Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
One popular saying about wealth is that he is a rich man who has a dollar more than I do. Similarly, among conspiracy theorists, the maxim seems to be that a nutty conspiracy theorist is one who believes in one more conspiracy than I do.
One survey suggests that about half of Americans believe in at least one conspiracy theory. But, let’s define our terms. I’m calling a “conspiracy theory” one that places blame for events or circumstances on a secret group’s covert plan to achieve its nefarious goals, in contradiction to the official narrative. This is different than simply believing that conspiracies exist, in which folks get together to plan and do bad things.
How should Bible-believing people think about conspiracies and conspiracy theories? First of all, the Scriptures teach that all people are sinners. It’s in our nature to lie, cheat, steal, and worse. Put a bunch of us in one room, with one goal to unite us, and we’re likely to agree to some things that are not great.
It shouldn’t shock us that other groups, filled with sinners like us, may do the same thing. So, yes, of course, conspiracies sometimes form for the purpose of doing evil. Whatever your political persuasion, I’m guessing you think the powerful folks on the other side are always doing this. I’d also guess that you’re right about that.
Secondly, the Bible documents several conspiracies. Jezebel, a queen of Israel, conspired with some bad guys to frame Naboth, and eventually got him killed, so that his vineyard could be seized and given to her husband. The enemies of Jesus, who generally couldn’t stand each other, conspired together to try to humiliate him in public. They conspired with Judas to get him arrested. In Acts, Stephen, was murdered by a conspiracy.
Conspiracies happen. Sometimes the official narrative is a lie. All those officials are sinners, too.
On the other hand, the Bible assures us that no conspiracy is any real threat to the plan, or people, of God. To hear some folks talk, you’d think there are conspiracies in charge of everything that happens. You’d think it’s no use opposing them.
That’s not what I see written. I see God laughing at an actual conspiracy of kings in Psalm 2. I see Ephesians 1 saying that God accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will. I see the Lord described as one who frustrates the plans of the wicked. Psalm 64 pronounces a blessing on those who make God their refuge in the face of an actual, nasty conspiracy, which, by the way, crumbles to nothing.
Who’s in charge here? It’s the fundamental question of reality, when you think about it. Who did all this and why, and what’s my place in it?
Are the Bilderbergers in charge? Pfizer? The World Economic Forum?
Or is it the Lord Jesus, who has been raised to a status far above all rule, and authority, and power and dominion (Ephesians 1:20-22)? As for me, I’ve placed my bet, and pushed all my chips into the center of the table. I sleep like a baby, too.
Gordan Runyan is the pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Tucumcari. Contact him at: