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This Fourth of July Remember An Unchanging Christ

We live in a day of anxiety producing headlines. In a sense, that’s what the networks sell these days, anxiety. Of course, they have had it easy over the past few months. Covid-19 is the gift that keeps on giving (sarcasm intended), and just as it was losing its shock and awe effect, the neo-Marxists arise in their self-righteous zeal to topple anything and rename everything that gives Americans a sense of connection to their past.

For some this is ignorance, and a myopic view of history. But for others this is part of a broader scheme to eradicate not just the bad, but all the good accomplished by our forefathers. They want to lay a new foundation, and you can be sure there’s no place for Christ, and probably no place for religious liberty in their preferred utopian future.

As Christians, we remember that while God is the last to whitewash a sinful history; He uses it to teach those that follow, warn them, and lead them to faith in Christ.

The current generation seems to think that one dark blot is worth eradicating historical significance. Consider young people that see the statue of George Whitefield on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. They may ask, Who was he? What did he do? How did he do it?, etc. This could lead to many insightful and wonderful discoveries. But, the response of our generation of academics, leaders, and other slaves to political correctness? All you need to know is that he owned slaves. He’s a bad man. In fact, he’s so bad we don’t want you asking questions about him anymore. Let’s remove the statue of George Whitefield.

Yes, in case you hadn’t heard, the University of Pennsylvania is going to remove Whitefield’s statue. Hurrah for progress! One can’t help but wonder where this will all end.

As we enter the Fourth of July, it is a day to be humble and thankful. Was the revolution perfect? No. Did it establish something to be appreciated? Yes.

I was reading a Ronald Reagan speech from the early 1960s. He was speaking out against socialized medicine and said something that struck me:

“In this country of ours took place the greatest revolution that has ever taken place in world’s history — the only true revolution. Every other revolution simply exchanged one set of rulers for another. But here, for the first time in all the thousands of years of man’s relation to man, a little group of men, the Founding Fathers, for the first time, established the idea that you and I had within ourselves the God-given right and ability to determine our own destiny.”

He continued by calling upon citizens to pester their representatives and hold them to account—as I said in my sermon from Romans 13 two months ago—in relation to the matter of socialized medicine. And then he closed by saying:

“And if you don’t do this and if I don’t do it, one of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children, and our children’s children, what it once was like in America when men were free.”

This is a grieving thought, and 60 years on we are, perhaps, edging closer to such a day.

So what is our relief?

An unchanging Christ who preaches to us His unchanging gospel.

There are forces at work today to change America, and they may succeed. But they will not—and cannot—extinguish the kingdom of Christ. This is why, as we said on Wednesday evening, we boast in Him. While we want to avoid an over-pietistic view of our relationship with the world, when all is said and done, it will be our work for His kingdom that will stand the test of time.

So as we observe the Lord’s Table for the first time in four months, dear Christian, know that the King of kings has prepared a table of fellowship for you in the presence of His and our enemies. You are a citizen in His kingdom, and who shall separate you from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? None of them have any power against our sovereign Saviour.

Have you worries, fears, doubts, challenges? Bring them all to Jesus. And let us, as the Confession says, “spiritually, receive, and feed upon, Christ crucified, and all benefits of his death.”

Whatever the changing policies of men, whatever their view of the past, the nations belong to Christ. He is the One that possesses all power on earth, as well as in Heaven. Therefore, we boast in Him.

Happy Fourth of July!

Your friend and minister,

Armen


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