Should the church ignore the prospect of police powers reform in Chattanooga and Hamilton County?
Most Christian people who have heard about my administrative notice project are tickled by the novelty of my argument and don’t take seriously the implications for Christian rebuilding and through this project the teaching the message of Jesus Christ, which is liberty and freedom under God’s law.
By DavidTulis / 92.7 NoogaRadio
As the church ignores this year-old project in Christian charity and racial reparations, it might wish to amass several reasons to continue ignoring it.
(Lest you become depressed, I assure you this essay is the first of two parts, with the next text making the general arguments for a specifically Christian interest in traffic stop reform.)
Earthly concerns beyond work of church
➤ Police reform and legal reform are is not a spiritual labor.
➤ This project brings no individual closer to conversion.
➤ The fight against police power abuse under Title 55 is too disconnected from the mission efforts of the church.
➤ The argument that freedom under law in Tennessee is too weak a connection to freedom from sin, the main claim of the gospel. Title 55 reform is distended from the work of the gospel, and remote.
➤ Ending Title 55 abuse is too complicated and church boards, deacons and presbyteries cannot take the time to study and understand it.
➤ You are not a lawyer, so what can you possibly say about law, much less reforming police practices under it?
➤ The attorneys are too busy to worry about it, there is no attorney support among members of our church.
➤ Title 55 reform is scary because it requires the individual to stand against the state and the police, starting on the side of the street or sidewalk and continuing in the jail, before the magistrate and in court. That is far, far, far, far, far away from the work to which God has called us.
➤ We are called to preach the gospel. Souls, not cultures, is our mantra. Individuals, not the city.
➤ And anyway, the idea of a sanctuary city — sanctuary, as you say, from abusive enforcement practices — is leftist and progressive.
➤ Christ is returning it any day, and we do not polish brass on a sinking ship.
➤ We are to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, yes. But before we get to your project we have to get more people in our church, raise attendance, and, “Get Jesus,” like it says in the ad.
Miracle Workers? Only in the church
➤ You say the young black men, even gang members, who are weighing taking up your labors are “miracle workers.” But if their not Christians, how can you use that terminology? Miracle Workers are in the church. Bottoms on the bench put hearts into heaven.
➤ You are wrong to do anything that disturbs the State of Tennessee or any of its brave courageous officers who put their lives on the line everyday to protect us. Because the state is been put there pursuant to Romans 13.
➤ You say we are inward looking and omphalocentric. But the Holy Spirit resides in the individual.
➤ The executive state that you bemoan is in fact conservative. It is part of the law and order that Christianity brings to a country or to a people. Police are good. They keep disorder and crime in check. We need police, and stop trying to limit what they do in Chattanooga. It’s counterproductive.
Part II — Church should support traffic stop reform in Chattanooga
Let’s end racism, police abuse starting in Chattanooga
David, we agree on so much, but clearly not everything. But I also don’t agree with me of many years ago.
The Bible describes the church or “ekklēsia” as people and not an institution. The model in Scripture for the church is dialog. The pulpit and pew model is only monolog and essentially a cult model. “Bottoms on the bench put hearts into heaven” has a nice ring, but is absolute garbage, especially for someone who has read John 6.
Police are the power of the state. It is politically correct to call them good, but the Bible speaks of no one good but God.
With all due respect to Carl Ellis, fighting the state on behalf of others is self-love. Involving your life in others is the call of the Lord. Consider Luke 10:25-37 and “You go, and do likewise.”
Exodus 22:21-22 is a clear command to the follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no command in that to attempt to impose that on the state, but to live that ourselves, and proclaim it. It is not an excuse for political activity.
How can political activity be endorsed as a Christian endeavor considering 1Co 5:12? Or go even further with “Trusting the Lord or Voting” (http://kozlowski.org/2018-11-05+1).
There is so much more, but let’s leave it with at least a humorous note with “Proverbs 1984”: “Trust in the State with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge it, and it keep a boot stamping on a human face – forever.” (http://kozlowski.org/2018-08-18+1)