It appears from a casual reading of the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin that he chose to become a deist as a result of watching professed Christians around him. As I read this account of his life, I really was saddened to see this choice that he had made. He was such a blessing to our land and a very important man in the forming of our constitution.
Ben was in his early teens when he arrived at the conclusion that there was no real value in “Christianity”. It makes me wonder about those days and about those who professed to be followers of Jesus Christ. We are likely looking at second and third generation folks who had come out of the English and European reformation. They had come to America to find freedom to worship according to their convictions, but I wonder if their freedom had not become more important than their convictions. Much attention was being given to learning how to govern this new land; the French and Indian war was threatening and it seems possible that their interest and attention to their faith had taken a back-seat to politics.
And then I wonder how much we may be just like that generation. I fear our attention has been far too greatly captured by politics rather than by our faith. When we become better acquainted with names like Pelosy and McCain than with Rahab, Achan or Gideon we have likely gone awry. We have a mission far more important than Helena or Washington D.C. The thing of first importance is the representation of our God.
2 Corinthians 5:20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
