Out Our Way: He outranks me

"So if God gave [the Gentiles] the same gift as He gave us, who was I to think I could oppose God?" ACTS 11:17

Out our way, we take pride in our history. We remember Havre's, Long George Francis and world champion female bronc rider, Buckskin Mary. We take pride in the Wahkpa Chu'gn Buffalo Jump to the north of town, the incredible Havre Beneath the Streets, and this Saturday celebrating the largest western post in American history, Fort Assinniboine.

How many people who have heard of "Black Jack" Pershing, commander of U.S. Forces in WWI, know he got his nickname here? For in his younger days, he began his career as the commander of the 10th Negro Cavalry, which made a great name for itself when it went up San Juan Hill along with Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders.

I have a special affinity for Fort Assinniboine because years ago I was also a cavalry trooper as part of the living history unit at Fort Laramie in Wyoming. As part of the training, the fort was closed to the public for an entire week and we Living History volunteers were enlisted into Company K of the Second U.S. Cavalry. For one full week we went through a modified form of "basic training‚" using the 1870 training manual, wore period uniforms, slept in the barracks on straw-filled mattresses, and drilled daily according to the Army Manual of Arms drawn up before the Civil War.

Believe me, it was quite different from the modern drill we learned in the US Army of 1967! So were the rifles, the field gear, the uniforms, and learning to respond to bugle calls instead of radio commands. But one thing remained the same - one lesson was drummed into my head by my 1876 "drill sergeant" that had been drummed into my head by my 1967 D.I.: NEVER QUESTION ORDERS FROM A SUPERIOR OFFICER!

Regardless of your own thoughts or how you would do it, if an order is given you obey it. In the midst of combat there isn't time for debate. Thus, as one of my NCOs liked to remind me, "The United States Army defends democracy but does not practice it."

Orders are not subject to public opinion polls or voted on by the troops. They are simply obeyed. In reading today's text from the Book of Acts we are likewise reminded that the Kingdom of heaven is not a democracy either. Granted it is not popular in our secularized age to accept the authority of anyone - not even Almighty God - it doesn't change the fact that as a citizen of the Kingdom of heaven I am under the authority of the King. And His orders are not to be disobeyed.

Thus Peter, when challenged by members of the Church who didn't like God's command to accept the Gentiles, the non-Jews, as equals in the Kingdom sought to demand Peter change his view, Peter reminded them that neither he nor they were God. And who was he - and who were they - to challenge or hinder the will of the Lord?

It is true that in our declining culture, morals and values have lost much of their authority. It is true that even in some churches, the Scripture is no longer considered reliable and has to be modified by public opinion, tradition, and personal preferences.

This is nothing new, for as we read the Scriptures and review the history of Israel and of the early Church, we see a constant tension between the will of God and the will of men. Usually the will of men dominates society while the will of God remains only amongst a few brave souls who will not compromise.

And yet, in the end, the will of God prevails.

Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk and professor of theology, when he discovered that much of the Church - including the clergy and leaders - were Biblically illiterate,began to translate the Holy Text into the language of the people so they could read it for themselves. Further, he began to challenge many popular traditions and custom long accepted by the Church when he found them in contradiction to the word of God. For these things he was tried and ordered to recant.

Luther humbly acknowledged that he was a mere mortal man and capable of error, and provided he could be shown, based on the authority of the Scripture rather than popular opinion that was wrong, he would gladly recant.

But if they could not, and could only argue from tradition and the cultural values of the moment, then he would not recant saying, "It is neither right nor safe to do so. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise."

As I have possibly noted before in this space, Church historians have noted that the Church goes through a period of testing and eventually reformation every 500 years or so. The result is always the same, not only is God's will done, but the Church rises up renewed out of the ashes of mere tradition and habit, stronger and greater than ever.

I am not the first, nor will I be the last to announce the new Reformation of God's people is rapidly drawing near. It's not up for a vote. The Kingdom of God is not a democracy. Regardless of how popular or unpopular it may be with the secular world, His will shall be done anyway. AMEN.

(John Bruington is pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Havre.)