Things That Matter

If there is one thing I feel justified in harping on it is Biblical Illiteracy.

Illiteracy is a problem itself, but Biblical illiteracy is even worse.

In America we pride ourselves on being diverse, a melting pot, a state of personal freedom and rights. There is little emphasis today on why, exactly, we are so focused on freedom.

It goes back to the history of our nation and its roots in Bible believing immigrants.

When the gospel of our Lord Jesus came to this continent there were warring tribes of native peoples that populated the entire land mass.

They were not peaceful neighbors. They were typical sinful human beings with sinful hearts, full of selfishness, pride, greed and anger. Noble savage is a philosophical term.

WE ARE ALL SAVAGES, according to the Bible.

Close to where I used to live there is a battle ground, just north of the city of Anoka. It is by a peaceful little lake aptly named "Round Lake." There is a small park on the north side of the lake where a Ojibway camp stood.

The Battle of Rum River, perhaps one of the bloodiest skirmishes between the two tribes, began July 4, 1839 near Round Lake, a few miles north of present day Anoka. The Dakota, seeking revenge for the murder of a Dakota hunter, waited near an Ojibway camp until the men left to hunt. The Dakota then opened fire. Nearby Ojibway men, hearing the attack, rushed back to the camp to defend the women and children. But before the hunters could return, the Dakota had fled. Seventy Ojibway, mostly women and children, had died. The Dakota had lost 17 warriors.

--From "Management Plan for the Rum River" 1977

This was the story of the times.

I think about how the tribes in South America were at the point of annihilation when certain missionaries ventured into their tribal lands, risking life, to share Christ. Watch the movie "The End of the Spear." The remnants of those tribes acknowledge their predicament.

Enter Christianity.

This is the faith that commands its followers to LOVE THEIR ENEMIES.

This is not the same as DON'T DEFEND YOURSELF.

There is a distinction, and I see the millennial generation getting confused about this.

I talked with a young millennial once about colonialism. He was convinced it was the most diabolical force on earth, rich people taking over land and people for economic gain.

It really isn't that simple.

It really didn't happen that way across the board. Human nature dictated that some people did take horrible advantage of others. Slavery is a terrible thing, and many unscrupulous people took advantage of the institution of slavery to make themselves wealthy.

Bible believers were the main force in ending the institution of slavery.

You do know that slavery still exists, even in America, but there is not one true believer who owns or advocates slavery in the entire world. It isn't right.

The pilgrims who came to the north east coast of present-day U.S. were mostly Bible believers. About half of the Mayflower's passengers were Christians who sought freedom of religion.

(There is SO MUCH confusion about that phrase. It is NOT freedom FROM religion, but freedom OF religion----which means that you can exercise your religion FREELY-----except when it involves the sacrifice of another born human being.)

You could call these pilgrims "colonialists" because they established a colony on this continent, land that was overseen by native tribes previously.

Squanto was a helpful Indian who had become a believer. He recognized the truth of Christ's teachings and how Christ could transform lives.

Sin continued to happen. Sin seems to always continue to happen, right? People were murdered, people were fearful, people were greedy....

But overall the spread of the love of Christ was beneficial even to the native peoples in America.

BOO OOOO OOOOOO!!!

I can hear it now. But it is the truth. The truth matters, and we are all called to tell the truth. The native peoples of this continent needed to hear the truth of God's Word as much as any of us do today.

WE die in our sins without Christ. Thank the Lord for those who dared to share Christ with love and compassion.

David Brainerd comes to mind, but there are so many who did. Jesus is the answer for all peoples.

Colonialism generally spread a veneer of Christianity to the world. It wasn't always beneficial. It wasn't always free of terrible injustices. Colonialism was complex like people are complex. It isn't the bad word that most communists would have you believe it is today, however. There were definite advantages to Colonialism.

The technological benefits to civilizations, for one, became almost world wide. Technology starts somewhere, it spreads. Colonialism gave rise to industry (yes, the good and bad of that revolution!) and ordered civilization.

Don't let people decry a human development that gave so much to the entire world.

It is far superior to the communism and socialism that wounds societies like Venezuela these days.

I am not saying it is without faults. That is the nature of our existence.

We are faulty humans, and should NEVER excuse sin in any of our lives. Yet sin IS understandable. We are not supposed to judge, right?

(It depends on what we're judging! ;))

Back to the Bible. The spread of Biblical truth gave rise to the truth that God is love, God forgives, and God takes care of you when you put your trust in Him.

This is truth that Biblical illiterates cannot comprehend. They don't know the truths in the Bible because they are Biblically illiterate.

Can I make that more clear?

I wish I could.

Biblical illiteracy is the worst problem of this age. We have millions of Bibles in most languages and we still don't read it and know it, understand it, honor it. We'd rather serve idolatry.

READ YOUR BIBLE and ask God to help you understand it. Repent from sin in your life, and ask for the Holy Spirit to fill you with His truth.

Become a literate.