But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1 Peter 3:15-16
Meekness is praÿtēs –
– Strongs concordance –
mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness
Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend them against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time.
Meekness is also likened to a battle horse that is unwavering in its obedience to its master.
In our Acts 17:11 Bereans Bible study we are watching the gradual escalation of persecution unfold in Acts. The disciples are bold and unyielding in their message.
“Jesus is the only way. You murdered your own Messiah!”
The Sadducees wanted to kill the disciples from the start. But they were afraid of the people. Thus far, the disciples have been apprehended, warned not to speak, released, imprisoned, miraculously freed, beaten, and warned not to speak.
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Acts 5:41
The disciples were meek.
They did not compromise their directive from Jesus. Neither did they add to it.
The world is shaken by the recent public assassination of Charlie Kirk. He was addressing the subject of gun violence. Some are crying. Others are riddled with excitement. As expected, extremes on both the political left and the right are heralding the start of civil war.
Charlie Kirk was a Christian. He was conservative, pro-traditional family, pro-Israel, anti – abortion, etc. Charlie Kirk was 31 years old.
Charlie Kirk was the same age as several of our family members whose worldview is diametrically opposed to that of Charlie Kirk. Israel vs. Hamas was a topic of a recent discussion. “Hamas launches rockets from hospitals and schools,” I said. “So does Israel!” they responded. “That’s ridicul…” I caught myself.
How do I know?
The truth is, I don’t. I only know what the Google algorithm presents to me according to my biases. Did Greta Thunberg’s boat recently get hit by an Israeli drone or was it an explosion and fire caused by fireworks on board? Were Israelis attending the Nova festival on October 7th killed by Hamas or the IDF according to the Hannibal Directive? In the words of the Palestinian Christian woman with whom we stayed in Samaria rang in my head,
“The Israelis and Hamas are the same.”
The truth is that neither one of us knows. Biblically, God has a plan for all of Abraham’s children, both Jacob and Ishmael.
Charlie Kirk began his final “Prove me wrong” public dialogue with a reference to 1 Corinthians 5 that addresses the subject of sexual immorality. He did not mention leaven.
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
1 Corinthians 5:6-7
Charlie Kirk should not have been shot. He was a genuine Christian man, a husband and a father adored by millions. Those who hated him, hated him because of his politics. Jesus warned about religious legalism and politics.
Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Matthew 16:6
The Pharisees and Sadducees were both religious and political parties. Charlie wasn’t killed amidst a proclamation and appeal that Jesus is the only way. He was killed amidst a dialogue concerning gun violence and the right to bear arms. The 2nd Amendment exists to protect the individual’s right to take human life and overthrow the government under certain conditions established by the Constitution. None of this has anything to do with the teachings and commands of Jesus and Biblical Christianity.
Probably the biggest gripe my family members and those with whom they are aligned have against Christianity is the hypocrisy of politically leavened Christians. As followers of Jesus, we are called to preach the gospel as Jesus and the Apostles preached it.
That is all!
There is not one shred of evidence anywhere in the New Testament of any directive to attempt a political transformation. Aside from “render onto Ceaser what is Caesar’s” and “Honoring the King”, politics is a Biblical nothing burger. Even more, we are not called to judge unbelievers and the system run by the god of it. We are called to judge believers. Not because unbelievers are right. But because even the most altruistic unbeliever is already dead in their trespasses and appointed to wrath. Dead people can do nothing. Rather we are called to an eternal perspective. We are to preach the Word in season and out of season. We are called to study ourselves approved, to take captive every thought, and cast down every argument that exalts itself above the knowledge of God. We are called to care for widows and orphans in their distress and remain untainted by the world. We are to always be ready with an apologetic defense for the hope that is in us. We are not called to fight with carnal weapons or transform institutions. We are called to be spiritual and meek even at the cost of our own lives.
The public assassination of Charlie Kirk is as horrifying as it is saddening. Many on the opposing political extreme right are calling for extrajudicial retaliation. Those on the extreme left are emboldened. Meanwhile, I can only imagine the same thing happening to those in my own family on the political left. While their worldview is diametrically opposed to that of Charlie Kirk, they aren’t any more violent than Charlie was. Still, given that some of them attend political protests at times, the possibility remains. One thing is certain. The love of many is growing colder by the day. Hence,
Violence begets more violence.
The time is coming, and it is now here, when we will be persecuted for our faith. Let us resolve today to study and follow the Acts of the Apostles such that if we are beaten, imprisoned, or killed, it is for the sake of an unleavened Gospel alone. Instead of praying and proclaiming MAGA, let us repent and pray MAMA as a church.
Make America Meek Again
Alas, apart from those who already view the world as I do, I suspect my words will fall on deaf ears. Others might be enraged. As. always all are welcome to prove me wrong via scripture alone. Meanwhile, I am a sojourner here. I am in this world but not of it.
My trust is in Jesus Christ alone.