What’s at Stake

The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the authoritative guidebook for Christians. Theologians describe the Bible’s authority in different ways. Some use the word inerrant, while others describe the Bible as infallible, and still others have simply settled on inspired. However one values the Bible, all Christian theologians acknowledge that in some way God has spoken through the pages of scripture. Regardless of how one describes the Bible’s authority, the vast majority of Christians would agree that the Bible is the primary source for understanding not only insights into God’s relationship with Israel, the Church, and the world, but also how people are to live in community with one another.  

One would naturally think that the Bible’s central role in matters of faith would result in Christians perusing the Bible at every opportunity. Unfortunately, I’m fairly certain that’s not the case for far too many Christians. We may read the Bible on occasion, maybe glance at one of the psalms or a favorite passage of Scripture during stressful times or the seasons of Lent or Advent, but for most of us our overall knowledge of what’s in the Bible is embarrassingly limited.

Tragically, most of our convictions about morals, ethics, religion, and even God are shaped more by what news channels we watch, what church we attend, or who we drink coffee with than a serious study of scripture. The Bible is probably the most misread and misunderstood book in the world. People find ways to use the Bible to support their particular ideology, whatever that ideology might be. We are incredibly creative at finding escape clauses that relieve us of taking the Bible seriously.

Perhaps that’s why there’s been so little backlash by Christians at the cuts in government funding for programs and agencies that help the poor, the sick, and impoverished people on the margins to stay alive. Relief groups have estimated that tens if not hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable have already died because of these cuts. Much of the church has remained inexplicably silent.

Why has our government discontinued aid to these impoverished regions? If our country were in desperate financial straits, if everything possible had been done to reduce our national debt, such as raising taxes on the ultra-rich or going through the budget with a fine-toothed comb to eliminate waste, instead of a chainsaw approach, and still our country struggled to pay its bills, then I could at least understand. But that is far from the case.

The fact is, our government has thoughtlessly and shamelessly slashed important benefits that assist millions of the poorest in the world for the singular purpose of giving tax-breaks to the wealthiest citizens in our land. Even with all the humanitarian cuts in aid, the tax benefits for the super-rich will add trillions of dollars to our National Debt! What kind of country takes away from the poor in order to give to the rich? Certainly not one that takes the Bible seriously!

Maybe biblical ignorance is why all too few of us have objected to proposed Medicaid cuts that could affect millions of the poorest families in America which will deprive children of health care. Or maybe our mere dalliance with the Bible is why so many are unconcerned when the budgets for health research centers and Veteran’s Affairs are put on the chopping block. 

Maybe our lack of knowing what’s in the Bible is why Christians have become so calloused to the unimaginable suffering inflicted on the people in Gaza, women and children who are daily bombed and killed. Maybe that’s why the arrests and the deportation of undocumented workers in garment factories, Home Depots, Walmart’s and Waffle Houses, without due process, a right granted by the US Constitution, have not raised a furor of righteous indignation among God’s people.

Sure, if criminals and gangs were the targets of deportation, we could support and applaud the actions of our government. But that’s not what we are seeing. School children are being taken by ICE agents on their way to school, agriculture workers are being rounded up and detained, waitresses and cooks, many of whom have contributed to this country for decades, are being hustled off to deportation centers. Many who do so much for our country, the often underpaid and underappreciated, are being terrorized by our government. 

If we knew what the Scriptures taught regarding the weakest and poorest in our world, if we really grasped how God cares about the less fortunate, we could not stand idly by while these powerless people are brutalized by the rich and powerful. Israel knew what it was like to be powerless as it traced its origins back to slavery and homelessness. When God gave Israel the Promised Land, they were commanded to treat the non-citizens, the non-Israelite, mind you, with respect and dignity as though they were native-born (Lev. 19:33-34). Even the outsiders in Israel were to be treated as family.

The New Testament is even more direct when it comes to the treatment of the underprivileged. Jesus’ inaugural sermon threw down the gauntlet, so to speak, about what would be his priorities.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

(Lk. 4:16:18-19)

By launching his ministry with these words, Jesus reveals the heart of God. The focus of his work would be on justice and compassion. He would follow in the steps of the prophets of old who emphasized concern for the have-nots of the world. He will teach his followers it is more blessed to give than receive. For Jesus, justice and compassion are not just ideas to believe, but actions that must be practiced.

In other words, Jesus didn’t just talk a good game; he lived his life in service to others. Luke characterizes the life of Jesus by saying, he “went about doing good” (Lk. 7:18). Some scholars have tried to place boundaries on Jesus’ justice and compassion, such as limiting justice and compassion only to fellow Jews, but the New Testament makes no such distinctions when it comes to reaching out to those in need (See the stories of the healing of the centurion’s servant or the Good Samaritan).

Jesus’ followers are called to walk in his steps (1Jn. 2:6), to demonstrate in their lives the same kind of compassion for the poor, sick, homeless, migrant, and anyone else who has been brutalized by the inequities of our world. Put simply, Christians are also called to go about doing good!  

How can we do good by remaining silent when so many of the least among us are being hurt and victimized by policies that are a radical departure from our historic path as a nation? What is at stake is not just the loss of our identity as a benevolent nation, but also the loss of our identity as followers of Jesus!