Biblical Perspective on "Government Welfare"

Scripture teaches...

"If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land’" (Deuteronomy 15:7–11).

Government welfare in the United States today is incredibly tragic. Superficially intended as a means to provide financial assistance to those in need, protect children and elderly, compensate for unemployment, and combat poverty, welfare programs first instituted by Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) in 1935 and more notably expanded upon by Lyndon B. Johnson (D) in 1965 have done nothing more than enslave millions of Americans to financial bondage, perpetuate generational poverty, promote entitlement, expectation and lack of accountability, and essentially destroy the nuclear family unit. The challenge is that while the concept of welfare is Biblically supported, it has transformed over time into a governmental responsibility which has minimized Christian ministries from being the main source for meeting needs and promoting personal accountability. If anything, the Covid-19 pandemic currently plaguing our nation's psyche has proven this point emphatically. We have learned firsthand over the past 7-months that U.S. citizens are far more dependent on the government for help in times of need than the church of Jesus Christ; and that Christian churches, subject to the government authority, are virtually powerless to keep their doors from closing via executive orders by state governors. Therefore, what need is there for churches in times of crisis? There once was a period in our nation's history when Christianity was the guiding light of social reform and pastors organized peaceful protests and boycotts, enduring persecution, harassment, beatings, imprisonment and even death in order to enact positive change. Unfortunately, that season has long passed and a spiritually lost generation dependent on handouts via unwarranted demands, reparations, violent protests, looting and riots has brought us to the brink of disaster in our nation. Make no mistake, we essentially sold our birthright for a bowl of soup when we allowed government welfare programs to supplant personal responsibility and Christian ministry in our nation, and we are now reaping the consequences of our actions tenfold.

"Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, 'Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!' Jacob said, 'Sell me your birthright now.' Esau said, 'I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?' Jacob said, 'Swear to me now. So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright" (Genesis 25:29–34).

Keep in mind, giving is a foundational tenet of Christianity modeled by God Himself. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:16–17). Therefore, as born-again, Bible-believing followers of Christ, we are called to give to others in the same way God gave His Son as a ransom for our salvation. There is simply no greater example of love in this world than the love of Jesus, and our emulation of His example plays out in our ability to not only identify needs or call others to action, but personally take it upon ourselves to meet those needs with purposeful intent, directly at the source of the problem with immediate urgency and no personal glory in return, per Scripture's instructions. 

"If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:15–17).

"Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Matthew 6:2–4).

"Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:6–7).

The Bible is abundantly clear. We are called by God to lead the charge in our communities and help meet the needs of those less fortunate than ourselves by doing ministry together and serving others. Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:13–16). Why then are we abandoning our responsibility to care for one another by substituting our divine call to action for government intervention which does not necessarily share our personal theology of the Bible as absolute truth? Jesus taught, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s" (Mark 12:17). Therefore, the welfare of our nation is best served when the body of Christ accepts personal responsibility, implanted in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, to love one another in submission and obedience to God without reservation. Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34–35). Granted, there may be dire circumstances when greater collective effort is necessary to help others temporarily rather than permanently, of which the government can assist if needed (i.e. pandemic, natural disaster, terrorist attack, etc.). However, the government is ultimately NOT our savior in any way, shape or form. ONLY Jesus Christ saves. 

What we must remember in the universal debate is that government welfare should be the exception, not the rule. The problem with the state of welfare in America is that far too many subsidies are provided without personal accountability or consideration for the detrimental effects welfare has on the back end. In other words, as Kim Holmes of The Heritage Foundation wrote in his book, Rebound: Getting America Back To Great, "The welfare state… substitute[d] a check for a father, a social worker for a caring mother or grandmother, and a slew of civil rights organizations for the neighborhood church." In some cases, it is more financially beneficial for a working, single-mother NOT to get married to avoid any risk of losing financial incentives based upon the federal poverty line threshold. Consider the example chart below provided by the Heritage Foundation concerning the financial opportunities available, free of charge, through publicly-funded, U.S. government welfare programs in 2015 to a single-mother of two school-age children, working full-time year-round (52-weeks), and making minimum wage ($7.25/hour).

Based on this example, why would any single-mother decline the financial provision/temptation before her and forfeit 3.5X her annual salary in additional welfare benefits by getting married or working to pull herself above the federal poverty line? Getting married and providing children with a proper foundation of both parents in the home essentially forfeits government protection and subsidies! Unfortunately, situations like these are all too common today which is why according to the CDC, the percentage of black babies born to unwed mothers rose from 11% when New Deal welfare programs began in 1935 to 70% in 2018 (white babies born to unwed mothers increased from 3% to 28% over the same time period). Whether intentional or unintentional, the welfare system has destroyed the nuclear family especially in the black community, and its carnage is widespread across inner-cities with teen pregnancy, abortion, gang violence, crime, substance abuse, prison incarcerations, child obesity, child abuse, behavioral issues, and school drop outs running rampant, thus subjecting children to continued poverty and misfortune (as noted by the National Fatherhood Initiative). 

Without fathers present and active in the home, children are left to fend for themselves with little to no boundaries, discipline or moral example to sharpen their character and countenance. Women simply cannot be expected to shoulder the weight of being both mother AND father to their children. Unfortunately, that does not seem to matter today because the government has replaced a father's provisional role for his family. Moreover, it has allowed fathers to wash their hands of any moral obligation to shepherd their families spiritually and model hard work, determination, personal accountability, love, respect, etc. However, Scripture warns, "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8). Moreover, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Therefore, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). Love begins in the home, but without fathers present a child is robbed of the tools necessary to avoid sin and temptation in this world and live for righteousness. Granted, fathers present in the home are not a guarantee for success (one can be physically present but emotionally or spiritually absent), but they emphatically increase the opportunity for success by committing to love, serve and provide for their families "till death due us part" in the Biblical covenant of marriage.

The apostle Paul wrote, "But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs" (1 Timothy 6:8–10). Sadly, fathers have been reduced to mere commodities by the government and substituted for love of money, so why would they desire to provide for their families when the government has stepped in and become the "sugar daddy" in the home? The problem with government welfare is that it does not fix the problem. It merely puts a band-aid on poverty and creates a more dire situation of fatherlessness in the home. Moreover, welfare predominately perpetuates generational welfare because the system has enslaved people to government subsidies as a means to help make ends meet, not truly solve the problems plaguing those in poverty. Granted, there are ample welfare opportunities available, but unfortunately the majority of those come by making a deal with the devil. In other words, there is a trade off where personal responsibility and marriage are substituted for financial assistance. However, the end result is not prosperity but bondage. Welfare programs are not designed to help transition someone from lower class to middle class economically (and certainly not upper class). The majority of those on welfare STAY on welfare. Why? Because welfare provides just enough to keep its constituents loyally faithful for political gain (i.e. +90% of blacks vote Democrat), and entitlement is a powerful tool when recipients (of ALL ethnicities) are trained to believe society owes them something to compensate for their poverty. Consider the perspective of Walter E. Williams, professor of economics at George Mason University and a distinguished leader in the black community from his article, Before and After Welfare Handouts, for further review. 

"Before the welfare state, charity embodied both a sense of gratitude on the behalf of the recipient and magnanimity on the behalves of donors. There was a sense of civility by the recipients. They did not feel that they were owed, were entitled to or had a right to the largesse of the donor. Recipients probably felt that if they weren’t civil and didn’t express their gratitude, more assistance wouldn’t be forthcoming. In other words, they were reluctant to bite the hand that helped them. With churches and other private agencies helping, people were much likelier to help themselves and less likely to engage in self-destructive behavior. Part of the message of charitable groups was: 'We’ll help you if you help yourself.'

