Have you ever heard the saying “Politics is downstream of culture.” This was a saying made popular by Andrew Breitbart, who was a conservative political commentator who managed the media company that shared his name, until his death in 2012. I would agree completely and affirm the wisdom in this saying, but I would also like to expand it a bit.
If politics is downstream of culture, then Christian faith is the filter that keeps the water clean and free of toxins and pollution. If left in the river this cultural poison will certainly corrupt and spoil our political system.
The responsibility of the Church is to place the filter of Christian Faith right under culture so that all of the lies of Satan can be strained out before they can enter the river and negatively affect the lives of the people around us who are under our care. The actual material of this “filter” is made up of the Word of God in Scripture, but it is reinforced by the Love of God as lived out in each and every one of us who are His Children.
As Christians, and members of the Church of Jesus, we are equipped by the Word of God and empowered by the Love of God, but it is up to us to jump in the river. The church, which is us, must place this filter, being the people of God, into the raging river if we are to be effective in proclaiming truth and refuting the lies of Satan in the world, so that not just politics, but every area of life can be free of the corrupting influence of Satan.
Getting in the river of cultural influence is a dirty place to be. It is often bitterly cold and full of bottom-feeding creatures who love to nibble on the toes of people who are just trying to keep from getting sucked under by the turbulent waves of sin. As followers of Jesus, who have jumped into the rapids, we can have confidence, because we have a lift jacket that is tethered to the church up on the bank of the river. We also have an air hose that is connected to giver of life, or Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have on our feet, flippers that help us to navigate this perious environment which Jesus has given us through His Holy Scriptures. We also have a wet suit of love, that is designed to keep the stink of this river off of us so that we will not be mistaken for one of those creatures lurking about.
I wonder if the current political and cultural malaise that we all so frustrated with when we turn on the news is not a direct result of the church not doing it’s job of being the filter that God has called us to be. Maybe we should stand up and take responsibility for the fact that for most young people in this country the only thing they know about Jesus or Faith is what they hear from Hollywood, which was meant to trick them into thinking that God is the enemy and that the Church is the problem.
I would like to suggest that the Church, that’s you and me, set aside our dry, safe positions up here on the river bank and we jump into the water. Let’s get in the rapids with the Word of God in one hand and the Love of God in the other and let’s actively push back against the lies of Satan.
