Rev. Don Campbell
When people turn their backs on the word of God, God will not force-feed them, nor will he send any new revelations to convince them. We see this principle at work in Paul’s final word to his Jewish brothers and sisters:
“The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet,
‘Go and say to this people:
When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them’” (Acts 28:23-28).
The pages of history are filled with people who once had access to the word of God, but who closed their ears to it; now, their countries are spiritual wastelands, with Northern Europe being a prime example.
We cannot count on governments, whether political or religious, to make sure that our children’s children will survive a famine of the word. First, it is not the role of civil government to teach the word.
Second, religious bureaucrats cater to the palate of easy-believism, preaching forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, in short, grace without the cross (Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, p. 47).
What then shall we do? Get on our knees in contrition and exercise our priestly privileges and responsibilities.