Enter the federal government. Civility and gratitude toward one’s benefactors are no longer required in the welfare state. In fact, one can be arrogant and hostile toward the “donors” (taxpayers), as well as the civil servants who dish out the benefits. The handouts that recipients get are no longer called charity; they’re called entitlements — as if what is received were earned."

Bottom-line, it is imperative we (the body of Christ) strive to MINIMIZE government welfare and MAXIMIZE personal involvement aimed at spiritual welfare. For if we truly desire to make a difference in our communities, we must be willing to invest OUR time, OUR attention, and OUR resources by partnering with ministries devoted to meeting temporary needs, not permanent dependency on government subsidies. The whole point of ministry is to show people we truly care about their well-being by helping in whatever way we can to foster a healthy relationship, which in turn allows us opportunity to speak truth in love and point them to the Gospel of Jesus Christ where true heart transformation begins. That should always be our ultimate goal concerning welfare. But as long as government welfare replaces the need for church involvement, people will remain enslaved in their circumstantial poverty with no eternal hope, because true peace and contentment comes only through Christ, not the world. Jesus said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19–21). Therefore, if we selfishly look out for our own benefit with no consideration for the welfare of others, is our faith in Christ even genuine and real? Scripture warns, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like" (James 1:22–24).

In the end, the welfare debate is far more about the body of Christ stepping up and being the hands and feet of Jesus to a lost and hurting world than lobbying for legislative policy reform. Are changes needed to reduce our government's involvement in order to truly fix the problems plaguing Americans and blacks in particular? Yes. Should Christians get more involved in the political arena to ensure those changes are made. Absolutely. However, our involvement in welfare cannot begin and end with the government maintaining full autonomy, control and responsibility to combat poverty. Scripture reminds us, "For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land'" (Deuteronomy 15:11). Therefore, we must realize that our God-given purpose to meet the needs of those around us is not a burden but a privilege, and we must hold one another accountable as brothers and sisters in Christ to come together within ministerial and philanthropic organizations to eradicate the need for government welfare altogether. Success begins on the home front, most importantly, and we must do everything we can to resolve fatherlessness and help others see the necessity, blessing and freedom of Biblical marriage, which will not solve poverty altogether but dramatically shift the tide where personal responsibility and accountability are esteemed and children are given the foundation they need to be successful. However, true success in life is dependent on one thing, and that is complete surrender to God's authority and obedience to His Word by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. In other words... 

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:15–17).

Biblical Perspective on "Morality In Voting"

The apostle Paul wrote...

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way" (1 Timothy 2:1–2).

How should Christians vote? It is an important question with varying opinions across the political aisle, especially heading into a contentious presidential election less than 3-weeks away in the United States. At the moment, Republicans and Democrats could not be more polarized on almost every major issue, but surprisingly, many Christians support legislation which blatantly contradicts Biblical morality. Why? In many cases, the church has become its own worst enemy based on the watering down of God's Word over time by pastors more committed to preaching what people WANT to hear rather than what they NEED to hear. "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Timothy 4:3–4). Indeed it is increasingly difficult to find churches today willing to proclaim the truth of God's Word in its entirety without apologizing for what it says on sensitive, cultural issues. Unfortunately, the riches of this world (i.e. money, power, fame, etc.) have poisoned the minds of far too many pastors who are committed to appeasing the masses by minimizing Scripture in favor of personal opinion, and thus avoiding or justifying controversial topics such as abortion, homosexuality, gender identity, gay marriage, premarital sex, etc. Therefore, should it surprise us so many self-proclaimed Christians are unwilling to defend the Bible because they either don't know what it says or have been taught to justify sin? Moral laziness has created cancerous ambiguity in the church where all truth is open to personal interpretation and the lines between right and wrong are severely blurred. In turn, far too many Christians are either ignorant or misinformed on morality, and thus head into voting polls across the United States basing their decisions on empty promises vs. track records and candidate personality vs. which policies they endorse, all while maintaining a shallow understanding of absolute truth from God's perspective in the process.

Let us be clear: God is NOT affiliated with any political party. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8–9). From the Bible's perspective, morality is a far greater priority and concern to God than anything else because it provides a clear distinction between sin and righteousness. Morality is simply the principles which define our personal doctrine in life regarding how we discern right from wrong. As Christians, we believe morality is defined by the sovereignty (supreme power and authority) and inerrancy (without error) of God's Word. For "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Therefore, if the Bible is absolute truth without error, one can trust its supreme authority to impart wisdom on moral dilemmas. If we consider the laundry list of political issues facing our country, there is no shortage of opinions on both sides of the aisle regarding the economy, unemployment, welfare, education, health care, foreign policy, national security, immigration, gun control, environmental concerns, the role of government, etc. However, are any of these topics behavioral issues of morality where one party is completely for and the other entirely against? Absolutely not! Both parties value each one of these issues. They merely interpret them differently and offer varying solutions regarding the path to positive change. What we must remember is there is a distinct difference between right and wrong from a moral perspective compared to a difference of opinion politically. How then does the Bible define morality?   

"There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers" (Proverbs 6:16–19).

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19–21).

Notice that each of the sin issues listed above are behavioral in nature, which means we have the ultimate choice in the matter. Make no mistake, Biblical morality (right vs. wrong) has already been clearly defined by God, for there is no gray area or exception clause when it comes to sin. Granted, there are myriads of popular justifications people use to avoid personal responsibility, ranging from "God made me this way!" to "That's not a sin!" and everything in between. In the end, excuses simply appease our fleshly desires. However, recognizing (I see it), acknowledging (I see it as sin) and owning (I see it as MY sin) is the path to redemption and restoration with God if we surrender our lives to Christ alone in obedience to His Word. Therefore, we must discern how our personal doctrine of morality stacks up against Scripture and choose accordingly in our civic duty of voting based on how political candidates align themselves morally. Now while morality can be argued to be an essential ingredient in virtually any topic or social issue, the most obvious examples of a complete divide in morality within American politics centers around abortion, same-sex marriage, and trans/cisgender identity, which Republicans vehemently oppose and Democrats passionately support. What then does the Bible teach on these issues?

ABORTION: "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13).

ABORTION: "There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood" (Proverbs 6:16–17).

ABORTION: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5).

ABORTION: "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well" (Psalm 139:13–14).

HOMOSEXUALITY: "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination" (Leviticus 18:22).

HOMOSEXUALITY: "For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error" (Romans 1:26–27).

HOMOSEXUALITY: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality" (1 Corinthians 6:9).

MARRIAGE: "But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate" (Mark 10:6–9).

MARRIAGE: "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous" (Hebrews 13:4).

GENDER IDENTITY: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27).

GENDER IDENTITY: "A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 22:5).

GENDER IDENTITY: "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:18–20).

There are more examples that could be cited for each topic, but the simple fact is that God is painstakingly clear where He stands on these issues. There is simply no ambiguity or exception clause available to justify what God defines as sin. Consequently, according to David Closson of the Family Research Council in his article, Biblical Principles for Political Engagement: Worldview, Issues and Voting, the moral dilemma Christians face is crystal clear if people would simply filter their personal opinions through the pages of Scriptures for discernment, wisdom and clarity.

