Dependent Independence?
Written by David W. Hegg | Senior Pastor
For most, July 4th is a day of family, food, and fireworks, ostensibly celebrating our nation's independence from England in 1776. Yes, we got out from ole' King George and initiated the greatest experiment in democracy the world had ever known. But, as we look around at our society, it is increasingly evident that independence has brought some unforeseen and undoubtedly unintended consequences.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm glad England no longer rules us, although I love the English accent and agree with their assessment that soccer is the greatest game on the planet. But, sadly, our independence hasn't turned out as planned.
When we severed ourselves from the King, we turned the authority pyramid upside down. The power once found at the top was ceded to the bottom. Power would no longer be top-down; now, it was to be enshrined in the people, every man and woman. And for hundreds of years, it was a success story.
Giving power to the people worked well as long as the citizenry generally subscribed to the same story and definition of how life was to be lived. That was the intention of the Founding Fathers. When the Pledge of Allegiance came into our lives, we all swore allegiance to be "one nation, under God."
“If our culture had remained united in its ethical and moral vision flowing from a Judeo-Christian ideology, we certainly would not be wondering how it all went so wrong.”
Today, we find that the move to put authority in the hands of the people has unleashed a tyrannical power that severely undermines our national unity. What was once "one nation, under God" has become a free-for-all of expressive individualism. The twin civic rights of independence and freedom, once understood as the foundation of our collective national identity, have been redefined as personal and individual. Consequently, the power of individual liberty, of independence from any creed or moral standard other than personal desire, has left our country systematically overrun by a growing number of triggered tyrants.
So, what are we to do? Fortunately, as Christ-followers, we have long understood the value of dependence. If we once believed, "If it’s to be, it's up to me," we were soundly dispossessed of that silly notion when God the Spirit rode into our hearts, opening our eyes to our own depravity and drawing us savingly to Christ Jesus.
Indeed, Paul understood the beauty of dependence, of belonging not to self but to God, when he penned 1 Corinthians 6:9-11,19,20:
"9 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, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 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 ... 19 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, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."
Winston Churchill once said, "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others." Why? Because he understood that, fundamentally, mankind can't be trusted. To have an unwarranted high estimation of human ability will always lead to degradation.
So, what do we do? First, we pray for the ongoing mission of the Gospel as the only means of true freedom from the ravages of this broken world. Second, we take up our role as messengers of a better story than the one being told in our society today. Lastly, we must see our own lives through the lens of God's great seeking, reaching, rescuing, and reforming grace and live a hope-filled life of self-control, humility, and love.
And so, as Christ-followers, we are once again facing a ridgeline. On the one hand, it is our national birthright as a freedom-loving people to demand independence from tyranny. As Americans, we are born breathing the air of our unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which the Founding Fathers understood as the pursuit of virtue.
On the other hand, we deeply feel a sense of personal dependence on Almighty God, his Word, and his ways. That both sides of the ridgeline are true and necessary means we can only walk the ridge as we hold both independence and dependence in biblical tension.
“With Independence Day behind us and the November elections looming ahead, it is imperative that our highest priority is simply to be the church.”
In the end, Paul's words to the saints in Philippi in Philippians 2:14-16 chart the best path forward for us as well:
"Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain."
So, as you walk the ridgeline, be sure your light is clean, shining brightly, and able to illuminate the truth of God's Word so that those still blinded by their sin will find their way to the safe refuge we have in Jesus.