Kentucky Grace

"The Glory of God is a person fully alive."

                                                                                                       ~ Irenaeus

Three years ago, I was nearly dead.

In those three years, I have experienced grace and what I have learned to call un-grace, from believers and churches.
These things have given me an opportunity to view things that happen in the world and in the faith, a little differently from the perspective of eternity and the impact we are making on others.

As the events from Rowan County, Kentucky unfolded last week - I was pondering a few questions that just happen to fit in with Kim Davis, the County Clerk who refused to issue a marriage license to a homosexual couple.
One of those questions:

'If the Gospel is really 'good news', why do so few perceive it as such?'

And then I saw my first glimpses of the happenings from the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Please don't get me wrong.
I fully believe that Ms. Davis truly believes she is adhering to her conscience; I have no doubt about that. 
She is a Christian, of the Apostolic denomination; I dare not doubt her strong conviction or claim to conscience.
Nor will I criticize her for taking the stand she has; however, I will examine this and put into words what I am thinking.

The reader should know that there are people around the globe who read this blog religiously (no pun intended). 

I have learned to love people who are far different that I am; it takes no grace or spiritual work within me to love people who are just like me. But it takes a work of God within me and through me to love those who are vastly different than myself
Some are Fundamentalist Christians, proclaiming a devotion only to the KJV of the Bible.
Others are on the opposite extreme, they're not really Christians at all; truthfully some of my biggest fans are heathens (wink). 
.
But in all seriousness, homosexuals, heterosexuals, Evangelicals, Catholics, Buddhists and those of no faith read; as do people of other races and nationalities.
And when I hear from them in a message or see the viewership map which tracks readers' location; it truly blesses my soul to know that so many feel welcome here.

That's what I always wanted this to be...a discussion of God's grace in a wicked world, regardless of what we bring to the table.

Nearly everybody I know in life, including myself, has a church horror story.
As a result, there are millions of people who are in recovery from the damage that was done to their spirits and their lives.
Truthfully, I am at the point where the churches and Christians who have intentionally hurt me, I just feel sympathy for them; especially when some cannot see their errors or how they've damaged the name of Christ.

This is what I return to when I think of Kim Davis; is she hurting or helping the cause of Christ?

One observation is that she never wanted to do either; she simply wanted to obey her conscience in this matter.
But the reality is that she's in the forefront now, with politicians hailing her greatness while others blast her, including well-known radio personalities from Kentucky on social media, under the phrase, 'Do Your Job.'

How I see things is that Kim Davis is being used; used by those who want to make her decision of conscience into a religious fight; but also being used by those on the left who wish to force her to violate her conscience or resign.

When I went for my marriage license to my bride of 20 years (16 September 1995), I was the Vice-President of the Student Government at West Virginia Tech.
I did not bring the school newspaper, or the radio station in the town, or the bi-weekly paper nor did I inform any one of the television stations that I was doing so, even though I've seen their news and this would have topped the list back then.
I simply walked in, applied, paid the fee and walked out with the license. 

When the two men went to apply for a marriage license, as allowed by the secular Supreme Court, they first left their much more sympathetic state of Ohio for Kentucky.
As they entered Kentucky, they passed through numerous counties to find Rowan County, which coincidentally happened to be the ONLY county in Kentucky which would not issue a marriage license to homosexuals because of Ms. Davis' conviction.
Then, when they arrived, they hopeful couple just happened to arrive with multiple media outlets photographing, filming and documenting the entire episode and exchange.

Therefore, I have concluded, she has been used.

On the other side, not all Christians are in agreement; nor have we ever been on any issue; especially when it comes to social or sexual issues. 

Some Christians think Ms. Davis is ignorant, backward and has no business being an elected official because she has violated her oath of office in the Commonwealth.

Well, regardless of what one may think of her duty to the office → ultimately, that is for the voters of Rowan County to decide.
Regardless of what one may think as to her actions, right or wrong, discriminatory or faithful; ultimately, we can say that she has convictions that she believes are greater than herself or her oath of office, that she will follow in the dictates of her conscience.

