The Church needs a new cause!
It is amazing to me how much of Christianity's identity has been skewed from its spiritual agenda and been focused on a lesser political or social agenda. I read a great article in Newsweek regarding the decline of Christianity in America (www.newsweek.com/id/192583 ). No matter how you slice it up, this is a regrettable situation we find ourselves in as evangelicals. Nonetheless, every Christian should be quick to listen to much of the article's points regarding Christianity's place with in our American culture. While not agreeing with every point mentioned in the article, I do believe their is much insight for evangelicals today as we continue to fight the good fight!
With the political shift that has taken place in the past six months, you would think that election was the cause of the decline is Christianity in America. Might I suggest another more logical reason. Jesus always had a suspicion of the governing authority. They had the ability to corrupt even the most naive of associates, but in the past thirty years, evangelicals have put almost their entire stock into the political system that now seems to have chewed us up and spit us out. What a surprise! Maybe one party, (not to name one) used us in some way to aid their political aspirations? Sure, there have been some strides in our "Christian" interests in Washington, but largely our "agenda" has been left untouched. Does this mean that Christians individuals should not participate and vote their values? By no means, that is beauty of our political machine, but beware when we associate divine authority with one political party or another! Power has the uncanny ability to corrupt!
But there is a larger problem I want to put my finger on. It has to do with our goals. Certainly, we want to see our culture maintain moral stability, but is the political system the way to do it? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? In other words, maybe we have gotten it backwards. Legislating morality for a society does not have a lasting effect, evidenced in the rescinding of the Stem Cell research ban. Maybe the church needs a new cause...or maybe reclaim a very old cause. Biblically, mankind is on a path to complete corruption. Though this corruption is presently realized in each individual heart, it is further realized in time through the cultural values as it is lived out in individuals. In other words, changing peoples morality is a band aid. It is a quick fix, rather a temporary fix. The church is charged with displaying the glory and majesty of God and bringing people back into their original creative focus. Only reckoning people to Jesus Christ who will change their hearts will in turn change a people's behavior. Even then it takes time. The problem in our country is not a behavoral problem, it is a heart problem and it is as old as the world.
The church needs a new cause...A Gospel cause. We need to raise up parishioners who will be missionaries for the this great cause. As we change the heart of people with the Gospel, we will change the behavior of the people thus change the values of the people. So why are we putting so much stock into politics? Maybe the politcal shift will allow (or free up) Christians to be the church rather than just "do" church. Who needs it anyway, we have a better plan. Read your Bible!
April 8, 2009 at 8:01 AM
You said, "The problem in our country is not a behavioral problem, it is a heart problem and it is as old as the world."
To this I respond with a resounding, AMEN!
I firmly believe that followers of Christ are called to pledge their allegiance to God alone, not to any nation, government, political party or ideology. Because we are under the rule of God alone, we are not under any other rule. Not only this, but the main task of the Church is to keep the Kingdom “holy” — meaning “set apart,” “separate” and “consecrated.” We are to take great care to live lives that are set apart from the ideals, values and methods of the world’s politics.
I don't think this means Christian people are to be law breakers. When laws conflict with the rule of God, of course, we must break them (Ac 5:39). But otherwise we’re to submit to them, for not doing so would unnecessarily get in the way of our call to build the Kingdom. But we submit to laws not because they have authority over us, but because we submit to God.
The Kingdom of God is based on people trusting God as their sole ruler. Christians are therefore to place no more trust or confidence in governments and the laws they legislate than Jesus did – which is none. If a government’s laws happen to be consistent with the rule of God, we obey them. If they’re not, we follow the example of Jesus and disobey them. But either way, it’s clear that our behavior isn’t to be dictated by what government says, but by what God says.
Throughout history the attempts to mix faith and trust in God with governments of this world have ended in disaster. It was true with the Israelites when they insisted on having an earthly king. It was true when Constantine tried to essentially force the world to accept Christ. It was true when the Christians of Europe used religion as an excuse to commit mass murder during the Crusades. It was true of the Russian Orthodox Church when they used their influence to back the leaders of Tsarist Russia, and it is true today when the Evangelical Church tries to force people to abide by its beliefs by using government laws and the threat of government violence against those who do not adhere to those laws. And it doesn't matter if it is the so-called "Religious Right" or the Sojourners crowd on the left; worldly politics is not consistent with a Christian view of life.
The Church has one Master and serves one Kingdom. In light of this, the lords of the earth and kingdoms of the world should be irrelevant to us. Our job is to build His Kingdom by doing what Jesus did. Nothing must distract us from this one task.
May all praise, honor and glory go to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
David