"Neither political party is a Christian party in the sense that every policy position they advocate for lines up perfectly with the Bible. In fact, there are numerous policy issues on which the Bible does not speak. On issues such as these, Christians should debate charitably and extend liberty toward one another on points where they disagree. 

However, it is also true in recent years that the two major political parties have adopted clear positions on moral issues on which the Bible does speak. For example, on the issues of abortion and human sexuality, the parties are now on opposite ends of the spectrum. For Christians who privilege the authority of Scripture over that of any political party, it is tragic that any candidate for public office would hold (and in some cases even champion) positions on issues that disregard and flaunt God’s unchanging moral law. For the sake of intellectual honesty, it is important to recognize that the Republican party has generally embraced policy positions on abortion and human sexuality that are consistent with Scripture, while the Democratic party has embraced positions on these issues that are at odds with Scripture."

It is also important we understand what role love plays in the political debate of morality. The apostle Peter wrote, "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:7–8). It is imperative we recognize that while love truly covers a multitude of sins, it does NOT excuse or justify sin. What Peter implores is that Almighty God will administer justice toward sinners on judgment day. "For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' So then each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:10–12). Therefore, we are called this side of heaven to love our neighbors not by justifying their sin, but pointing them to the saving power of Jesus Christ and His Word so they have a proper foundation for morality in God's sight. For we hold no power in and of ourselves to change the hearts of others. Only God through the power of His Word can open the eyes of the blind so they begin to recognize their depravity and need for eternal salvation. Therefore, our objective is simply to love, serve, forgive, show grace, mercy and patience, and live peaceably with one another. In other words, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all" (Romans 12:14–18). 

Keep in mind, it is never easy to endure hostility and oppression at the hands of friends, family, and the public at large who support agendas clearly contradictory to Holy Scripture (hence my post last week on The Intolerance of Tolerance). Persecution will surely come if we publicly display the courage to boldly proclaim God's Word is absolute truth, because people do not want to accept personal accountability for their thoughts and actions. Rather, they desire complete freedom and autonomy to live however they choose without consequences or having to justify their actions before God. Therefore, as Christians, "Remember the word that I (Jesus) said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me" (John 15:20–21). Nonetheless, we are called to defend righteousness by fulfilling our civic duty to vote according to the moral precepts of the Bible, and especially those where God clearly defines specific social issues as sin. We must also pay particular attention to the issues which political candidates and/or parties position themselves 100% opposite from one another (i.e. abortion, same-sex marriage, gender identity, etc.). Therefore, with prayerful wisdom and discernment, we must embrace our responsibility as American citizens and born-again, Bible-believing followers of Jesus Christ to prioritize issues of morality first and foremost when we cast our ballots and elect government leaders, choosing wisely in order to glorify God and honor His Word by our vote. For Scripture solemnly warns, "When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan" (Proverbs 29:2). Therefore, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!" (Psalm 33:12).  

Biblical Perspective on "The Intolerance of Tolerance"

The apostle Paul wrote...

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all" (Romans 12:14–18).

This past week a young man sent me a message after reading the last six personal reflections I've written pertaining to Biblical Perspectives on cultural ideologies gaining momentum in the United States. He began his message stating, "I love you and your family. I hope you know that," but then proceeded to criticize me, determining with minimal explanation that my views were "hateful and hypocritical." His reasoning? "The fact that you can dismiss issues such as 'white supremacy' is extremely disturbing. The fact that you can support a president who spreads messages of hate is hypocritical. I'm liberal. I will always choose the side of acceptance and love." Needless to say I was surprised by his judgmental message while simultaneously proclaiming himself universally loving and accepting. I rarely speak to this individual, so there has been very little dialogue through the years to warrant such claims or make knowledgeable accusations against me or my family. Nonetheless, I calmly responded with one simple question, "May I ask what your stance is on the Bible?" He replied, "My stance is I don't really believe in it. I side with scientists, journalists, facts... I think you and your family live in a bubble that is not reflective of the real world. You can believe what you want though. It's what makes this country so great. But keep your hateful rhetoric to yourself. I'm done seeing it." Now accusing me and my family of living in a bubble is obviously intended to be an insult against our Christian faith and the Bible. However, as followers of Christ, we refuse to apologize for filtering our lives in obedience and submission to the absolute truth of God's Holy Word, because God sent His Son to die on our behalf and save us eternally. Therefore, if someone attempts to label me and/or my family as "narrow-minded," I prefer it be Biblically accurate according to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount teaching. "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13–14).

To set the record straight, neither "white supremacy" nor any reference to "President Donald Trump" can be found in the last six blog posts I've written. A quick word search on my webpage verifies this fact. Therefore, what is this young man's outrage based upon and why is he persecuting me (and my family) for my exposition of cultural, hot-button issues from a Biblical perspective? Am I not allowed freedom of speech as a U.S. citizen to examine social issues from the lens of God's Word and respectfully argue the validity or lack thereof pertaining to cultural rhetoric from a conservative point of view? Nevertheless, I will address the judgmental stereotype in question to clarify the argument made against me. For proper context, white supremacy is commonly defined as the belief that white people are superior to those of all other races, especially blacks, and should dominate society. However, I have stated in multiple posts that according to Scripture, God has made us ALL equal in His image, for we are born with the same ethnicity derived from Adam and Eve, regardless of the amount of melanin in our skin. Keep in mind, "race" is not a Biblical term but cultural, because the Greek word for "nation" in Acts 17:26 is "ethnos" from which we derive the word "ethnicity" in our English language. "And he (God) made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place" (Acts 17:26). Moreover, as born-again believers, we are saved and united with Christ through His death, burial and resurrection. Therefore, Scripture declares, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). 

Where, then, is this accusation of white supremacy originating from and why is President Trump being thrown into the conversation when I have never made reference to him in anything I've written. It would appear the "Trump" reference was intended as an insult to either label me (and the President) as white supremacists or accuse us both of supporting KKK/neo-Nazi/etc. extremists. What purpose does that serve, though, when it is completely false and essentially hate speech made against me (and the President) to silence our respective views? I have certainly written extensively on the dangerous rhetoric of "whiteness/white privilege" used to promote ethnic hatred and white guilt in our nation by many left-wing liberal progressives who proclaim the United States is systemically racist. However, many highly respected, intellectual leaders within the black community wholeheartedly reject white privilege ideology altogether, which I have cited extensively in my posts. The problem is victimization rhetoric propagated by liberal progressives has plagued our country since The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed and Great Society programs legislated and implemented by former President Lyndon B. Johnson, which enslaved blacks to the Democratic party through welfare subsidies, essentially destroying the nuclear family unit within black homes. However, having an open dialogue about such issues in our country 56 years later is apparently prohibited by radical social justice advocates, because simply questioning the validity of social justice rhetoric has now been reclassified by the left-wing as endorsing white supremacy. It is a convenient weapon used to deflect responsibility, silence opposition, and gain sympathy and support, exemplified by the personal attack made against me. Consequently, it proves a greater point regarding the ridiculous demand for neutrality and impartiality in our country today by liberal progressives.

