We hear the word “revolution” a lot these days: religious revolution, moral revolution, sexual revolution, political revolution, scientific revolution, communication revolution, technological revolution and on and on. Our times are indeed filled with actual and profound revolutions, and none should be taken lightly.
Revolutions are revolts against something. Something perceived or known to be lesser is overthrown, put aside, or replaced. Such an overthrow can be good or bad. In either case, they arise to cause change, and therefore they have consequences. Such a revolt may be a spontaneous political outcry and uprising in the culture against evil and oppression, or it may be a long struggle against entrenched philosophies, or theologies that extort or oppress (Luther’s Protestant Reformation).
Revolutions can be positive and of good intent, although they may not always be understood as such in the beginning. But many revolutions are the work of an enemy who is determined to merely overthrow and destroy for their own personal gain and lust for power.
Our churches and our ministries are facing the world’s greatest era of revolution, and the
religious revolution of the last days is pivotal to the great revival promised us in scripture. However, I believe we are facing four serious matters that if left unattended will completely destabilize our Apostolic fellowship and our effectiveness to reach this world and fulfill the revolutionary destiny God has for us.
First, I have great concern regarding the deconstruction of this young generation’s belief in God as creator of all things in heaven and earth. Second, I fear we have reached the point where we must re-convince the Church that the homosexual lifestyle is indeed an abomination in the eyes of the Creator, and that compromise in this matter is impossible. Third, we must ensure that the doctrine of the Trinity and the seeds of this path of destruction are completely rejected. Finally, we must commit ourselves to defending the fact that a lifestyle of morality and holiness can and must be defined as applicable to the Church.
Avoiding a long discussion at this point, allow me to assume we all know that we are at a profound and dangerous intersection, and some have already made strange turns. Many of our beliefs that have been long established are being uprooted; not just in the Church, but in society as well. Presently it seems that the spirit of the world’s revolution is a mindless disposal of all foundations. Nothing is sacred. Note the rude, raw and unholy displays of lasciviousness throughout society, and sadly, the silent tolerance of this darkness by the Christian community. Revolution for the sake of revolution, without giving any thought as to what comes after the revolution, is suicide. “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalms 11:3)
Hannah Arendt, in her book On Revolution, discusses the French Revolution; and her words are keenly applicable to our present situation: “The great and fateful misfortune of the French Revolution was that none of the constituent assemblies could command enough authority to lay down the law of the land; the reproach rightly leveled against them was always the same: they lacked the power to constitute by definition; they themselves were unconstitutional” (Viking Compass, 1965).
Revolutions involve responsibility. Historically, political leaders and nation builders know full well that overthrowing a nation’s government, ripping out a nation’s soul and overpowering a nation’s constitution requires a post-revolution strategy; otherwise, chaos is the inevitable consequence. Arendt points out that the French revolutionaries got caught up in the overthrow (the guillotine) and the spirit of revolution shifted – it became revolution for revolution’s sake. Throwing out everything became the objective.
To my Apostolic Pentecostal friends: we cannot choose to be silent in this great time of revolution. We cannot continue on in our own worlds, obsessed with making disciples unto ourselves, and just hoping that everything will work out by default. What wakes me up in the night is the question, “where are we going?” Do we possess convictions strong enough to “constitute by definition” what is right doctrine? Are we prepared to define holiness and righteousness in this present world? Do we ignore the Bible and yield to a spirit of an unconstitutional revolution, defined by cool, defined by our own intellect, or defined by imitation of some charismatic personality? “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber” (Isaiah 56:10).
What if, cleverly using the arts of scriptural interpretation, we deconstruct the old paths? What happens when we dismantle the Bible? Who writes the new one? Who has the power to say, “Go this way?” What if we compromise on Acts 2:38? What then becomes the new essentiality? Perhaps we would feel no need for any essentials at all. How clever and useful these revolutions can be – a tool for deconstruction and evil in the hands of the wicked. “Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession” (Proverbs 28:10).