I’m increasingly concerned about a glaring trend in our culture. On one hand there has been a complete loss of trust in any institution or any leader that possesses authority. Politicians, church leaders, media figures, academic professors, police officers, executives in corporate America—almost all of these are now looked upon with disdain or with a distrust for their agenda, power, or their “self-serving” interest. That’s not healthy. To hear a perspective on healthy authority and what it’s limits should be, listen to this sermon I recently preached.

Tyranny of the Collective

On the other hand I see an increased willingness to conform to “group think,” to the crowd, to the mob, or to the narrative of others—including powerful people. This abuse of influence and leadership is eroding the liberty and dignity of individuals, families, churches, and businesses. There is a coercive social movement that is forcing people to conform to the will of the collective instead of allowing people to think and act for themselves. That’s dangerous.

Romans 12:2 says Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Notice how we are called to conform to God’s will, not the culture around us.

Edmund Burke recounted in his work Reflections On the Revolutions in France, “Of this I am certain, that in a democracy, the majority of the citizens is capable of exercising the most cruel oppressions upon the minority” (As quoted in The Great Debate, c. 2014, by Yuval Levin.) He also says elsewhere, “If I recollect rightly, Aristotle observes that a democracy has many striking points of resemblance with a tyranny.”

The further our culture slides away from the values attached to God and the scriptures the more often we find ourselves at odds with our society’s socially constructed edicts. And the scriptures constantly remind us that just because a majority voted or a politician said so doesn’t make it right. Exodus 23:2 says, “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.”

Be Discerning

The Apostle Peter teaches the church to THINK FOR YOURSELF; “be alert and sober minded” (1 Peter 4:7). Jesus also tells his followers to “watch out that no one deceives you” (Mark 13:5). We need to be a discerning people constantly measuring—against the truth of God’s Word—the messaging and mandates we are receiving from entertainment, news, friends, or legislative bodies. God’s Word stands as the universal law by which all authority and all institutions are to be judged and measured. I'm not insinuating the Church should run the State, or that the ecclesiastical laws should be applied to unbelievers. But I am suggesting that the basic principles of government must conform to the shape of the universally recognized moral principles found in the ten commandments and affirmed in civilizations around the world. And the American government, which was designed to protect an individual’s peculiar religious beliefs not embraced by the wider public, should respect our freedom of religion and individual conscience.

When “the State” diverts from God’s law and becomes abusive or distorted, the Church is expected to align with God’s higher law, not State law. Daniel did so. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did so. Here is an obvious example. The Nazi party violated God’s law by abusing and killing Jews and coercing people to turn them in. We shouldn’t submit to the Nazi party—we should submit to God’s Law! Abortion is the murdering of human life and deviates from God’s law. The campaign to force a nurse to perform an abortion is a violation of her conscience and her adherence to God’s law. The usurpation of authority by the State, or by education reform, in forcing perverted doctrines of human sexuality into curriculum or home education is unjustifiable. The silencing of any speech branded as “hateful” is a suppression of liberty. The inflationary printing of fallacious money, amounting to the subjugation of the poor and thievery by the government on the grandest scale, is wrong. Some may disagree with this last point—but that’s partially my point. Each of us needs to gather data and think critically for ourselves and contend with the ethics of these decisions that are being imposed upon us.

We are living in confusing times. There seems to be a cultural narrative that has an opinion about what you should believe or how you should act. My encouragement to you is to THINK FOR YOURSELF. Dare to challenge any narrative that is dishonest, oppressive, or ungodly.

Matthew 18:15 If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault.

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 (the King) is to read (the law) all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law…and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law…

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

We don’t need to be afraid of these times, or intimidated by the crowd. God gives each of us a mind that can grasp what is right and wrong. Study God’s Word and be filled with his truth. Surround yourself with a community who can help you discern truth and wisely respond to an increasingly antagonistic culture. Help your children and grandchildren know how to discern opinion from fact, and truth from dogma. What does the Word of God say and how is the Holy Spirit leading you to apply that? That is the question the Church should be measuring everything against these days.

Tags: truth, ethics, authority, god's word, correction, crowd, rebuke, group think