Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I pray you and yours are well.
When the President takes the oath of office on January 20th, he will say these words, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” The Bible on the other hand, does not need us to preserve, protect, or defend her:
“All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever” (1 Peter 1:24-25).
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).
The Bible, like the Constitution, is meant to be a wellspring of blessings for us. So, it is important that we do preserve, protect, and defend our right attitude towards God’s word. Because, while the Bible does not need our defense, our faith on the other hand either grows or declines daily.
How then do we preserve, protect, and defend our appreciation of God’s word? By trusting the very things He has given us for this purpose! The Lord’s Supper forgives our sins and strengthens our faith. Prayer is such a beautiful blessing from God, whereby we can jettison our sin, sorrow, and shame and hear the still, small, quiet voice of our loving Father. Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and the Spirit gives us the threefold blessing, in one. As we reflect on God’s gifts to us in Baptism, we are preserving, protecting and defending our right understanding of His word.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, when you hear the President repeat these words back to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; I implore you–say them yourselves, regarding your own office as a Christian. Amen.
V/r
Pastor Jim