We are a few days past the inauguration and it played out with no irruption, no massive military take over and no one on the Democratic side of the isle was imprisoned namely the Biden's or Clinton's. Some of you may be wondering what in the world am I writing about.
What I just mentioned above are just some of the things that the followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory thought, proclaimed and absolutely wanted to see happen. The most ardent followers of this conspiracy just knew that President Trump was going to remain in office, jail those on the left for participating in a sex trafficking ring and stealing the election among other things. And by the way; NOT ONE THING THEY PREDICTED HAPPENED!
Now, I am not here to deal with the details of this conspiracy. They come and go with every new administration. But what I am here to speak of is how some Christians are responding to all of this. I have acquaintances, friends and some family who truly believed in this mysterious Q identity that kept posting that a great storm was coming. A storm has probably come but it wasn't the storm that they all anticipated. The storm that I saw was the one that overtook well meaning Christians believing, hoping and trusting that President Trump was going to save our nation from the impending doom of Democratic rule wrapped in socialism and branded with high taxes, open borders and anti-Christian policies.
But let's get quickly to what I am getting at here. Since when did Christianity start putting its hope into a man that is fallible, corruptible and prone to every whim of a human being? Did we forget so quickly that Jesus is the only savior of mankind? They way some speak of our recent former president you would think that he was the incarnate Christ returned. It's scary to watch this play out in their lives.
Charles Spurgeon said this. "Nothing can happen but what God ordains; and, therefore, why should we fear?" Why are Christians so fearful, so enraged about the events of late? I have a theory; it's because they don't know the Word of the God! It's also been said that "Half our fears arise from neglect of the Bible." If we truly knew the Word, if we truly believed the Word then none of this would cause us fear. The Word tells us that all these things must come.
Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. - 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 ESV
What is so applicable about this portion of scripture is that the writer here was also dealing with a conspiracy theory that Jesus had already returned. And letters were being sent just like social media posts in the name of the apostles. So what we are seeing today is not something new. The only thing that has changed is the medium.
Let me wrap this up with the following. So what should be our response to this QAnon conspiracy or any conspiracy? 2 Timothy brings it home as far as I am concerned.
23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.- 2 Timothy 2:23-26 ESV
These 3 verses have so much guidance in them for how we should be dealing with all of this. First, foolish, ignorant controversies only cause fights. Don't do it! Secondly, as a Christian we are told we shouldn't be involved in them. Thirdly, if a Christian does get involved, we should be willing to gently correct them hoping that God will lead them to the truth and come to their senses. Let that last phrase go deep in your heart. And the forth and final point, the conspiracies are nothing more than a trap set by the enemy of our souls so that we will do his will. Not one conspiracy has ever caused someone to reach out to the Lord. Not one conspiracy has ever caused someone to trust in a greater way the hand of God. But it is a fact that conspiracies only cause more fear, more confusion and more distrust in what God has ready in His infinite plans for the bride of Christ.
If you and I knew the Word of God more it would be so easy to throw off this mess and be the church that was always Gods plan for us to be. And we would also know that regardless of the conspiracies being true or not, it just doesn't matter. This is not our home. This is not our final destination.
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