Increasing numbers of Christians are
engaging in social and political activism for the astonishing purpose of
attempting to coerce an ungodly society into adopting Christian
standards of conduct. "Operation Rescue" is one example. Its founder,
Randall Terry, explains that its purpose is to create social
upheaval and thereby pressure government into changing the abortion
laws. A typical brochure declares, "Rescues help produce the social
tension necessary for political change...whether for good or bad,
political change comes after groups of Americans bring enough tension
to the nation and pressure on politicians that the laws are changed."
No matter how commendable the goal of such
tactics, there is not one example in the entire Bible of
political or social activism ever being advocated or used by God's
people. That fact must weigh heavily upon any consideration of this
important topic. There are numerous cases of civil disobedience
in Scripture, but it was never engaged in for the purpose
of forcing an ungodly society to obey biblical principles. The Hebrew
midwives, for example, disobeyed Pharaoh's edict and spared the
lives of the male babies, even lying to cover up their "rescue
operation." God was so pleased with their obedience to Him that their
names, Shiphrah and Puah, have been preserved for us (Ex 1:15-22
[1]). This was, however, a matter of individual conscience not an organized attempt to pressure the pagan
Egyptians by mass demonstrations into adopting Israel's God-given
morals.
before God,
The same is true of Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego's refusal to obey the king's command to bow to an
idol, and of Daniel's defiance of the royal decree against prayer.
Though boldly witnessing for God even to kings, Daniel never used
his high government position to attempt to pressure a pagan society
to abandon its evil practices to begin a godly way of life. Nor did
Joseph or Esther pressure the pagan societies, in which they held
high positions, to adopt biblical morals. So it was with Ezra and
Nehemiah. They used their influence with kings to obtain permission
to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, but made no attempt to change the
practices of those societies though they practiced abortion,
homosexuality, and other evils.
There
are no biblical examples to support today's "Christian
activism." Christ "suffered for us, leaving us an
example that ye should follow his steps." He sternly and
repeatedly rebuked Israel's false religious leaders, yet He never
spoke out—not even once—against the injustices of Roman
civil authority! Nor did He advocate, organize, or engage in any
public protests to pressure Rome into changing its corrupt system, or
the society of His day its evil ways. He submitted to unjust
authorities as Romans 13 [2] tells us we should do today:
"Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he
threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth
righteously" (1 Pt 2:21-25 [3]). No "activism" here! So it was
with the apostles and the early church.
Yes, Paul told the centurion, who was about to
have him unlawfully scourged, that he was a Roman citizen; and he
told the local officials at Philippi to come and apologize for beating
him and Silas without trial. That was not, however, political/social
activism. He was not attempting thereby to change society. He was
simply standing up for his personal rights under the law (as we also
should do), and that includes voting. Paul was determined to obey God
rather than men and never held back from preaching the gospel,
though it meant his life. If Christian activism is God's will, Paul
would have been the first to pursue it fearlessly at whatever cost.
Scripture, then, from Genesis to Revelation,
offers neither example nor doctrinal teaching to support the idea
that Christians ought to engage in political/social activism, lobbying,
the takeover methods of Coalition on Revival—or that Christians in
public office could or should influence society to adopt biblical
standards of conduct. Don't forget, any change would have to be
effected through a corrupt political system involving an ungodly
majority above and below. Romans 13 [4] tells us to obey rulers,
and 1 Timothy 2 [5] to pray for them—not to attempt to change
them by coercion. It is not only foolish but counterproductive to
attempt to persuade the unsaved to live like Christians. They can't
do it—and if they could it would only blind them the more to their
sin and need of a Savior.
Acts
19:23-41 [6] tells how a large group of citizens in Ephesus
staged a huge "demonstration" against Paul and the gospel he
preached. A crowd of probably several thousand persons tore their
clothes, threw dust in the air and for two hours vociferously chanted
their praise to the locally manufactured god that was their chief
source of income."Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" they cried.
Should Paul have gathered a larger crowd of Christians to cry out yet
more loudly and longer and thereby impose their will upon the local
authorities? Of course not! Such un-Christian conduct is demeaning of
our Lord and His gospel and would have been unthinkable for the
early church. Yet that is basically what Christian activism involves
today—the well-meaning but foolish attempt to force "Christian
principles" upon a godless society through more effective lobbying,
larger demonstrations and greater social upheaval than the
homosexuals, abortionists or pornographers can produce.
Rather than pressure the ungodly to live like
saints, we must win them to Christ that they might live wholly by
God. Our personal lives must be lived in obedience to God's
laws even if that brings us into conflict with civil laws. In addition
to avoiding idolatry and immorality, Christians must preach the
gospel to everyone everywhere, regardless of government edicts
to the contrary. In so doing, the apostles made that historic
declaration: "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29
[7])! Their example has been followed by Christians down through the
centuries, from the martyrs under pagan Rome and its successor, Roman
Catholicism, to those who smuggle Bibles into Islamic or communist
lands.
