Incendiary remarks stir up strife and focus negative attention on people of faith and obedience.
This cartoon is highly offensive to Pentecostals everywhere. It brought quick letters of protest to the Post and has garnered a generally negative response by people of faith everywhere. I've heard that a number of letters have been directed to the editor. But in checking the Washington Post website this morning, I found these letters of protest had not been posted. Instead, only e-mailed comments supporting Mr. Oliphant were on display. But as I thought on all these things, the following Scriptures came to mind...
- "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used." (Hebrews 10:32-33)
- "Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be [treated] as reprobates. For we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth." (II Corinthians 13:7-8)
- "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets." (Luke 6:22-23)
- "So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them which trouble you." (II Thessalonians 1:4-6)
- "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lust, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead." (I Peter 4:3-5)
- "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit and glory of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified." (I Peter 4:12-14)
- "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good..." (Genesis 50:20)
- "In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thessalonians 5:18)
- "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7)
I am not a fatalist, nor am I passive. But we need to exercise caution, to take heed that our response to persecution of any sort is measured and seasoned with the very Spirit of the One they mock and deride. We dare not retaliate in kind or bring railing accusation. This would put us squarely in the place where angels fear to tread.
We proclaim that our trust is in the Lord Jesus. We declare He is God all by Himself. Building on these two premises - my conclusion is... He is well able to defend Himself.
In this cartoon, Mr. Oliphant has not lampooned an individual, (as he may think,) he has mocked the Spirit of God. In matters public and private, wherever and whenever great wrong has been done, God has declared, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay."
I submit to you today, that even though Mr. Oliphant's cartoon is egregious and offensive, and even though it focuses negative attention upon Pentecostals as whole, it just may be that what Mr. Oliphant intended as mockery and ridicule will turn again and bring great good! Whatever the outcome, God is well able to take care of mockers and we can trust Him to protect His church and prosper the truth.
Therefore, if men are going to call us into question as was done in the book of Acts, let us respond with an Acts-inspired holy boldness!
- "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy Word, By stretching forth Thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the Name of Thy Holy Child Jesus."' (Acts 4:29-30)
- "But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets." (Acts 24:14)
We are the people of the Name. We claim to be thoroughly Apostolic in belief, practice and teaching. That means we take our cues from the patterns set forth in the book of Acts...
We pray for holy boldness; we rejoice when counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name's sake; we fight not against flesh and blood but against rulers and principalities, against spiritual wickedness in high places; the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to the pulling down of strongholds; our minds and our thoughts have been renewed and transformed by the very power Mr. Oliphant mocks; we are clothed in the whole armor of God.
Our method of counterattack is not one of railing accusation, it is the Lord who raises the standard against the onslaught. When His Name, His glory, His Spirit comes into the fray - He will defend and make it abundantly clear not only Who He is, but also the difficulty inherent in "kicking against the pricks."
I feel more than a little sorry for this man - he must not know Jesus. If he did he would not treat the Holy Spirit of God with such disdain, nor would he presume to put words in the mouth of the Almighty. As it is, if he does not seek and find a place of repentance, it might be wise not to be anywhere in the vicinity of Mr. Oliphant.
Then again, who knows? At the moment it is almost the unthinkable considering his track record, but Mr. Pat Oliphant just might be about to have a Damascus Road experience. It wouldn't be the first time an enemy of Christ was transformed into a bold defender of the Truth. Just think, even now the Lord may be preparing some presently unknown Ananias to show him what he ought to do...
Is anything too hard for God?
4 comments:
Cartoons seldom, if ever, depict reality, and Mr. Oliphant's bubbled comments depict his ignorance, and intolerance that the media so often decry is lacking in the conservatives camp. The main stream media will stop at nothing to discredit, disregard, and derail those that oppose their views.
This is well written with just enough Holy Ghost boldness, and yet restraint as well, allowing for the Divine to intervene if He chooses. I so like the idea that retribution for such comments must come from God Himself. Very much in contrast to the Muslim community that resorted to violent uprisings when similar attacks were leveled at their faith...again via cartoonists without even the slightest hint of tolerance they poke "fun" at us for not having. Make no mistake - God is not threatened by man's menial attempts to mock Him, but whatsoever a man sows; he best be prepared to reap. In Mr. Oliphant's case, he's sown the wind, but he'll most certainly reap the whirlwind!
Pastor RDM
Momma,
You always taught "heaping coals of fire" You know me I have taken that and ran with it in my life. And we already talked about this on the phone. There is nothing that we can do that God can better to this man. He has taken on some one far greater than we. "Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world." I don't think I would like to be anywhere near him anytime soon and I will be praying for his family that they may be spared and that some godd may come out of this in the end.
mb
I am very happy to see Mr. Oliphant's cartoon in print for two reasons:
1) The fact that he has the freedom to post his views and ideals just reinforces what a great nation we live in. We have freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, etc. which so many in this world do not have. The blood of multiple generations of Americans was shed (and continues to be shed) to create and preserve those precious freedoms. When I see things like this in the media I am reminded again and agin of those freedoms.
2) We serve an Awsome God, and He is more than able to defend himself. Judges 7:25-32 tells a story that sumarizes this very well. Gideon's father Joash called it on that day - If Baal be a God, let him plead for himself! We don't need to get all up in arms over this cartoon - God will deal with it in His own way, in His own time. What we need to do, is to hold Mr. Oliphant up in prayer, and remember that God hung on a cross and Bled and Died for him too! Remember - Love the sinner, but hate the sin.
Pastor C. H. Corley
I must agree with Pastor Corley. I do not take offense to these types of media puns. I think as people of the book, we expect too much of the unsaved. They are only doing what they know best to do and that is sin. They are not enlightened and we must realize this. This goes for things like abortion as well. We stand up for righteousness sake because it has been imparted to us. The blind are still blind because their sight has not been restored. We who have our sight have it only because of the grace and mercy of God. We must stop expecting kindergarteners to behave like highschoolers or in this instance unsaved to act like the saved. They don't know any better. Our prayers would best be suited if we followed Christ's example and simply say, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. So I shall plead the blood and forgiveness for Mr. Oliphant until his eyes be opened. Thats what I am asking for. Not fire and brimstone or some evil tragedy to befall him. However, If I have to rebuke him Sister, I will be as Michael, when he was fighting with Satan over the body of Moses and simply say, the Lord rebuke thee.
Elder Chad Melerowicz
I.A.I.M. Presiding Elder
Independent Apostolic Internet Missions
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