Christians and the Nation, by R. E. Harlow
Assuredly God has blessed His Word in this country surpassing most others. It is conceivable that the impending Rapture of true believers will significantly reduce the population of America.
The problem is: How much of my life as a bondslave of Jesus Christ can be consecrated to improving this world? Bought with a price, am I at liberty to use my body as I please, or at the dictates of peers and culture? May I optionally dedicate my gifts from the risen Savior to objectives deemed worthy by men, themselves Christ-rejecters? Did my Savior set me free, to do my own thing? Go wherever I choose? Vocalize whatever invades my mind?
What did He say? Well, plenty. On earth He taught many things; the most momentous are recorded for us in the four Gospels. From Heaven He sent the Holy Spirit of God to steer us in the way we should go. This resulted in 21 inspired epistles.
The Lord left us in the world but, like Himself, we do not belong to it.1 If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. The world is passing away, and the real things are unseen and eternal.2 The Spirit of God wants us to be transformed, not conformed to this world. There was a time when we emulated the world's evil customs. No more. That was quite sufficient for us to do what the world craved.3
Our Redeemer and Lord was not vague when He ordered us to go to the entire planet and preach the Good News. We are on His supreme authority to make disciples of/in all nations. We are witnesses to Him in Jerusalem, and to the ends of the earth.
Nowhere, Old Testament or New Testament, is there a command or a hint that we should devote our efforts to improving this world.
A few years ago the First Lady sponsored a nationwide crusade Beautify America. One radio announcer put it this way: Throw away something beautiful today. Help improve our garbage dumps. It would take more than the total energy of all the saints to clean up this world before Christ comes.
When He does all will be well. A righteous King controlling with a rod of iron. Princes governing in justice.4 Health, longevity, prosperity, global peace. This and much more is Christ's blueprint and prerogative. Should we upstage the Lord and try to get the Millennium rolling (in one country) ahead of schedule? Perhaps we could splurge in the frill of enhancing the world, if we had achieved what the Lord explicitly dictated. Of course, it is just the opposite.
There are many evils to correct in our society: promiscuity, AIDS, pornography, graft.5 Would we help spread the Gospel by seeking legislation prohibiting abortion or illicit drugs? Would it make people more open to the Word of God? Many parents would say they deplore seeing their children growing up in such an environment. So would I. But you can make a lifelong impact on your children. With God's help, they could become strong enough to stand up for the Lord in the most evil circumstances.
Today in America there is a sturdy crusade to combine evangelicals with Roman Catholics in the confrontation against social depravity. (Why not with Muslims also? Hindus? Buddhists?)
There was a profusion of social evils in the times of the early church. What did the Spirit say about them? Slavery: Christians should treat their bondservants like brothers. Promiscuity: Christians should abstain from the appearance of evil. Racism: They should receive all true believers. Idolatry: Come out from among them. Official corruption: Taxes to whom taxes, customs to whom customs.
Do we read this anywhere? “Let us join with those who, like us, sincerely believe in the supreme god. Together with Jupiter's priests at Rome, we will be able to make a strong showing at the Forum. Claudius Caesar will be forced to sign an edict liberating all slaves...” Perhaps in the epistle of Demas, who loved this present world!
The Roman Catholic Church majors in charity. The letter to Thyatira speaks of their works, love, service, faith and patience, and increasing works. But the Lord had things against them. They condoned that woman Jezebel, a self-styled prophetess. She taught the Lord's servants to practice sexual immorality and worship idols. She had time to repent, but declined, until judgment was looming.
Two evangelical pacesetters who sponsored the plan of cooperating with Rome have now published articles to rationalize the recommendation. Much of what they say is good and persuasive. The cardinal error is the misguided endeavor to improve our society. They say we should “confront the non-Christian world in political activism”; “reeducate our secularized communities." Our action is on a “cultural battlefield,” and is “vital for the health of society.” The purpose is “to uphold moral values in society.”
The best way to improve a society is to improve individuals. In the short time left, let us give ourselves wholeheartedly to the global task of making Christ known. Recovering society is both hopeless and unscriptural. The Lord Jesus is worthy of our total efforts. A few can go, most can give, all can pray.
R.E.H, Missions Magazine, March 1995
footnotes
1. John 17:16
2. 1 John 2:17; 2 Corinthians 4:18
3. 1 Peter 3:4
4. Isaiah 32:1
5. Editor's note: this article was written before the times of the LGBTQ movement, which is another pervasive evil to add to the list.
