All believers agree that Jesus calls us to help the needy and to be a positive influence on our society. However, believers disagree over the ways in which Christians should get involved in society. This post reflects on biblical principles related to our call to influence our society.
Some believers mostly withdraw from society and believe that this is the Scriptural approach. They do not pursue the transformation of structural injustice in their society. One reason these people take this approach is that directives for organized political involvement are conspicuous by their absence in the New Testament as compared to the Old Testament. In the Old Testament God constantly challenged Jewish political leaders and the wealthy to form a just society, including laws to relieve human suffering.
But there are no clear instructions to Christians in the New Testament to gain political influence and reform unjust systems. Of course, this is because Jesus and his Apostles did not teach that Christians would have political power. This is because the conception of God’s kingdom in the New Testament is that the world would not accept God’s Kingdom. Instead, we would be rejected and we would live “outside the camp” (Heb. 13:13). So we no longer have a geographic homeland ruled by believers by God’s commandments like the Jews did in the Old Testament; instead, our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20).
However, Jesus and his Apostles repeatedly instruct believers to love others and even to love our enemies. Would it make sense to love individual enemies but not love groups of enemies? Or groups of unbelievers? The directive to love others, our neighbor, means that we must also love groups of our neighbors, in other words, communities and societies. It also means loving them by reforming societal structures that inhibit people from flourishing. Believers need to exercise whatever influence we have to accomplish these goals. If we can set up a food bank to help the hungry then we do it. If we can gain political office without compromising Christ’s teachings then we do it so that we can use our influence to promote justice in our society. We need to protest against injustice. We need to speak out against destructive political views and attitudes. If a politician wants Christians to vote for them they need to understand our standards and be prepared for our objections to their behavior and policies.
Are you frustrated that the New Testament doesn’t instruct believers to get organized and change the political world? Consider this. If Jesus had taught us to pursue political influence then the church would have become very political very quickly. It would have focused believers on power at the expense of Christformation and shining to the lost. In case you think I am mistaken then examine the Church in the Middle Ages. They had much power but there was very little Christformation. When the Church and political power become officially intertwined then both sides suffer. Instead, Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36).
Are you frustrated that the biblical conception of social involvement makes it feel like there is no point to our efforts for justice because it will not last and eventually Jesus will have to return in the midst of a chaotic and destructive world in order to make things right? Are you frustrated that we will never have the political victory needed to establish worldwide justice? In other words, you want some visible continuity between our efforts now and the final triumph of the kingdom of God. You want to contribute to a winning cause.
In response, isn’t it true that if we need continuity in order to be motivated to change the world then we have gone astray? We’ve become focused on doing our will and establishing a lasting visible legacy for ourselves and others instead of focusing on doing God’s will of loving people and loving societies. Shouldn’t we be happy that we have done what we can and helped others? All outcomes are God’s prerogative, not ours. We rejoice because we serve God, not because we can produce lasting structural change. Otherwise, we become spiritual materialists, avaricious. We prioritize visible success and structure; we value this more than the change of heart that Jesus taught. In other words, we are devaluing the less visible and invisible changes that Jesus focused on. These are the root changes needed for deep transformation.
Instead, we rejoice when we can do justice in this world as well as contribute to the growth of God’s kingdom society which is not an earthly political entity. The society of God’s people, the kingdom of God, is always influencing this world and drawing closer to its final victory and establishment on earth when Jesus returns. Therefore, we passionately try to establish justice in this age so that all people know God’s love in a concrete way. And we invite them to join God’s kingdom so that they can live forever in a perfectly just society. Ultimately, we can’t be anxious over how long the visible impact of our efforts endures. Our impact may last one day or one hundred years. It doesn’t have to lead to the transformation of the whole world so that Jesus comes back. Instead, our focus is on doing God’s will and living in the kingdom, which is God’s eternal society and inviting others into this kingdom. This world is passing away (1 John 2:17). God’s world is gathering momentum for eternity.
