There is something about an honest unbeliever that really tugs on my heart. I'm not talking about atheists I'm not sure there are any honest atheists at least there are no consistent ones because anyone who forms words and expects to be understood reveals that they don't believe in the random chance they espouse. They are therefore not honest. If there is no God there can be no words because there can be no meaning because everything is chance: Thus the end of the possibility of communication -even with yourself.
But I digress (as usual) I'm talking about old fashioned unbelievers that know the gospel, know Jesus and what he's done and simply refuse to bow the knee in submission and are honest about it (Kind of like Adam with the fruit in his hand). Now there are plenty of people in the church that refuse to bow the knee in submission but I would call those dishonest unbelievers – they rank right up there on the scale with atheists to me (maybe a little hotter on the furnace room scale).
Anyway, by complete random chance that must have occurred while God was taking a nap or something, I ran across a country punk band called The Devil Makes Three which is for me the epitome of an honest unbeliever band. The name of the album is Do Wrong Right. The essence of the title song is If your gonna do wrong, buddy, do wrong right. I think an unbeliever with that attitude has a lot more hope of finding salvation than a lot of people in church who are doing right wrong. I think the scripture calls that having the form without the power. Or maybe it's saying you'll go but not going or is that burying your talent in the back yard? I get confused.
The church in our generation is full of people who do right wrong which boils down to the fact that they are trying to hedge their bets and so they try to live in the nether world of blandness and safety just enough outward obedience to fake everybody out and only enough 'do wrong' inside your heart or at least inside your house so that no one can see what you're really like.
I think sometimes God has to let the rocks cry out because the human beings that have chosen themselves to be named christian give no witness with their so called lives. The Devil Makes Three may very well be rocks crying out in praise of the truth in these dark times.
In their song Poison Tree they sing:
the roots of the matter run miles deep this is the era of eternal sleep. Please everybody, now but please be advised Nothings going away just because you're closing your eyes. This is the harvest of some rotten seeds There surely isn't any mystery This is the fruit of the poison tree. You better ask yourself what you believe
Old tactics leave you face down on the bricks This new dog knows some terrible tricks Turn the cameras off and it doesn't exist that's a lesson well learned back in 1966.
I see a storm it is coming down And I can feel my bones creak I know you can feel it too But you think that you're, you think that you are all alone.
I wish the people who say they are of the truth understood it as well as some of those that reject it. I wish tht I believed and that I pursued obedience with the heart that some pursue rebellion.
One more quote from TDMT:
Take this pill now and put it on your tongue Keeps you acting just like everyone Keeps you from feeling good, bad, ugly,crazy, dumb It ain't a drug brother I'd give it to my only son. Well, no one's going to get arrested, no one's having any fun. Doctor's orders; you feel your heart beating go ahead and take you one. Now your duller than a singing saw playing uncomfortably numb It's a thorazine work party with free fluoride bubble gum. You wander like a zombie out into the midday sun.
All Hail All Hail To the greatest of sales Everything you've got's got to be sold
All Hail All Hail it's to work or to jail They're closing them doors on the world.
If I could just figure out a way to kick the Thorazine cold turkey I think there might be hope of staying on the path of life for longer than 30 seconds at a time.
With my hand to the plow and the blisters to prove it.
Brad
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