Though forbidden by the
authorities, the apostles persisted in preaching the gospel. Like their
Lord, however, they made no attempt to lobby in Rome for an end to
prostitution and abortions; nor did they stage public demonstrations
for a change in unjust laws. There is a danger of being so caught up
in the social aspect of good causes that one forgets and neglects the
chief Christian calling. The Great Commission does not involve
exerting a Christian influence upon society. We are not to "change
society," but to "convert individuals." There is much talk today
about "changing the world for Christ." In fact there is no biblical
teaching or example to support that popular slogan. Rather than
persuading sinners to live like saints, we must call them to heavenly
citizenship through "repentance toward God and faith in our Lord
Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21 [8]).
But
aren't we supposed to be "salt and light" in the world (Mat
5:13-16 [9])? Yes, Christ said so. To understand what He meant,
we must look to Him as our perfect example. Jesus, "the light of the
world," never advocated or tried to effect social/political change.
His light reveals sin and leads men to salvation, fitting them
for heaven (Eph 5:8-13 [10]). Salt purifies the wound
that light reveals and reproves.
Significant
changes in society have been effected by preaching and example.
Nevertheless, the abolition of slavery, the enactment of child labor
laws and greater rights for women, while improvements to be thankful
for, have not made society any more godly. Nor is it any more likely
under these better conditions that a higher percentage of mankind
will end up in heaven than before. While such changes are worth working
for, many who call themselves Christians have become so absorbed in
good causes that they have lost their fervor for saving souls. They
have ended up joining forces with non-Christians who also espouse
"traditional values" and in promoting a compromised "social gospel"
that cannot save.
Yet the good that
social/political activism often produces is a strong motivation for
engaging in it. Many Christians were involved in the civil rights
movement that finally ended segregation. Surely it is not wrong for
Christians to engage in such activities! Certainly the innocent
babies that are being murdered in abortion clinics, just as the Jews
were in Nazi extermination camps, ought to be rescued! Should
Christians do nothing? Is there no basis in Scripture for helping
those who are downtrodden?
Yes, the Bible
warns us: "If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto
death, and those that are ready to be slain; if thou sayest, Behold,
we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and
he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he
render to every man according to his works?" (Prov 24:11-12). The
parable of the good Samaritan, too, tells us that we ought to care
for all those who are in need of help, even as Christ commands: "Do
unto others as you would have them do unto you." These principles come
under God's law written in the consciences of all mankind: "Love your
neighbor as yourself" (Mk 12:31 [11]).
We ought to do all we can to rescue babies who
are being aborted, just as we would seek to rescue anyone in danger.
The Bible doesn't tell us what individual saints may have done in
this regard because it is not specifically a Christian task nor is it
something that has been assigned to the church, but is the
responsibility of every person. Moreover, "rescues" should be engaged
in to save lives—not for the purpose of creating "social upheaval"
to coerce an evil society into adopting biblical standards. Even
persuading oppressive communist regimes to grant greater freedom can
have unforeseen malignant side effects.
Suddenly
Gorbachev is granting freedom of worship and preaching in the Soviet
Union comparable to what we have enjoyed in the West. What are his
motives? Like Constantine in ancient Rome, he finds this necessary
for the good of the empire—and may even think that freedom would
destroy the church even more effectively than oppression. Indeed, such
has been the case. Sadly, many Soviet Christians who have managed to
bring their families out to the West and who have initially thanked
God for liberty, have lost their children to drugs, free sex, pride,
lust, and worldliness—and that seems to be a greater hazard for
believers in the West's "freedom" than under communist oppression.
Today's Christian activism is far too narrow
and selective. It addresses certain issues but ignores many others of
equal or greater importance. We must not only rescue the unborn but
the children in public schools who are being perverted through the
teaching of immorality, witchcraft, and occultism. We must identify
psychology as the major vehicle of so much of this evil, and root it
out of our churches, seminaries and universities.
We must denounce sin, call for national
repentance, and preach the gospel in convicting power. Christians
must call for repentance not only for homosexuality, child abuse,
pornography and abortion but for more subtle forms of rebellion
against God and rejection of Christ. The church must be indicted both
for its lack of social concern and for its heresies and failure to
preach the truth. We must denounce the destructive false teachings
that abound. It is hypocritical for the church to protest the world's
sins while tolerating and even honoring within its ranks those who
preach a false gospel and are the enemies of the cross of Christ.
Instead of protesters we need prophets who
call the world to repentance: Enochs who walk with God and warn of
judgment (Heb 11:55 [12]; Jude 14-15 [13]); Noahs,
preachers of righteousness (2 Pt 2:5 [14]), who warn of
judgment to come and invite sinners into an ark of safety. What if,
instead of building the ark, Noah had tried to reform society! We need
Daniels: "Mene, mene, tekel upharsin"—the handwriting is on the wall,
America! You've been weighed in the balance and found wanting!
Murdered babies, the abomination of homosexuality, and society's
flippant, deliberate rebellion against God have aroused His anger
beyond any possibility of reprieve! We need Isaiahs and Jeremiahs who
had never heard of making a "positive confession" or of the "power
of positive or possibility thinking," but preached truth!
"Christian
activism" is not Christian. It represents a detour from the straight
path the church is to walk before the world. It can confuse the real
issues, lead to compromise and unholy alliances, and divert time and
effort that would better be used in proclaiming the gospel. Weigh
the demands upon your time and set priorities. Be fully engaged in
rescuing souls for eternity. TBC
By Ingrid Schluter of the Crosstalk Blog
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