• Home
  • About This Blog
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
  • Comment Policy

Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Bible Reflection Do not call conspiracy

Do not call conspiracy

Posted on June 6, 2015 Written by Mark McIntyre 1 Comment


FortressOne of the things that I detest about “talk” radio is the need for the host to drum up controversy to get people to listen. This seems to be true whether the subject be politics, sports or religion.

This is painfully obvious in political talk radio from either spectrum, left or right. The central theme of the broadcast is to convince you that life will come to an end if the other party gains or remains in control.

Prominent “Christian spokesmen” fall prey to this phenomenon and get exercised over the latest piece of legislation or social trend. They urge letter writing campaigns and boycotts as the solution to societal ills. Whether it be intentional or not, they play to our fears to spur us to action in their cause.

While we are called to be salt and light in a fallen world, I struggle to find any indication in Scripture that we need to be frantic in our efforts to counteract the trends in society.

While the Apostle Paul has strong opinions and speaks authoritatively on subjects concerning the church, he is strangely silent on ideas of political involvement or societal reform. When he mentions the government at all, it is with a reminder to obey the governing authorities because they are put in place by God.

The danger is that we can allow fear to cause us to lose sight of the fact that God remains in control and is moving history toward his own end, following his own time-line. Like Peter foundering in the waves, when we take our eyes off of God, panic can set in.

I like the words that God spoke to Isaiah:

For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken. (Isaiah 8:11–15, ESV)

We don’t need to fear what the government will or won’t do. We do not need to be in dread of the social trends around us. We don’t need to be worried about the latest conspiracy or scandal.

The promise is that if we fear God and honor him as holy, he will become a sanctuary to us. It is from this sanctuary that we can then become effective salt and light and have a positive impact on the culture.


Filed Under: Bible Reflection Tagged With: conspiracy, fortress, sanctuary

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

I have the opportunity to go to Istanbul, Turkey this summer to minister to Syrian refugees. If you would like more details about this trip, please use this link Mark McIntyre - Istanbul, Turkey Please note that this trip is fully funded, but I would appreciate your continued prayer. The trip will take place June 27 - July 6, 2025.

Follow Attempts at Honesty

Honesty in your Inbox

A Confession of Failure

I have been an elder or leader in several different churches through the years. I have noticed some common areas where I have experienced failure in that leadership setting. We failed in three key areas which were apparent in how we organized our meetings. First, we failed to seek God in fervent prayer to lead […]

No Running

No Running

The command, “no running” can be inferred from the places where we are told to stand firm. Our job is to stand in spite of difficulties and fear.

21

Who is the Redeemer of God’s Elect?

In the last few months, I have been reading about the first Ecumenical Councils of the church in the 4th and 5th Centuries. It was at these councils that the nature of Jesus was clearly defined for all of Christendom. Many of the misunderstandings about Jesus that survive today were addressed by these councils.

In what did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Question 27 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks: In what did Christ’s humiliation consist? The answer given is: “Christ’s humiliation consisted in being born, and that in a poor circumstance;[a] in being subject to God’s law; in undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God and the curse of death on the cross; […]

Book Review: Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me by Ian Morgan Cron

Why you might want to skip this book and review If you are a perfect parent, and have perfect parents, feel free to scroll down and click on one of the links in the blogroll below and find something else to read. You will gain nothing from reading either this blog post or the reviewed […]

Post Series

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
July 2025
SMTWTFS
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031 
« Jun    

Categories

Archives

Blogger Grid
Follow me on Blogarama

Copyright © 2025 · Focus Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in