Why Christian Actions & Influence are Not the Same as Religious Political Activism
Posted: Tuesday, July 22, 2008
by Jean Purcell
OpineBooks.com
What is the
difference between religious political activism and Christian actions and influence?
Activism is much-focused on winning, and Christians are not exempt from competitive and win-at-any-cost or by-any-means temptations.
Some of the religious political
activism of today is troubling. It appears to b without reason or discussion, including allowing for the changing of opinions within Christian community.
Instead, such hard lines are drawn between people, not between ideas as they should be, that crossing the line becomes difficult. On the other hand, ideas and more and legal arguments wane and so does real and lasting influence on social outcomes.
Consider St. Paul's actions
and motives:
When the apostle Paul used a legal argument to get to Rome,
he did not attach the Roman Empire. Instead, he used the fact of his Roman citizenship. He did not preach hellfire to his jailers or
to Roman officials on the matter. He used a sound argument, the fact of his Roman citizenship, and he was taken to Rome
as that citizenship allowed him to be.
In Rome, as God had told him he would be and as he, therefore, knew he would be---the apostle Paul was
imprisoned and killed for his faith in and teachings about Jesus Christ.
That is the action of the cross---submission to God's will in
loving trust and living hope in Him. This includes using knowledge and mental
faculties wisely, for the cause of Christ and the gospel.
If there were an audience to listen to them in the church
today, many Christians would say, "Let's denounce all activism that preaches at
people self-righteously and attempts to strong arm them. Let's get back to the
way of Christ, who did not even use His own rights as the Son of God, but gave
Himself up…for us."
Otherwise, whatever the wins, there are far larger and
longer-lasting losses.
This requires strength.
Consider these words of Paul, imprisoned with Silas. Paul did not doubt that he had enemies, enemies of the cross. He understood the motivations. Yet, he did not fear his captors:
They have beaten us openly, uncondemned
Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us
out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out (Acts 16:37).
Consider Matthew Henry's comments on Paul's words regarding his citizenship:
Paul, though willing to suffer for the cause of
Christ, and without any desire to avenge himself, did not choose to depart
under the charge of having deserved wrongful punishment, and therefore required
to be dismissed in an honourable manner.
It was not a mere point of honour that the apostle
stood upon, but justice, and not to himself so much as to his cause. And when
proper apology is made, Christians should never express personal anger, nor
insist too strictly upon personal amends.
The Lord will make
them more than conquerors in every conflict; instead of being cast down by
their sufferings, they will become comforters of their brethren (from Matthew
Henry's Commentary).
It is significant that Mr. Henry described Paul as being "without any desire to avenge himself..." The "point of honor" was for Christ. That was why he desired to go to Rome, to face death. Does present-day activism have that extreme desire?
This is no weakling, this man who followed Christ with his
whole heart:
"Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?"
When the centurion heard that, he went and told the
commander, saying,
"Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman."
Then the commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a
Roman?"
He said, "Yes."
The commander answered, "With a large sum I obtained this
citizenship."
And Paul said, "But I was born a citizen" (Acts 22:25-28).
Consider then:
What kinds of actions and arguments should Christians follow?
Hi Jane, I loved this piece. It is very well laid out and it brought back what is most important--sharing truth for truth's sake and not selfish-gain or for the sake of winning. Great job!!! God Bless, TeresaHi, Teresa, Thank you for the encouraging words! They help!!
Jane