My personal example from this week echoes a topic I've been passionate about for years but have not had the opportunity to expound upon in great detail. However, it would appear now is the appropriate time to articulate and examine, "The Intolerance of Tolerance." It is quite the paradox at first glance and utterly confusing without careful consideration. How can tolerance be intolerant? Well, we must first recognize that tolerance requires disagreement. We do not tolerate people we agree with, but rather those we disagree with. There is a difference of opinion present that an opposing party is unwilling to relinquish, therefore tolerance is necessary to maintain civility, respect and freedom of speech and expression. Where tolerance has veered off-track is via the post-modern REDEFINITION of tolerance as the acceptance of all values, all beliefs, all lifestyles, and all truth claims as equal. Therefore, non-Christians are quick to label Bible-believing, born-again followers of Christ as intolerant for making judgment calls on issues such as homosexuality, abortion, marriage, premarital sex, fatherlessness, etc. Why? Because for post-modernists, their redefinition of tolerance (in actuality) requires Bible-believing Christians accept their position and reject Scripture's teachings even though, in theory, their redefinition should value and respect Biblically-based opinions as equivalent to their own. However, how can a follower of Christ be intolerant if the post-modern definition of tolerance requires that all values, beliefs, lifestyles and truths are equal? Is the Bible somehow not a system of belief protected under the relative neutrality/impartiality banner of post-modern tolerance?

The truth of the matter is that from the perspective of left-wing liberals, tolerance is reserved for everything and everyone EXCEPT Christians who unapologetically stand on the absolute truth of Scripture as their theological foundation of morality. In other words, as Christians, because we don't accept their ideology, we are the exception to their rules and labeled intolerant. However, if post-modernists are unwilling to accept our viewpoint as equally valid to theirs, are they not being intolerant in the face of their so-called tolerance? In other words, that is the true paradox of "the intolerance of tolerance" opponents of the Bible refuse to recognize. Consequently, Scripture warns, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Timothy 4:3–4). Bottom-line, the true problem of the post-modern redefinition of tolerance is that all focus and attention is placed on the acceptance of IDEAS rather than PEOPLE, which is what makes it illogical and intolerant to begin with. Common sense tells us not all ideas are created equal. Some are right, some are wrong. Some are better, some are worse. Some are foolish and some are incredibly dangerous. Therefore, we must hold to the true definition of tolerance, as described by Gregory Koukl, renowned author, speaker and president of Stand To Reason in his article, The Intolerance of Tolerance, which rejects the post-modern vantage point of tolerance which is self-serving to their agenda. 

"There is a modern myth that holds that true tolerance consists of neutrality. It is one of the most entrenched assumptions of a society committed to relativism. The tolerant person occupies neutral ground, a place of complete impartiality where each person is permitted to decide for himself. No judgments allowed. No "forcing" personal views. Each takes a neutral posture towards another's convictions.

This approach is very popular with post-modernists, that breed of radical skeptics whose ideas command unwarranted respect in the university today. Their rallying cry, "There is no truth," is often followed by an appeal for tolerance. For all their confident bluster, the relativists' appeal actually asserts two truths, one rational and one moral. The first is the "truth" that there is no truth. The second is the moral truth that one ought to tolerate other people's viewpoints. Their stand, contradictory on at least two counts, serves as a warning that the modern notion of tolerance is seriously misguided.

Historically, our culture has emphasized tolerance of all persons, but never tolerance of all behavior. This is a critical distinction because, in the current rhetoric of relativism, the concept of tolerance is most frequently advocated for behavior: premarital sex, abortion, homosexuality, use of pornography, etc. People ought to be able to behave the way they want within broad moral limits, the argument goes.

Ironically, though, there is little tolerance for the expression of contrary ideas on issues of morality and religion. If one advocates a differing view, he is soundly censured. The tolerance issue has thus gone topsy-turvy: tolerate most behavior, but don't tolerate opposing beliefs about those behaviors. Contrary moral opinions are labeled as "imposing your view on others." Instead of hearing, "I respect your view," those who differ in politically incorrect ways are told they are bigoted, narrow-minded, and intolerant. 

Most of what passes for tolerance today is not tolerance at all, but rather intellectual cowardice. Those who hide behind the myth of neutrality are often afraid of intelligent engagement. Unwilling to be challenged by alternate points of view, they don't engage contrary opinions or even consider them. It's easier to hurl an insult--'you intolerant bigot'--than to confront the idea and either refute it or be changed by it. 'Tolerance' has become intolerance.

True tolerance doesn't require we treat all ideas as equally valuable, but that we treat all people as equally valuable."

In other words, there should be no presumption that all ideas are equal because tolerance by definition requires respectful disagreement. Ideologies have and will always ebb and flow throughout the course of time, which is why the emphasis of tolerance must be placed exclusively on PEOPLE as equally valuable, not ideas. In doing so, we can choose to "agree to disagree" and still love and accept one another as unique human beings made in the image of God, regardless of ethnicity, gender, lifestyle, religion, etc. In turn, it frees us all from promoting ethnic hatred and labeling one another as racists, haters, bigots, xenophobes, homophobes, sexists, etc., and causing further division, animosity and dissension by twisting popular, cultural language into weapons (i.e. black lives matter, defund the police, systemic racism, social justice, white privilege, etc.) However, will left-wing liberals tolerate Bible-believing followers of Christ and allow us the freedom to debate our position freely without being labeled as intolerant? Or will their intolerance of their own post-modernistic redefinition of tolerance continue to persecute the church of Jesus Christ per their own self-righteous justification? Again, Greg Koukl offers this phenomenal video summary to help clarify the current, cultural debate regarding tolerance between left-wing liberals and the Bible-believing church of Jesus Christ. Please watch...

[CLICK HERE] if video does not load.

In the end, Scripture has the final word for those who profess themselves as followers of Christ, which is a stern reminder for Christians to resist emulating the pattern of this world. For this world is not our home, therefore the rules by which our culture operates will never be fair or just towards Christians. However, that is not our ultimate concern. Our focus is on Paul's admonition to the church (Romans 12:14-18 listed above) which encourages us to live extraordinary lives of blessing rather than cursing, and forgiving others rather than holding contempt in our hearts. For we are all made in the image of Christ and bear His name to the world. "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:19–21). Therefore, let us recognize the war of words being used as weapons to bind the tongues of Christians in order to silence us from speaking truth in love to a fallen world bent on satisfying its fleshly desires. For the day will come when we will all stand before the judgment seat of almighty God, and no semblance of justification will save any man's soul if he has not already accepted Jesus Christ and His Holy Word (before he dies) by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8–9). Therefore, "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing" (James 1:22–25).

In closing, let us heed the words of Joshua who once said, "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15). For if living for righteousness means living in a bubble and resisting the temptations of this world, then we should all be eager to do so because God holds us accountable as His born-again children to live contrary to the pattern of this world so others would see our actions and glorify His Holy Name. Paul reminds us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2). Therefore, may we carefully consider what is at stake in our country regarding the intolerance of tolerance, and embrace trial and persecution for standing boldly on the authority of God's Word in the midst of post-modern opposition which labels us as intolerant extremists. To that end Jesus warns, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’" (Matthew 7:21–23).

Biblical Perspective on "Cultural Marxism"

The apostle Paul wrote... 

"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them" (Ephesians 5:11).

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15–16).

