In The News

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The event that unfolded in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 17, 2015, was tragic, demonic, and just plain evil. Our thoughts and prayers should be with the families of the victims, that local congregation, and the community.

Many from just about all walks of life have taken the opportunity to abhor the Confederate flag that flies on the grounds on the state capitol building. And please do not misunderstand me. I too, believe that flag is vile, ugly, and racist at the core. It deserves every bit of the trepidation hurled its way. But I also have to ask if removing it is going to solve the racial divide that for so long has festered and eaten at us like the cancerous venom it is. Is removing it going to be what ends racism? Or will removing it only serve as an emotional catharsis while racism continues to run rampart? I decided to see if the Scriptures could provide an answer.

I believe an excellent foundation for biblical support can be found in Matthew 16:13-17. We all know this passage as Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi. Admit it, your Bible’s publisher, like mine, helped out in that regard. But what is interesting here is not necessarily the confession, but the question and lack thereof any action on Jesus’ part. Christ asked a simple question, “Who do people say the Son of man is?” If you observe Matthew 15:21 through 16:13, Jesus travelled from the northwest region of Tyre and Sidon, southeast to Bethsaida (per Mark’s gospel) and then north/northeast to Caesarea Philippi. Why did he chose there and not any of the earlier locations to ask that? Caesarea Philippi was a Roman city buttressed by a spring with a heavy bastion of pagan and idolatrous worship. The chief pagan deity worshipped was the Greek god Pan, who was the god of nature and immorality. It was later unearthed the inhabitants’ version of Pan was memorialized through the creation of a figure with horns and the legs and feet of a goat. In other words, Christ waited until they were deep in the heart of pagan central, with all its distractions, with Pan’s shrine, to pose that question. If you're still having difficulty grasping the concept, switch the location to the Vegas Strip or Bourbon Street.

We know the story of how Peter correctly answered in verse 16. But two things stand out. One, Jesus said Peter (Simon Barjona) got this not from himself (flesh and blood). And two, Jesus did not then turn and destroy Pan’s tribute. He left it. We know this because it was not written he did, and furthermore, the city and tribute lasted for a least another 330 years until it was destroyed by an earthquake. Eventually things such as that fail and fall.

What does this have to do with Confederate flag? One, like the tribute to Pan, it is a symbol of idolatry. Idolatry cannot be simply defeated by destroying the idol. It has to be defeated spiritually. Again, Jesus told Peter it was not by flesh and blood (physical) but by the Father (spiritual realm). Paul said in Ephesians 6:12 our fight is spiritual not physical. Therefore, Jesus attacked Pan spiritually not physically. Sure he could have torn down the shrine in an instant. That would have made the disciples feel good. But it would have done nothing to help them as they became stewards and carriers of God’s word to a wicked and perverse generation. What is the best response to the Confederate flag? Spread God’s word and love to the Caesarea Philippi’s of the country. Removing that flag will not eliminate the racism or the callous scales of folks’ hearts. Will the flag be taken down? Probably. Will it be the cure all? No. It will only make some feel good for a little while until back to business as usual. It is like treating a disease's symptoms without actually treating what is making folks ill.

I see What Would Jesus Do? (WWJD) in many places. Maybe we should be asking the better question. WDJD – What Did Jesus Do?

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