Timeless truths for Christians in a divided world
Last week I listened and watched in distress and disgust as a crowd of “protestors” overwhelmed security measures and ransacked the Capitol building. The images reminded me of the unstable governmental situations that prevail in too many African nations and the dysfunction and hardship that inevitably flows from that. It is not a place where anyone in their right mind would want to go. I pray that the church will play a vibrant role in leading our country back from the brink of irreconcilable division. If we are to be used of God in this way, these events need to remind us of some great truths that we must remember and incarnate.
1. We must re-appreciate the power of words.
Words have the power to inflame or dampen division. Words can inspire us to greatness or incite chaos. Words can build up or tear down. Words can heal or wound. As Christ-followers, our words bless or curse. If we, as the church, are to be agents of grace in a broken world, we must ruthlessly filter our words, so they solve rather than perpetuate problems … spiritual or otherwise. This is true in our homes, our workplaces, our small groups, our church family, our communities and the world at large. Our words matter. What kind of legacy are we leaving with our words?
2. As the Church, we cannot be “of” the world.
If we are going to be able to speak God’s truth to the world, we cannot see the world as the world sees itself. We must see it as God sees it: filled with lostness and in desperate need of redemption. We must also see ourselves as God sees us: not as Republicans or Democrats or Independents, but as the Light of the World and the Salt of the Earth.
The intended impact of our lives shouldn’t be to see a certain person elected, or to have a certain piece of legislation passed/overturned, but to see the lost come to know Christ as Savior. Our political biases should never stand in the way of our role as God’s agents of grace.
3. We need to prize togetherness.
Intolerance of differing opinions is trending at an all-time high in my lifetime. Unfortunately, in this area, the culture is influencing the church rather than the other way around. All to frequently I hear of people who have left a small group or a church because someone held a different opinion. Churches are being split over mask/no-mask issues. I think to myself, REALLY? As believers we are going to spend eternity together, but we can’t even exist in the same church family together because of a piece of fabric? The Evil One smiles in glee when he sees this kind of thing happening. If he can keep us divided so that we will not be united in faithfulness to the redemptive mission of God, then he wins.
These kind of arguments feed our narcissistic view of church: the church is supposed to be there to meet my needs and be what I want it to be, rather than being the vehicle created by God to let me fulfill His purpose of bringing light to the world. We must prize unity in diversity, using our differences to increase our capacity to speak to every dimension of lostness. But that never is going to happen if we keep talking “at” each other rather than taking “with” one another.
4. Real success for a Christian is found only in fulfilling God’s mission.
The only thing that truly matters regarding the church’s success in the world is its faithfulness to Christ’s mission: to seek and to save that which is lost. He is Sovereign. No elected official or political persuasion can change that or take His place. If the Church, and each believer that comprises it, stays faithful to Christ and His mission, we cannot help but win. Let’s make it our mission to win God’s way.
Neal Davidson is the founder and lead pastor of Hope Chapel in Sterling, MA. He also serves as the chairman of the BCNE Board of Directors.