After writing Biblical perspectives on Black Lives Matter, Defund The Police, Systemic Racism, Social Justice, and White Privilege in previous posts, it is unquestionably clear the United States has spiraled downward at breakneck speed in 2020 at the hands of the liberal mob igniting rebellion. Protests, riots, looting and unprovoked violence have stained our streets, leaving many questioning what our response should be as Christians to the immense chaos and confusion surrounding. However, as the dust settles it is increasingly clear the silent killer hidden in the shadows and permeating the moral fabric of our country (like cancer) is an ideology most people do not understand but indirectly endorse without realizing it. Cultural Marxism is a term often identified in socioeconomic academia which liberal pundits reject as a far-right conspiracy theory. The left-wing is quick to dismiss it as an intellectual debate which should remain in higher education and devoid of political forums, deeming it inapplicable to the working-class man or woman. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Cultural Marxism encompasses dangerous ideologies such as critical race theory, radical social justice, black liberation theology, cultural hegemony, socialism, intersectionality, and white privilege, among others, which are nothing more than propaganda tools used by leftist, liberal media to desensitize the minds of every American citizen and create division among people groups. Scripture states, "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?" (James 4:1). In other words, would we ever recognize a silent threat if it was not brought to our attention? Common sense says, "No!" Therefore, it is imperative we identify cultural ideologies which wage war against the truth of God's Word to ensure all people, especially Christians, are properly educated on the impending dangers associated with such divisive and hateful rhetoric. Make no mistake, Cultural Marxism should be at the forefront of our consciousness, for we have succumbed to its tangled web of destruction far more than we realize, and have indoctrinated Marxist principles into the fabric of our educational system and the church of Jesus Christ to which we may never fully recover.

What many fail to realize is that "Cultural" Marxism seeks to answer and fix what "Classical" Marxism could not, as evidenced by Dr. Voddie Baucham, Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Zambia, in his January 3, 2019, lecture entitled, Cultural Marxism.

"Classical Marxism, as presented in Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto, is fundamentally an economic system created as a response to capitalism. Marx believed that the dialectical changes to the functioning of a society’s economy would determine its culture and politics. Capitalism is exploitation of the masses, according to Marx, and history is a series of struggles that lead to the inevitable fall of capitalism. Economic recessions and practical contradictions of a capitalist economy give rise to struggles that will eventually provoke a revolution among the working class. Capitalism will be overthrown, social institutions will be restructured, and the people will be freed from oppression.

Among the people’s oppressors stands religion. According to Karl Marx, religion serves as the opiate (drug) of the masses, allowing them to remain oppressed by the exploitation of capitalism. So, the oppressed masses must find it within themselves to overthrow religious systems as a prerequisite to overthrowing the political and economic systems.

Many Christians recognize classical Marxism as being antithetical to our beliefs. It is an ideology that is rooted in rabid atheism and principles that flatly contradict the clear teaching of Scripture. However, these same Christians are less clear in their understanding that cultural Marxism is also anti-Christian.

Cultural Marxism was birthed in an effort to explain why the inevitable revolution against capitalism envisioned by Karl Marx only occurred in limited instances. Followers of Marx determined that it is not the economy that will mobilize the masses to change a country’s social superstructures but the culture. As such, new theories and methods were created to accomplish Karl Marx’s revolution and the defeat of capitalism. Cultural Marxism seeks the same outcome as classical Marxism, but it relies upon different methods to accomplish these goals.

An Italian Marxist named Antonio Gramsci advocated an intellectual and cultural struggle wherein Marxists would increase class consciousness, teach their theories, critique history, and generally foster an anti-capitalist value system that counters the cultural hegemony. It was Gramsci who developed the theory of “cultural hegemony.” According to one sociologist, “Cultural hegemony refers to domination or rule maintained through ideological or cultural means. It is usually achieved through social institutions which allow those in power to strongly influence the values, norms, ideas, expectations, worldview, and behavior of the rest of society.”

In America, our cultural hegemony is defined as being white, male, heterosexual, cisgender (a person whose gender identity corresponds with that person’s biological sex), able-bodied, native-born Americans. Everybody who does not match these traits is classified as a minority and is a victim of the cultural hegemony established by white, male, heterosexual, cisgender, able-bodied Americans. Consequently, everybody who does not match these traits is necessarily at war with those who do because they are the ones in power—the privileged ones—who are oppressing everyone else by their very existence.

Gramsci’s cultural Marxism called not for an armed revolution, but a cultural revolution focused on overturning the cultural hegemony. He determined that this is best accomplished by controlling the “robes of society.” These are cultural influencers with power, such as judges, politicians, professors, and pastors. Gramsci believed that by empowering cultural Marxists in the institutions of the judiciary, government, schools, and churches, the masses could be mobilized to fight against the cultural hegemony—“the system.” This would be accomplished by cultural influencers promising to advocate for various groups of people who are oppressed by the hegemony.

Elsewhere, a group of German scholars known as the Frankfurt School developed another explanation for why Karl Marx’s envisioned revolution never occurred on a global scale. They determined that people were receiving so much information through mass media that they were being transformed from activists into passive recipients of information and ideology. They theorized that mass media had made people intellectually inactive and politically passive as they allowed mass-produced ideology and values to wash over them and to infiltrate their consciousnesses.

The Frankfurt School believed in leveraging the tools of mass media to mobilize the masses against the hegemonic system. One way of accomplishing this was to reduce everything to discussions of race, class, gender, and sex. People should be encouraged to view themselves as members of subgroups rather than part of a collective whole.

After World War I, the Frankfurt School left Germany and migrated to Switzerland in 1933. Two years later, they migrated to the United States. They entered New York in 1935 and became affiliated with Columbia University.

Today’s discussions about critical theory, political correctness, and multiculturalism are a result of the Frankfurt School. The tendency of the news media to subdivide America into groups and to reduce everything to discussions focused on race, class, gender, and sex is evidence of the Frankfurt School’s success in leveraging America’s mass media. Likewise, the acceptance of concepts like cultural hegemony, systemic racism, and white privilege are evidence of the success that followers of Gramsci’s ideology have had in America."

Dr. Baucham's explanation of what Cultural Marxism is, who pioneered it, and how it works, is critical to understanding why it is gaining traction and momentum in the United States, despite liberal intellectuals who are quick to dismiss it. "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Timothy 4:3–4). Per Gramsci, the "robes of society" are the means by which Cultural Marxism flourishes, because the power to educate future generations, influence personal doctrine, and change legislative/judicial policy rests primarily in the hands of professors, judges, politicians, teachers and pastors. Therefore, simplifying oppression through the lens of race, class, gender and sex by blaming cultural hegemony is the ultimate goal of Cultural Marxism in order to desensitize personal theology and indoctrinate the masses with Marxist ideological constructs. It encourages people to identify themselves and one another demographically, first and foremost, based on predetermined privilege and oppression in order to overthrow the preconceived cultural hegemony in favor of equal outcomes. In other words, the robes of society are the linchpins which allow Cultural Marxism to take root beneath the surface of society and flourish, as noted by Dr. Paul Krengor in his insightful article entitled, Marx at 200: Classical Marxism vs. Cultural Marxism.

"Both classical Marxists and cultural Marxists see history as a series of struggles that divide the world into hostile/antagonistic groups of oppressors and the oppressed. Both seek out victim groups as the anointed group that will serve as the redeemer group. The victim group becomes the agent for emancipation in ushering in the new and better world. The Marxist must always, then, be on the search for the victim class which, in turn, must always be made aware of its victimization. Its “consciousness” must be raised.

In classical Marxism, this was simple: the victim group was identified by class/economics. It was the Proletariat (i.e. working class). It was the factory worker. In cultural Marxism, this hasn’t been so simple, because the culture is always changing: the victim group is constantly being searched for anew by the cultural Marxist. The group one year might be women, the next year a new ethnic minority, the next year another group. Today, there’s a hard push by cultural Marxists to tap the “LGBTQIA-plus” movement as the championed victim group... This is where today’s Marxists in America are toiling hard. They are working diligently on the cultural front. That’s where they are confident they can finally take down Western civilization and its Judeo-Christian bedrock.

