Jesus told a parable about a man who owned a house that was haunted by a demon. Realizing he needed to correct the problem, the man succeeded in casting out the evil spirit. But the owner made the mistake of leaving the house empty. He had no long-term plan and left the place completely vacant. Since nature abhors a vacuum, “seven demons, even more wicked than the first” came in and occupied that house. Jesus said, “The final condition of that person is worse than the first.” (Matthew 12:43-45)
The lesson of the parable is clear. It’s not enough to eliminate evil. We better have a tangible plan for filling the vacuum. Our houses need to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit. Otherwise, just crusading against wrong inevitably winds up doing more harm than good.
That’s a strong message to all of us who want to eliminate the evils of our society. There’s much concern today about the demons of systemic racism, police brutality, opioid abuse, fatherless homes, and chronic poverty. There are plenty of daunting demons to go around. Most rational people would admit these horrific monsters need to be driven out because they can make life miserable.
The present focus is on identifying evil, protesting its existence, and driving it out. But an even more critical challenge is how do we fill the empty house? What can we do to be assured that seven demons worse than the first don’t come in and dominate our residence?
Some threaten the total dismantling of America – insisting its foundations are evil. Some want to eliminate police departments because of rogue police officers and incidents of police brutality. Some in the cancel culture endorse purifying our past by tearing down statues and monuments to historical figures who were flawed individuals. “Let’s wipe the slate clean!” they demand. “Cast the demons out!”
We need to ask a common-sense question – once the house is swept clean, what will replace it? What kind of government follows the proposed revolution? What kind of civil order can we expect once the police are defunded? What kind of historical roots will be passed on to the next generation? Before you align yourself with passionate ghostbusters who crusade against demons, wouldn’t it be wise to ask what is the end game?
In Kenya, I spent two nights in a city that had almost no law enforcement agency. Any family that had a better-than-average house had to build a high wall, topped with barbed wire, around the property to protect their children and belongings. At night each family hired their own security guard to patrol the compound and give them some semblance of safety. “…seven demons more wicked than the first…”
While in Cuba for four days, I observed a socialistic country where everyone lived in supposed equality – which meant shared poverty and despair. Even a used American or Korean-made car might cost $80,000. Since the average take-home pay is less than $100 a month, it’s no wonder that there is only one car for every 183 Cubans. Some try to blame Cuba’s poverty on the U.S. embargo, but Cuba has plenty of resources and a Caribbean climate. If socialism works, Cuba should be a paradise. “…seven demons more wicked than the first…”
A decade ago, in China, I met with a prominent member of the Chinese Communist Party, along with seven other Christian leaders from the United States. We pleaded with Chinese officials to ease up on their ruthless persecution of the church. I asked this high-ranking communist leader if world-dominance was still their goal. His terse answer was, “Not militarily.” Obviously, the goal of communism has not changed. They are determined to dominate the world through the infusion of Maoist ideology rather than with weaponry. We also met with a Chinese underground pastor who expressed envy of American’s freedom of worship and told tales of imprisonment and threats to family members of Chinese Christians. “…seven demons more wicked than the first…”
My point is this, America is far from a perfect country, but I’ve not seen a governmental system elsewhere that I would like to replicate here. Have you? Yes, there are still demons that need to be confronted, and the house needs cleansing. But biblical wisdom and common sense call for reforming the present structure, not totally destroying it. For over two centuries, America has been the freest, most prosperous, and most opportunistic country in the history of the world.
There is no doubt that the playing field isn’t level yet, and many have more opportunities than others. But we continue to make significant progress. And the United States is the only nation I know where a white baby born in a log cabin in Kentucky and a black community organizer from Chicago can both rise to the highest office in the land. This is a special country!
Dr. Voddie Baucham, Dean of Theology at African Christian University, warns against America’s social justice, anti-racism movements, calling them a “poisonous” ideology steeped in Marxist critical theory, which aims to “redistribute” justice to certain societal groups with no consideration for the individual.
I’m thankful that more and more African Americans leaders are speaking out not only against the evil of racism but also against the need for a sense of proportion in the current discussion. Let’s eradicate the demons, but let’s not fling open the door for godless Marxism, inept socialism, or armed militias to rush into the vacuum. Let’s fill the house with the love and grace of Jesus Christ so we can confidently say, “Greater is He that is in me, than He that is in the world.”
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