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These days, so many people complain that the church has lost its social conscience. Evangelical Christians are accused of not being sufficiently involved in reform movements. We are often told that believers should be on the front lines in the fight for civil rights, political integrity, and nuclear disarmament. If we don't take a hard line against the communists or fanatically support the conservative candidate, then it looks as if there's something wrong with our faith.
This attitude is completely absurd. It's simply a trick of Satan's to divert our attention from what's most important to subordinate matters. It's Satan's method of dragging the church down to a worldly level and robbing believers of their power.
The greatest benefit a Christian can do for society is to proclaim Christ as man's only hope.
There is no substitute for being born again. Politics, education, and social reforms have amply demonstrated their utter powerlessness to change human nature over the past centuries. Why should a Christian abandon the only reliable method for the sake of these weak and wretched elements (cf. Gal 4:9)?
The Apostle Paul knew better things to do than devote his time to political campaigns for the abolition of slavery. He preached the unadulterated gospel at all times, and slavery has almost completely disappeared.
If we lived in full awareness of the dignity of our Christian calling, we would stand far above the wretched politics of this world. If God's thoughts about the mission of the church were our thoughts, we would never surrender ourselves to the carnal reform efforts of men.
If we truly valued the worth and power of God's word, we would never relinquish it in favor of any weaker weapon.
God's goal today is to call a people from among the Gentiles for the sake of His name (cf. Acts 15:14).
We enjoy the privilege of participating in this project of God. But should our participation consist of ensuring that the pagans feel even more comfortable in their filth and corruption? Should we make their earthly existence easier for a few days? Or should we not rather introduce them to the One who died to deliver them from this present evil world and save their souls for eternity (cf. Gal 1:4)?
Christians are strangers and pilgrims in this world. They travel through foreign lands, but they are on their way home.
On their journey through the world, they should not adopt the character of this world, but rather win others for Christ and eternal life through their witness. Christians do indeed owe something to society. We are indebted to all people (cf. Rom 1:14). The Christian who best repays this debt is the one who devotes his time to winning people for Christ. A truly redeemed, Spirit-filled Christian is the greatest blessing that can be bestowed upon a society.
W. MacDonald (1917-2017)
From Trachten erste…, CLV