Thus, the new recruiting ground is the classroom floor, the campus, the university, the schools. That’s where the cultural workers who can usher in the fundamental transformation are being found. These modern cultural revolutionaries are succeeding magnificently in redefining everything from marriage and family to sexuality and gender. And most stunning of all, it’s the parents—many of them conservative Christians—who are paying for the grand indoctrination with their lifesavings. And 200 years henceforth, Karl Marx would be chuckling heartily at that irony."

Krengor offers a sobering analysis which should strike a cord in the heart of every conservative Christian in America, because WE ARE FUNDING cultural rhetoric which does nothing more than undermine the Biblical doctrine we profess. As born-again, Bible-believing, followers of Jesus Christ, we hold to the absolute truth and inerrancy of Scripture, yet we knowingly allow educational institutions the privilege of saturating the minds of our children with relative truth and post modernistic thinking. Why? Is public/private education more important and of greater priority, value and authority than God's Word? Keep in mind, Cultural Marxism is like a jigsaw puzzle. Individually, the puzzle pieces are seemingly insignificant and rarely offer a glimpse of the overall product. But once we begin putting the puzzle together and locking each component into another, we recognize how critical each uniquely-shaped piece is to the overall picture and what the sum of its parts truly reveals. Therefore, we must connect the dots and recognize how incredibly complex Cultural Marxism truly is, because it has morphed over time into a monstrous problem across primary schools, secondary education, colleges/universities, courtrooms, legislative/executive branches of government, companies, corporations, and even the church itself. "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:3). As ridiculous as it seems, even when Cultural Marxism is publicly exposed, as is the case with the Black Lives Matter organization founders, millions upon millions of people (including self-proclaimed Christians) continue to support, fund and endorse this radical ideology which is 100% UNBIBLICAL, strategically deceptive to elicit universal support, and seeks to destroy Judeo-Christian values altogether. Why?

What is so dangerous about Cultural Marxism is how easily it has penetrated and permeated throughout the American educational system, utilizing teachers as early as kindergarten on up to college professors to indoctrinate its philosophy, and liberal media outlets to propagate its agenda among the next-generation leaders of this country. Most notably, college campuses are now breeding grounds for rebellion, positioned as training centers for leftist indoctrination under the allusive banner of social justice in the classroom and freedom of expression in the face of Christianity. What does that look like though? For greater understanding, consider the perspective of Pedro Blas Gonzalez, author and Professor of Philosophy at Barry University, in his article entitled, Cultural Marxism, Antonio Gramsci, and The Frankfurt School, which addresses the motivation and goals of Cultural Marxism toward Christianity.

"At the heart of Marxism in the twentieth century, we encounter the work of social-engineers who insist that in order to destroy capitalism, it is necessary to influence the masses through their culture. This includes religious belief and family life. This also means that music, art, philosophy, sex, sports, agriculture, technology, health – education at every level – and the way that people communicate must become the target of Marxism. In other words, no aspect of human existence can be left out of the grasp of Marxism’s all-engulfing program. Spontaneity must be obliterated. All aspects of human existence must be made political. In this fashion, metaphysical and existential aspects of man are made to be filtered through a social-political prism. Marxism hopes to organize society by creating a priestly caste of elite intellectuals who rule over their subjects with bureaucratic planning. This is one reason why Marxism must castrate man’s appeal to God on a moral and spiritual basis. God is an obstacle in the creation of the new Marxist man. 

The lasting impact of the Marxist mind-set and worldview, what is in effect a brilliant intellectual application in doing the devil’s work, did not become consolidated in Western intellectual/academic circles until after World War II. This is the case because by World War I, communist techniques of terror had become effective tools of misinformation to discredit traditional Western thought, and the pining of everything evil to capitalist societies. Marxism’s hedge on cultural Marxism has gained traction through universities, education systems, weakening of Christianity and cultural institutions. This is ironic, especially when we consider that for people outside of Western universities, Marxism is thought of as an economic theory that has seen its influence squashed by the fall of communist regimes and their criminal legacy.

Antonio Gramsci is a seminal intellectual figure of international communism for several reasons. The one-time leader of the Italian Communist Party, Gramsci concentrated his energy not solely on theoretical and critical class warfare, but on culture. Gramsci was a tactical intellectual who presented Marxist theory with a broad and new venue to exploit its social-political ideology of power. 

Gramsci’s intellectual craftiness emphasized a theory, whereby Western popular culture, religion and values were to be attacked through the creation of what he, and Georges Sorel before him, called “historic blocs.” These historical blocs are in essence the weakening, and therefore the discrediting of traditional values. One particularly important target of Gramsci’s wrath was the Catholic Church. Gramsci studied the Catholic Church and was impressed with its impermeability as a traditional source of moral and spiritual guidance. He realized that to destabilize the dogma of the church from the inside would prove to be a major step forward in spreading Marxist ideology, where hitherto it could make no inroads from the outside. Gramsci’s call to re-educate people, whereby they become the “organic,” not-so-spontaneous grass roots movements that will do battle with bourgeois (middle-class) culture, has proven an effective way to foment envy and resentment in Western culture and institutions.

According to Gramsci, belief in God reinforces the bourgeois notion of the separation of classes. The latter sly of hand, he contends, is a powerful tool utilized by the ruling class. Gramsci’s thought and that of other communists cannot afford a free-thinking, that is, spontaneous conception of God that serves as the logos of the universe. According to Gramsci and his ideological cadre, belief in God is a dangerous delusion that works in the service of capitalism. With this understanding in hand, we are able to make better sense of one of the most fervent motivations today to discredit Christianity. Remaining true to the rhetorical premises of Marxism, Marxists contend that man’s notion of God, is just that, an idea. If belief in God is at best naïve, or a sinister mechanism devised by capitalism to oppress the masses, then it is necessary to discredit belief in order to re-focus man’s social-political energy on the here-and-now.

Whatever predicates man can conceive about God, crafty dialectical materialism negates by asserting man’s alleged alienation under capitalism. For instance, because Jesus was a man of love, Marxism capitalizes on this and uses it as a valuable tool in forging a new secular man. Marxism does not view Jesus as a person, but as a means for social-political gain. Why would the Marxist inspired death of God theology movement squander a golden opportunity to attack the existence of God and its manifestation in the historical Jesus?

Jesus, the God/man, is useful for cultural Marxism because it opens up the field of timely and fashionable inspirational figures ad nauseam. These can be political figures, intellectuals or popular culture icons. In effect, Marxism will tap into the utility-value of anyone who has a forum at their disposition.

Karl Marx gave the world Marxism, an ideology that evokes sensualism. As a pseudo-philosophy that venerates the-here-and-now, Marxism has currently a vociferous following of loyal zealots, mostly in universities. Today its cancerous sinews stretch to all aspects of life in Western democracies. Marxism brings out great fanaticism in those who value Marx as a supreme leader of the oppressed. Drawing adherents from the ranks of the hopelessly naive, rabid egomaniacs, social-political manipulators and agitators, as well as angry malcontents – in addition to irrational intellectuals – Marxism’s legacy is a form of base sensualism that exploits appearance at the expense of reality. Marxism’s systematic collapse of truth and human reality into appearance has played a vital role in damaging the psyche of Western man.

Marxism requires a militant and corrosive form of atheism in order to erode man’s existential inquietude. No longer are people allowed to dwell on their own bitterness, misfortunes and personal tragedies. According to Marxism, human suffering can no longer remain a private affair. Suffering and misery must be exploited for Marxism’s power grab. Marxism catapults human suffering into the realm of angry social-political opportunism. Atheism is today a potent worldview that enjoys intoxicating power over people."

