Like many people, I have found myself struggling to find a voice or a proper or sufficient message in these chaotic and uncertain times. What is the right thing to say? IS there a right thing to say? And how do we strike a balance between the emotion of the moment, the desire to empathize and take action and remain rooted in biblical truth, which transcends all our earthly circumstances?
There are seemingly endless facets through which to view this challenge. For every Proverbs 31:8-9 (“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy”), there is a Colossians 3:2 (“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”) Without being inconsistent, is there a way to remain obedient to both of the declarations above?
One area that has been disheartening for me within the civil strife of the past couple of months has been a very vocal part of the evangelical community who appear opposed to any acknowledgement of the racial issues surrounding us. They believe (rightly) that the gospel is the answer to all of our problems, and that to speak to social circumstances with anything other than explicit gospel truth is misleading, or even heretical or an abandonment of our responsibility as believers. This approach strikes me as lacking in intellectual rigor, but I couldn’t put my finger on how to address it sufficiently.
My moment of conviction happened just this past Sunday. Our church body has been working through the Undivided series of videos featuring J.D. Greear and Dhati Lewis. The series focuses on racial reconciliation and unity within the church, and I’ve been really thankful for the opportunity for frank discussions with our congregation. One of our elders was reflecting on the hurt that our nation is experiencing, and reminded us that the only real healing for it is found in Jesus. And it hit me like a ton of bricks:
If not us, then who?
If we acknowledge that there is something broken, sick and damaged in our society, and if we believe that only Jesus can deliver us from it, how can we stay silent or “above the fray” in addressing it? It is not “woke” to state that many among us who, like us, bear the image of God, have been marginalized, oppressed, victimized or otherwise impacted by years of deep-seated racism and bigotry. Of course we want to present the gospel as the vehicle for real change, but that requires us admitting that change is needed. When you share the gospel with an addict, the need for restoration, healing, and freedom is likely a part of your message; it’s what he or she is wanting to change! If we aren’t willing to state a problem or a need for change, then why is the gospel even needed in that space?
And if we as Christians decide that we really aren’t interested in engaging in the work of reconciliation as a component of the gospel, we have to recognize that someone else is going to do that work instead. Many in our nation have decided to tackle this problem in the past several weeks. Christians shouting “you’re missing the point” from the sidelines influences no one. We may come to find somewhere down the line that the solutions everyone else decided on are decidedly anti-gospel at their core - and we will have only ourselves to blame for not injecting Jesus into the discussion.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I think Christians should be very wary of getting too involved with politics. The God who created this earth, those who dwell in it, and the passions and emotions they experience, is more worthy of our affiliation than any political party or label. We do ourselves and our message no favors when we align ourselves too closely with positions of power and influence, when we open ourselves up to the accompanying pitfalls of corruption and greed. But more and more, I am convinced that this is not an excuse for apathy. Search your hearts and ask yourself what you are doing to advance the gospel. Ask yourself how that gospel work can potentially be focused into our cultural reality without compromising the beautiful truth at its center. And as you do so, trust that the Holy Spirit is able to work in whatever context, in any heart, to bring the lost to Christ.
