Why today's Lutheran leaders are more like Jehoshaphat than David

First off, I want to clearly state that I am just as much asking the question as I am making a statement.

But before you decide, you may want to know a little more about King Jehoshaphat. Most of us know about King David, the "man after God's own heart" who failed in his lust for Bathsheba and counting his men, but for the most part was a living man of God who lived the repentant life. But Jehoshaphat...who's that?

King "J", as I will call him, was one of the Kings of Judah after the split following Solomon. He was the fourth, if I remember correctly. All things considered, he did more 'good' than 'bad'. But there were some key problems that King J was called out on.

1. King J, after enjoying some prosperity and comfort, decided to marry King Ahab's daughter. I probably don't have to remind anyone of King Ahab, but just in case, this guys was one of the most evil kings of Israel. He "hated" Macaiah, God's prophet to him [1 Kings 22:8]. He was the one married to the evil queen Jezebel and persecuted the prophet Elijah, among others. His daughter is who King J married, bringing his family aligned with his [2 Chron. 18:1].

2. He made alliances with foreign countries. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel used their influence for evil and had many foreign countries as allies. For King J to align himself in this way...did the "riches and honor" affect his judgment?

3. Jehoshaphat was walking on thin ice when he told King Ahab to "please inquire for the word of the Lord today" and yet still sided with him in battle in spite of Macaiah's Word from the Lord [2 Chron. 18.4-34]

In all of this, King J managed to end pretty well, but only because he finally heeded the call of the prophet Jehu who came to him and said, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you. Nevertheless, good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God."

You may be asking at this point, what does all this have to do with Lutheran leaders? Great question.

In my experience, I have met my share, which is a small number in my youthful age, of Lutheran leaders, including pastors, who have done as King J in 'helping the wicked and loving those who hate the Lord' and called it "ministry."

I have recently dialogged with a high school acquaintance whose Lutheran pastor not only supports the liberal agenda of the move towards socialism in health care and other issues, but is willing to give up liberty and his church's opportunity to serve others and put the church's task in the hands of the government. And for the record, this has never worked in the past:

Watch the late economist Milton Friedman historically mark the difference between socialism vs. capitalism

So, these men are either ignorant of the past, which is scary enough, or they are so downright lazy and 'comfortable' with their present job status that they willingly side with compromise and evil for the sake of 'treading water' and keeping their current status over and against the work God and His Spirit are calling His people to engage in.

No one wants health care to remain the same. No one wants people to suffer. No one wants job loss. So the answer to these things somehow equates with the legal theft of socialism? How can a Lutheran pastor even come close to that kind of an answer? This not only robs from the current people making hard-earned money, but it further robs future generations from their creative influence in a free market society as their 'will' to succeed perishes with the nanny state mentality of "progressive" places like France. We will not only rob finances, but prosperity, by transforming us into a land which will kill prosperous growth through the death of the will of the people to create and move forward, as the nanny state will accomplish in future generations as they are taught to rely more on government and less on their responsible creativity and action - dependence. Dependence = loss of freedom.

When God's people ask for a king, his clear reply is "you won't want one, but when you finally realize that, you will be stuck with it" [1 Samuel 8, and don't fail to notice the "progressives" of Samuel's day in v.5].

Why is it that today's "Lutheran" leaders are more willing to side with liberals in order to 'evangelize' or 'love' them while they turn their backs on the people who love God and live like it? Why is it that we will make concessions, preach around texts or even skip parts of the bible in order to 'reach' and "connect" [oh, it sounds soooo good] with the greater public all the while watering down the next generation with our words and actions and ignoring those who really want to grow in their faith and move closer to the heart of God, the True God? I'm not saying I know all the politically driven answers to these questions, but I do know that they should exist and be talked about.

I haven't read these books, but they may outline some of the needed questions for a reform of our church that needs to get back to the authority of God and not man and his fallible thinking:

"Myth's, Lies and Half Truths. How misreading the Bible neutralizes Christians and empowers liberals, secularists and atheists"

"God versus Socialism"

The pdf 84 page pre-print version of "God versus Socialism"

An interview with the man who wrote "God versus Socialism"

The bottom line is charitable work has always been done through the people of God out of the overflow of gratitude in their hearts from Christ's work on the cross! The Bible clearly states that the acting government is in the business of physical protection and social orderliness [again, with the main focus on physical protection and and that of private property] and not to focus on social help or care. That is what the love of Christ should do! Isn't it ironic that the same people who decry this nation as being outright Christian and would hate to think of it as a theistic nation have to steal from Christian's beliefs in order to account for a nation that would be moved to help a fellow person in need, which is what socialistic governments propose, but never accomplish, to do.

Why is it that Christians believe that we should partner with the government rather than do the work ourselves! Are we lazy, comfortable, ignorant, ________?

Maybe the other questions that should be asked should include:

Why did Jesus not come for a political revolution, but start a church revolution? This revolution was extremely loving and grace-driven towards others while still being accountable towards each other and their sanctification..."they will know we are Christians by our ...politics...LOVE!

Why is it that the tradition of American, and most western hospitals, is derived from Christian people who stepped in to do something for people in need, as NON-PROFIT entities. Now we want to turn these entities not only into for-profit...which makes them susceptible to people involved to make a buck...but gov't run, which will only further the depravity?

Why is it that Jesus' followers didn't deny the cross and take the easy road, at least the ones who really knew Jesus?

Are we looking a lot like King Jehoshaphat yet? I hope so, because when the prophet came and told King J where he was wrong, he responded by bringing his people "back to the Lord God of their fathers" [2 Chron. 19.4]. He set judges in the land and told them not to judge for man but for the Lord and he told them to "act in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and with a loyal heart" [2 Chron. 19.9] and "behave courageously, and the Lord will be with the good" [2 Chron. 19:11].

I hope we turn and love those who love the Lord and stop enabling and empowering those against him. I hope we turn and stop the landslide into compromise and behave courageously as King J encouraged God's people to do. And I also hope that when destruction is knocking on our door, as it did later in King J's day [2 Chron. 20], we have enough fear of the Lord to turn to Him ALONE for direction and help...yes, even fast. I hope my children and my grandchildren will be Lutheran. But if not, I'd rather they be saved, and the jury is still out where the direction of our synod's leadership in certain parts of our country will go. May God bless our hearts to be strong and courageous, as so many of God's leaders have been, in spite of their shortcomings, in HIStory.