In the end, we must carefully discern the rhetoric being developed behind the scenes which feeds Cultural Marxism throughout our country and targets the "robes of society." No longer can we ignore or refuse to acknowledge the rhetoric being propagated against the church of Jesus Christ which begins with indoctrinating our youth at an early age in public education classrooms to garner support through an oppression/victimization filter according to race, class, gender and sex. Scripture warns that judgment awaits those who deceitfully lead others astray to worship false idols and radical ideologies rather than Almighty God. In other words, "Let everyone beware of his neighbor, and put no trust in any brother, for every brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity. Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they refuse to know me, declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 9:4–6). Undoubtedly, there are people in this country who are legitimately oppressed and require justice be served to free them from equal opportunity suffrages (not equal outcomes). However, leveraging ethnic hatred by propagating systemic racism, radical social justice, and white privilege to fuel the fire solves nothing. It only creates further division and provokes dissension and animosity among people groups. Therefore, we must recognize and identify those who heap "deceit upon deceit" and guard our hearts and minds from indoctrinating Cultural Marxism into our personal doctrine. For false teachers will continue to lead others astray under the illusion of social justice by blaming others and championing victimization rather than personal accountability, but we must remain true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ which sheds light in dark places, exposes false teaching, propaganda, and cultural rhetoric, and frees those who are misled from the clutches of Satan's grasp.

"But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh" (Jude 17–23).

Biblical Perspective on "White Privilege"

The apostle Paul wrote...

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1–3).

There has been an immense amount of attention placed on white privilege in America over the past 4-months, which has spread like wildfire across social media platforms amidst the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement, and even divided the Christian church. It seems everywhere we turn, people are now repenting of their sin of being born white due to receiving infinite privileges not afforded to various ethnic groups, blacks in particular. Consequently, there is an urgency of sorts manifesting itself within the white demographic to appease the masses and avoid being labeled "racist" at all cost, even though radical social justice proponents have already declared with unquestionable certainty that America is unequivocally, systemically racist. Therefore, there is now a push for whites to over-compensate for their presumed lack of care, attention and support on socioeconomic issues (predetermined by secular culture as systemic) via (1.) becoming more "woke" (i.e. aware) regarding racism toward blacks; (2.) accepting full blame for universal injustices against blacks; and (3.) taking ownership to fix all socioeconomic problems impacting blacks systemically. The biggest problem, though, in the white privilege debate is that our culture now assumes systemic racism is ALWAYS at play, even though racism (i.e. ethnic hatred) and prejudice are attitudinal sin issues of the heart (not systems). "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds'" (Jeremiah 17:9–10). Granted, there are indeed policies and social reforms which need to be addressed throughout legislative and judicial branches of government to expand economic and social equality of opportunity for minorities. However, predetermining socioeconomic disparities are the direct result of racism and specifically, white privilege, is simply discriminatory, irresponsible, unproductive, hateful and dangerous to ALL races, including blacks.

Make no mistake, there are numerous instances where we are ALL guilty of sinning against man and God, but being born with varying degrees of melanin (i.e. pigmentation) in our skin is NOT one of them. Scripture reminds us, "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well" (Psalm 139:13–14). To determine our skin color or gender were somehow mistakes from birth is blasphemous to our Creator who made us in His own image. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27). Therefore, we should never apologize for or be ashamed of our race or gender, but recognize we are all equal under God as His children, "For God shows no partiality" (Romans 2:11). Therefore, God's Word declares, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). The sad fact is that self-proclaimed, anti-racists are the ones perpetuating guilt into the minds of far too many whites and holding their feet to the fire by labeling them racist without probable cause. Therefore, there is a psychological game of extortion taking place whereby whites are being emotionally blackmailed to support radical social justice initiatives and political, Marxist organizations such as Black Lives Matter in order to avoid suffering the consequences of negative publicity, backlash, protests, boycotts, looting, violence, persecution, and even death.

What is most surprising, though, is how easily swayed people have become to endorsing white privilege ideology, even though the United States population is quickly becoming more diverse year over year. Granted, any country's cultural identity will predominately mirror their racial majority based on population alone. However, according to U.S. census research provided by The Brookings Institution, over the past 40 years, America's population has become more culturally diverse as Whites decreased (-20%), Latinos increased +12%, Asians increased +4%, and Blacks increased +1%. The great irony is that regardless of how the U.S. population becomes more racially diverse, whites will always be labeled as privileged based on the past history of slavery (abolished 155-years ago) and segregation (abolished 56-years ago) in this country. However, radical social justice advocates DESPERATELY NEED whites to identify themselves, both formerly and presently, as racists who have attained immeasurable privilege through systemic means—handed down over time from generation to generation at the expense of innocent, oppressed blacks. Why? Because guilt is powerful motivator when yielded for personal gain, and whites have nothing to gain and everything to lose if they do not fall in the line with radical social justice demands. Therefore, it is imperative we recognize and expose those who use white guilt for political gain to promote ethnic hatred in our country. "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds" ( 2 Corinthians 11:13–15). 

Ironically, consider the perspective of Booker T. Washington, former slave and one of the greatest black leaders and educators of the 19th and 20th centuries, who in a speech delivered September 18, 1895, essentially cautioned against the perils of radical social justice theory (at the time, advocated by W.E.B. Du Bois who helped start the NAACP) which promotes ethnic hatred towards whites: 

Consider also the thoughtful perspective of John McWhorter, professor of linguistics, philosophy, American Studies, and music history at Columbia University in his article, Atonement As Activism, regarding the cultural dilemma whites now face:

"Over the past several years...whites across the country have been taught that it isn’t enough to understand that racism exists. Rather, the good white person views themselves as the bearer of an unearned “privilege” because of their color. 

This brand of self-flagellation has become the new form of enlightenment on race issues. It qualifies as a kind of worship; the parallels with Christianity are almost uncannily rich. White privilege is the secular white person’s Original Sin, present at birth and ultimately ineradicable. One does one’s penance by endlessly attesting to this privilege in hope of some kind of forgiveness.

The self-affirming part is the rub. This new cult of atonement is less about black people than white people. Fifty years ago, a white person learning about the race problem came away asking “How can I help?” Today the same person too often comes away asking, “How can I show that I’m a moral person?” That isn’t what the Civil Rights revolution was about; it is the product of decades of mission creep aided by the emergence of social media.

What gets lost is that all of this awareness was supposed to be about helping black people, especially poor ones. We are too often distracted from this by a race awareness that has come to be largely about white people seeking grace. 

Another problem is that I am not sure that today’s educated whites quite understand how unattainable the absolution they are seeking is. There is an idleness in this cult of atonement, in that it cannot get whites what they want. 

We have gone from most whites being unaware that racism was a problem for black people at all to whites being chilled to their bones at the possibility of harboring racism in their souls, terrified at the prospect of being singled out as a heretic, and forgetting that the indulgences they purchase and the praying they do for their souls has more to do with them than with anyone black and their problems. This is a white America in which the message has become garbled.

Whites today are in a hard place on this, I know. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. You’re taught that on race issues you are morally obliged to suspend your usual standards of logic. Faced with a choice between some benign mendacity (untruthfulness) and being mauled, few human beings choose the latter."

