was going to quote part of it here, but you just need to read it. http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html. It addresses this very issue, making the statement that Law ultimately comes from God, that the current government has been unjust, that they have tried numerous times to use the correct courses of appeal but all have been in vain. So the declaration says that under the ultimate authority of God, because their current government has broken the law and failed to address their appeals within the law, that they then have the authority to establish a new government, under that same ultimate Authority. And please note, that this was not a personal action, but a collective action - a governmental action. The Declaration and Revolution was not an attack against law, but rather an act to uphold the Law.
Why do I spend the time to make this point when it doesn't really fit with what we are talking about? Because it's the foundation of what we are talking about. It also gives us another clue into the perceptions we are seeing.
So let's recap. The principles of law being good, law enforcers being good, and people being subject to the law are Biblical. The United States was founded on these Biblical principles and in fact were the principles that made the United States what it was. For many years, these principles were the generally accepted and popular ideas of the culture.
So what's happened? Let me make a suggestion of a cause that will have a particular effect. Then see if we are seeing that effect in our culture today. If the effect seems to be a good fit to our situation today, then we will assume that the cause suggested is likely the true cause. Then let me suggest a solution based on the root cause that will also deal with the effect.
I suggest that the cause of what we are seeing today is a cultural rejection of Christ and the Bible. Christ is the standard of Law and the ultimate Law Giver. Therefore, lawlessness and rebellion are anti-Christ. They are sin. As people reject God, they often also reject law, because law ultimately points back to God. As the cultural movers (news, media, etc.) also reject God, they begin to paint the things that reflect God in a negative light as well, meaning they begin painting law and law-enforcers negatively. Thus we see a change in some of our cultural perceptions. Many of the United States' cultural perceptions were Biblical, because of the historical Biblical foundation. As more people turned away from God, some of those cultural perceptions have shifted as well.
If this is indeed the cause, then what we're seeing today as a result makes perfectly good sense. The solution personally is a return to Christ. The solution nationally is a return to Biblical principles and teachings.
------- CONCLUSION -------
The more this nation rejects God, the more lawless people will be, the more lawless people are, the more they will hate those who protect the law (i.e. police), the more people hate those who protect the law, the more difficult protecting the law will become and the more fatalities and "atrocities" we will see.
Fixing it won't be a protest in favor of lawbreakers, it won't be looting and killing people in demonstrations, it will be by obeying the Law, and ultimately, the One Lawgiver.
The devil's trick is this: "Look, some of these lawgivers and law protectors are corrupt, so we should reject all laws and law protectors." It sounds good because it's a partial truth, but it's a trap of the devil to bring destruction.
More people dying isn't a sign of corruption and wrongdoing on the part of the enforcers. It could be, but it doesn't have to be. In fact, in these recent cases, the process of law has determined that those law enforcers were doing what they were supposed to be doing, and were therefore under the protection of those who entrusted those duties to them - even if something went wrong, they are held blameless because they were acting properly under the law they were given.
The same can't be said for those breaking the law, for those looting, for those killing, for those acting unlawfully in the name of "freedom." Their freedom is their destruction, and they are headed on a path to ultimate destruction. The only way to change course is not with protests, but with repentance and salvation in Christ Jesus.
"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’" (Matthew 7:21-23)
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
