Edmund Burke wrote, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” That is a well-know statement and most people acknowledge that it makes sense, but are we really paying heed to it? Does it really matter?
Parents know they must correct a child, but at every failure? Employers would not let an employee steal from the company, but when do you say something over personal phone or email usage? Sergeants wouldn’t let privates show up late for formation, but what about lack of “attention to detail”? Friends know they wouldn’t let a friend drive drunk, but at what point would they say, “Let me drive.” The public wouldn’t let politicians get away with treason, but what about other violations of the law? Does it matter? Absolutely it matters!
When did this start? Did it start with President Johnson’s “New Deal”? Did it start with the Russian Revolution? The French Revolution? No it started with Adam in the Garden.
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, `You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 “but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, `You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'” 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Gen. 3:1-6 NKJ)
Adam was standing right there with Eve and he didn’t do anything to stop the crime of the human race! He was a good man with good intentions and had not disobeyed God before that point, but chose to be independent of God. He was independent, because he did not ask God what he should do at that moment. Granted, it all happened in just a couple minutes, but he chose to stand by and then join in with the conspiracy. Ever since that point, good people have chosen to do nothing rather than what was God’s will and evil continues to slowly creep in for greater and far-reaching influences.
Does it matter? Yes! It matters that Christians are not witnessing more to their neighbors. It matters that Christians are more interested in sports events than discipling new Christians. It matters that Christians do not keep doing good works to win the attention of the lost and dying world. It matters that Christians continue to spend money they don’t have on things they don’t need. It matters that Christians don’t vote in elections. It matters that Christians don’t give to their church an amount that reflects their love for God (or really the percentage they give does reflect how much they love God!). It matters that politicians get in office and then just seek to get along, so they can be re-elected. It matters that Christians allow the environment (hot, cold, rain, snow) to dictate whether they will show up to worship God at their church. It matters that Christian parents allow electronics to raise their children rather than personally train them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. It matters that Christian parents allow their children (young and older) to make decisions about what they want, rather than raise them to the holiness of God. It matters that Christian workers don’t work so hard that employees don’t care if they get Christians to work for them. It matters that Christians are content to “listen” to the teaching of God’s Word, but often don’t do the work of discipleship. It matters that Christians give lip service to being mature, because they don’t do the big sins, but won’t humble themselves to discipling those who will disciple others to spiritual parenthood. It matters that the Congress gets a new Speaker for the House!
Does it matter that good people don’t do what is right? We are seeing the impact of that lack. Over the last 100 years, discipleship has fallen aside and Christians are nodding to God on Sunday and nodding off to their Christian responsibility the rest of the week.
Can it change? Absolutely! See my post tomorrow…
Shepherding Truth 