Make no mistake, cultural persecution has impacted ALL who stand in opposition to the false narrative of whiteness and white privilege, which includes many prominent, highly respected leaders in the black community who do not embrace victimization rhetoric, but vehemently reject it as justification that blacks are just as oppressed today (if not more) than before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, or even the abolition of slavery in 1865. These courageous men and women deserve utmost respect for rejecting the pressures of tribalism within the black community by educating and encouraging others to think clearly and intelligently concerning cultural narratives which oppose Biblical theology and strategically keep blacks enslaved for political gain. Scripture warns, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1), and we should be thankful to those who defend God's Word by speaking truth in love and exposing false prophets of black liberation theology, no matter the cost. Scripture affirms, "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18), which begins with simply exposing cultural lies and relative truths that do not align with Scripture, as noted by Darrell Harrison, Dean of Social Media at "Grace To You" ministries, and Virgil Walker, Discipleship Pastor at Westside Church in Omaha, Nebraska, from their outstanding podcast on Whiteness.

"How did we go in the span of one generation from (the black national anthem) 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' to (the negro spiritual) 'Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen'? This all points to the absurdity and shallowness of this whole idea of whiteness. Like the concept of 'race' itself, the concept of whiteness is just another invented, social construct that has absolutely no basis whatsoever in Biblical orthodoxy. 

I kind of liken it to someone who saunters into their kitchen at home, grabs a mixing bowl, adds a little Critical Race Theory along with a dash of Black Liberation Theology for taste, puts it in the oven, sets the temperature at 375-degrees for 30 minutes, and waits to see what comes out. That's exactly what this whiteness ideology is—namely, a recipe (if you will) for sinful division and hatred within the church and within the broader society. It is nothing more than a regurgitation of post-modernist, socio-cultural rhetoric that has been pontificated for decades by critical race theorists.

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is the view within social science that 'race,' instead of being biologically grounded and natural, is socially constructed, and that race as a socially constructed concept functions as a means to maintain the interests of the majority, white population that constructed it. According to CRT, racial inequality emerges from the social, economic and legal differences that white people create between races in order to maintain elite white interests in labor markets and politics, and as such, create the circumstances and structures that give rise to the poverty and criminality that exists in many minority communities.

CRT's combine progressive, political struggles for racial justice with critiques of the conventional, legal and scholarly norms which are themselves viewed as part of the illegitimate hierarchies that need to be destroyed. Critical race theorists reject the idea that race has a natural referent. Instead, for them, race is a product of social processes of power.

The idea of Black Liberation Theology (BLT) emerged during the second half of the 1960's when a small group of radical, black clergy began to reinterpret the meaning of the Christian faith from the standpoint of the black struggle for liberation in the United States. The main objective of BLT was to 'theologize' from within the black experience rather than be confined to duplicating the theology of Europe or white, North America. BLT represented the theological reflections of a radical, black clergy seeking to interpret the meaning of God's liberating presence in a society where blacks were being economically exploited and politically marginalized because of their skin color. 

In 1966, a group of 51 black pastors known as the 'national committee of black church men' bought a full page ad in the New York Times and demanded in that ad a more aggressive approach to eradicating racism. The statement, which was known as the 'black power' statement, echoed the demands of the black power movement, but the new crusade found its source of inspiration in the Bible. 

For each of these ideologies, CRT and BLT, the focus is on the temporal liberation of black people from the racist structures that exist in America and the demonizing of white people who are to blame for creating those structures, whatever those structures may be... These ideas, all of them (whiteness, CRT, BLT, etc.) are grounded in worldly, man-centered wisdom and not in the wisdom of God. They are worldly theories, worldly solutions, and worldly approaches that are not grounded in Scripture. 

In the final analysis, what proponents of CRT and BLT are attempting to do is use the divisive and sinful language of 'whiteness' to erect walls that Christ already tore down."

Harrison and Walker's exposition is incredibly valuable to properly understanding the cultural narrative and rhetoric surrounding white privilege ideology permeating our country. Unfortunately, both CRT and BLT have infiltrated the Christian church and little is being done to highlight their catastrophic impact and/or articulate how dangerous they are in shifting the conversation away from Biblical truth to politicize black victimization for liberals. That is why Scripture warns, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Timothy 4:3–4). Enlightening whites by propagating systemic racism through white privilege theory is what radical social justice advocates champion as the universal root of black oppression. Therefore, it is imperative we glean wisdom and perspective from those within the black community, such as Patrick Hall of Freedom's Journal Institute in his article, White Privilege, Black Fathers, who have resisted drinking the cultural Kool-Aid of radical social justice and systemic racism, and critically examined the white privilege argument to extract fact from fiction by articulating what some of the root causes of black suffrage truly are in America.

"It is not white privilege or racism that has retarded the aspirations of the black underclass, it is the lack of a stable family structure which teaches young men not to take responsibility for the women they impregnate (instead of being the useless sperm-donors that many of them have become). It is a lack of a work ethic that views entry level jobs beneath them, or chump work. It is labeling other blacks who are trying to get educated themselves as acting white…whatever the hell that means.

It is not learning or even caring how to present oneself in public. That, too, is labeled acting white by many in the black underclass. It starts with entire neighborhoods not learning simple civic behaviors like picking up garbage that litters the streets in most inner city communities. It is not white privilege, which stops underclass blacks from raising children in such a manner that they take responsibility for themselves. Instead, a victim mentality has entrenched itself in the thinking of blacks in the underclass—even blacks in upper income brackets sometimes display this latent victim mentality."

Shifting gears, what is most interesting in this entire cultural debate is how ironic the term, "white privilege," is from a Biblical perspective if we consider how the color "white" represents purity, holiness, God's forgiveness of sins, and eternal restoration.

"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool" (Isaiah 1:18).

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7).

The significance of these truths is that those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, regardless of ethnicity, have been washed by the blood of the lamb, purified by His death, burial and resurrection, born-again, and made alive in Christ. Therefore, the essence of "white privilege" from a Biblical perspective is the PRIVILEGE OF ETERNAL SALVATION through Christ alone, which purifies us from sin, rescues us from the clutches of hell, and presents us as righteous and holy before almighty God on judgment day—white as snow. "Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). Make no mistake, we do NOT have to embrace culture's definition of white privilege which creates ethnic division, permeates dissension, and promotes hatred. Rather, we can take back what the enemy has stolen and choose to REDEFINE "white privilege" as the blessing and honor given freely to every man, woman and child, regardless of ethnicity, who accepts Jesus Christ by grace through faith alone for his/her eternal salvation. White privilege does not have to be a derogatory term wielded as a racial weapon to promote hatred, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Rather, as Jesus proclaimed, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:36–37). Therefore, let us not be careless with the words we speak in order to avoid creating division and promoting hatred within the church and society at large. Let us instead consider Matthew 7:1-7 (Jesus' teaching on judging others) by guarding ourselves from focusing exclusively on the sins of others (i.e. speck) rather than identifying our own personal sins (i.e. plank) and need of redemption before God. For white privilege in God's economy is identifying ourselves as HOLY—washed by the blood of the lamb for the forgiveness of our sins REGARDLESS of ethnicity, not because of it.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:4–10).

POST REFLECTION: If this redefinition of white privilege has gripped your heart and opened your mind to the truth of God's transforming Word, please consider leaving a comment below and more importantly, sharing the link to this blog post with others across social media [CLICK HERE]. It is a critical message our nation needs to hear at this moment in time to promote ethnic healing, understanding and reconciliation among God's children and the world at large. For Jesus said...

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:14–16).