And that is what the right side of this episode has exploited.
Which is why I have concluded, she is being used.

As Christians, from time to time we need to be reminded that the United States Government is not a Christian government; it is not a theocracy but a democratic republic.
Yes, the founders of this nation were mostly Christians; but that is not a dictate that all are to be Christians. Many of the founders were also Freemasons but that does not compel all to join the Masonic Lodge.

Being committed to God and to His infinite grace does not always mean there is going to be perfect harmony with the government which rules over us.
From our beginning, Christianity has lived in tension with the government; regardless of what country or what government ruled the people - there has always, with few exceptions, been a tense relationship between the true Body of Christ and the government.

Don't believe it? 
May I remind you that Jesus Christ's life was ended via State Execution?

And this being true, why would any Christian expect open arms from any government, whether you work for it or not?
The Prophet Daniel worked for three different pagan governments; he served faithfully and honorably to the Kings. And in doing so, Daniel also honored God.
Our faith, if we are true to it in the public square as well as in private, has implications and effects for the good for all society.

Though we are imperfect, God's grace is not; and if we serve Him faithfully, He will dispense His grace through us.

Trying to cozy up to the government is probably the worst thing the Christian Church could ever do; it is always bad for the Church.
Throughout history, when the Church and State gets together on the same page, the Church always loses → her holiness, her integrity, her honoring of God.
The Church should never, and I mean never, be thought of as the 'morality police.' 
We cannot and will not win anybody to Jesus Christ by appearing as if we are looking for things they do wrong so that we can condemn them and tell them how bad they are.

Trust me, most people already know how bad they are; we don't need to be told again.
What people need...it's grace.

And grace is love in action towards those who are different than you.

The great theologian John Calvin understood Biblical principals as good or better than any person of his time.
Yet, even Calvin, when he ruled Geneva, succumbed to legalistic rules rather than the freedom of grace.
The Puritans did the same thing, as does any society where the Church and the Government are in a tight relationship; for, gradually it will destroy Christ's message of grace toward all people.

For example, in Germany, Christians initially welcomed Hitler as 'God-sent.'
He said all the right things, did all the right deeds and promised to help those whom the Church had been aiding for generations.

By the time it was too late to reverse themselves, their leaders had become seduced by the power of the State; and while there were a handful of strong men who took to the pulpits to condemn Nazi Germany, most simply approved the Nazi regime from the platform.

You see, the problem with marrying Church and State is that the Government must always make Jesus' commands law so that people will externally comply.
By making laws to force outward actions, this strikes at the very core of what grace is suppose to do, which is change us inwardly so that our outward actions aren't forced but an action we want to do in honor of God out of obedience.

One County Clerk in one county in Kentucky is not going to change the landscape of Christian thought on the issue of obedience to conscience as opposed to obeying the order of the Supreme Court.
But it does prick the mind and heart of every Christian as to where we will personally draw the line; the line we will not cross.

On a personal note, I believe as stated above that Kim Davis is being used by both sides of the debate; all the while, I do believe her conviction of conscience is true and honorable.
Having said that, also read this week where a Muslim stewardess is under fire because she refuses to sell alcohol on flights; to her, it violates her faith and is a matter of conscience.

These women have the same issue, and if we are truly honest, the answer for both is the same.
My thought - neither should be forced to do a job that violates their conscience with regards to their faith.
You see, one can buy alcohol from another stewardess just as easy as a homosexual couple can go to another county and purchase a marriage license - and that's what should have happened because America is a great nation, but in this nation, sometimes we all have to give a little to keep it all together.

But my friend, even if you don't agree with me, that's OK.
Yet, we have learned with all issues among brothers/sisters in the Lord, calmer voices in Biblical Theology will always prevail over shouting preachers.

Please remember that the next time you're confronted with someone who is different than you, thinks different and acts different.
The reason is because it takes no grace to love someone just like yourself; but God will extend grace through us all to others who need it IF we seek to be willing vessels.

And maybe, just maybe, God will use us to demonstrate that the Gospel is still 'Good news.'

Until next time, win one for the good guys.