The Church's Disenchantment With The Land of Enchantment

If you have gotten to read our writers bio's on this blog you would know that we are from the beautiful Land of Enchantment, otherwise known to you as New Mexico. It is the land of green chile everything, beautiful mountains, insanely vast deserts, and some very interesting people. We are even sometimes mistaken for having been lost step child territory of our southern neighbor, Mexico. This leads to awkward conversations with Texans about how I am not really from Mexico but am acutally an American and that is really why my English is good!

Out of this relative obscurity our big state with a little population has been thrust into the national spotlight, all due to a recent ruling in our state supreme court. This ruling was over a photographer who refused to photograph a same-sex wedding because of a religious conviction about not being involved in something that would give the impression that they endorsed this ceremony. Unsurprisingly, the New Mexico Supreme Court, in a traditionally politically liberal state, said that they couldn't do this becuase they trampled on the constitutional rights of the people they refused a service to.

The one thing that I have heard repeatedly from people within the church is is that acts like this trample on our rights to religious liberty. Yes, they are guaranteed in the US Constitution, but should you expect anything different?

Anyone who has spent any considerable amount of time in New Mexico, even in the affectionately labelled "Little Texas" region in Eastern New Mexico, you know that most of the people in our state are lost. Tradition overruns piety and desire to follow after God. Skepticism keeps many from even accepting the reality of a God. This is the reality of New Mexico. While we are a remote outpost in the Southwest, the culture is just as skeptical and unwilling to accept Jesus as anywhere in the world.

Going back to my question "should we expect anything different?" To truly treasure a right and liberty you have to understand why it is important. For Christians we know what is right and wrong in the eyes of God. Those who reject the Gospel of Jesus do not. And why should they? I have no desire to practice international tax law, so why would I take time to learn the tax code of France if it doesn't even apply to me as a taxpayer? This is the dilemma that we are in. We as a church are expecting non Christians to suddenly realize that what they want nothing to do with is relavant to them, because we said so.

As a Christian in the world you are truly a stranger in a foreign land. The ideals that are held here are not the same as the ones that Christians hold, so why should we expect them to hold our religious liberties and ideals as sacred as we do? We shouldn't. Not because we want to resign people to sin, but out of realization that people, especially the quirky people of my home state, are steeped in sin. Like an unruly child they don't know right from wrong.

In my church's community group we went over this blog post by Jared Wilson of The Gospel Coaltion (by the way he is a great writer, check out his work). It basically goes over the exile that the nation of Israel endured while in Babylon. They weren't expecting the Babylonians to conform their ways to that of Israel's. They made it where what they did in their exile affected the Babylonians, but didn't seek to replace what the Babylonians did in their culture. They didn't expect the Babylonians to have a sudden "eureka!" moment and drop what they were doing. But, they still cared for the people there.

So how can we be like the people in Jeremiah?

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

– Jeremiah 29:7

In this we see how we should treat the people of the this world who don't hold to our ideals. Surely, you should tell them the truth of the Gospel, but we should also look out for their welfare. It goes along with the old phrase that everyone's southern grandma used to say (provided you have a southern grandma) "people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care". It is astounding how much truth in this cliche old phrase.

In all honesty, people trapped in sin don't care what our stance is on something, because if they know you are a Christian then they likely have a notion of what you see as good and bad behaviors. What they want to know is if will you care for and care about them. The church has been guilty of cloistering itself from the world out of fear and arrogance in regard to the sin of those in the world. We as the church shouldn't do this. We should be a light on the hill for the people of the world to see. Not for our glory, but for the glory of God.

How do we do this? Love people and show compassion. Even if we lose religious liberties, which are frankly the least of our worries when compared to the trials of Christians in the Egypt at this very moment, we should still be willing to be like Christ and show love and compassion while we are being marginalized. Our goal as a church shouldn't be to be the greatest policy makers, but rather that we should be known as people who show love and regard for others, not only in their actions but also in their salvation and security. Public policy should take a back seat to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So in conclusion, do not give up on people like my fellow New Mexicans for giving into their worldly desires. Love them and care for them. And most important seek their welfare, especially their spiritual welfare.