‘This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and say, “Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?”’ (v21) 2 Chronicles 7:19–22
In a tolerant society, disagreement is too quickly characterised as bigotry. Whilst we pride ourselves on the value of free speech, correctness can dumb down public discourse.
This presents a real and present danger for Christianity today. Yet, as Christians, living as temples of the Holy Spirit, God requires obedience to His Word.
It appears to be easier accommodating social and cultural norms than articulating areas of profound disagreement. But knowledge is always a product of diverse views engaging in open, honest, if robust, conversation. Conversation that is not biased by social media or special interest groups.
The greatest danger to true freedom is always when we fail to speak up about what we believe and why. Anyone engaged in public discourse can neither demand to control the public discourse nor insist on the exclusion of another’s voice on the basis of their preconceived understanding.
God warns us that we are to live God’s way in God’s world, and that includes how we act in public discourse. One reason revival waits is because we have lost our confidence in God and our competence to live by God’s promise alone. Is my temple anything more than rubble?
Related Scripture to Consider: Psa. 127; Dan. 3; Matt. 10:16–20; Acts 24:9–26.
An Action to Take: Prayer is expressed through our words and through our lives. Are we strong as God’s temples and making the case for the good news?
A Prayer to Make: ‘Lord, I want to live my life as a clear statement that our God reigns. Help me continually to maintain this temple of the Holy Spirit. Amen.’
Photo by Aleks Demidoff on Depositphotos
