As I write this article, I am attending a pastors’ school in Orlando. History has been a favorite subject for me so I was excit-ed to learn about The Black Robed Regiment and to see a reenactment of a revolutionary era pastor, Peter Muhlenberg. In his book, Bringing Back the Black Robed Regiment, Pastor Dan Fisher writes; “Sadly, when most Christians hear of the Black Robed Regiment today, they probably envision judges wearing their black robes as they sit behind the bench. Little do they know that the “men in black” of the Revolution era were actually preachers – preachers who normally wore black.
America has a history that includes clergy standing up for Biblical principles to the point of leading men into battle during the Revolutionary War between England and what would become the United States of America. Men like Pastor Abraham Keteltas 1777, Pastor Elizur Goodrich 1787, Pastor William Gordon 1777, and Pastor Samuel Cooper 1780 are among the brave men quoted in this book. Leaving the pulpit and their families, these pastors led men into battles to restore liberty.
But, as I sat there, I considered the fact that today many churches are about offering feel good messages from the pulpit and entertaining people. That is not the role of the church in any era. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 (New Living Transla-tion) Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means “rock”), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. Peter was an early disciple of Jesus. That meant that everywhere Jesus went, Peter went. Jesus was rabbi (teacher) to Peter and the other eleven disciples. The role of the church today is to share God’s Biblical plan with our congregations and sharing Biblical truths. The role of Christians is to live out those Biblical truths in their everyday living.
Oppression does not have a time limit. As the colonies in the eighteenth century faced tyranny from England, Christians knew that their God given freedom as human beings was being seriously threatened and they could not accept that. So they physically banded together and fought and asked God to see them through this rough stretch. Today we fight oppression in many forms and as we read in 1 Samuel 17:47, All those gathered here will know that it is not sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s…”
As I reflected on this story about the Black Robed Regiment, it reminded me that God is with us through all the battles we face in life. That is the never-changing, good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! There is no topic or situation in life that escapes God in His planning. Therefore, we should consult with Him daily about everything we face, knowing that God has the answers. There is also a call upon all Christians to be living a more Christ-centered life or we will face dire consequences. The decisions about how we live our lives and what our moral values look like must be based on Biblical principles. The world does not typically look to God’s plan as is evidenced by the ever-changing dynamics of human laws. James 1:17, Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
God loves you and so do I,
Pastor Jeff