Q: What does the Bible say about `activism` or peaceful demonstration against current Government policy. Example: the recent Tea Parties? Should a Christian participate?
A: Yes, I believe a Christian should participate in activism regardless of what it is for or against. While the Bible may not specifically command a Christian to engage in activism against the government, I believe activism to be one of many byproducts of being a Christian. Understand that engaging in activism, and to what extent, is a personal decision that neither I or anybody else can make for you. However, there are many issues that strike at the heart of Christianity. Some of those are items like our ability to worship freely, the definition of marriage, the sanctity of life, our ability to be a witness for Jesus Christ and others. When deciding what to do, if anything, you must first ask the Lord for direction. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him (James 1:5)." I would think about activism in terms of evangelizing for Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells us that we are "Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us (2 Corinthians 5:20)." An ambassador is someone who represents his or her country in a foreign land. As Christians, representing God, this earth we are on is like a foreign land. We are here to witness to the lost people of this world in an effort to save some of them by bringing them to faith in Jesus Christ. When we are doing this, it is safe to assume that we will have opposition from the majority of those we encounter. Yet, we do it anyway because we know the importance of what we do. I believe activism can be another way in which to be a witness for the Lord. Take for example the issue of marriage. Scripture says that a "man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh (Genesis 2:24-25)." Do you think it is right to have the Bible's definition of marriage changed from a man and a woman to any two consenting adults regardless of gender? I don't. When Christians stand for the biblical definition of marriage, in the public arena, they are in effect being a witness for the Lord. Eventually, a Christian will be asked why they believe the way they do and the door is open to being able to give a reason for your belief. It is the same with any hot button issue of the day; abortion, public prayer and displays of our faith, the scientific debate over origins and so forth.
The recent Tea Parties on April 15th are a perfect example of faith in action. The Tea Parties were organized as a public demonstration against what those involved called "out of control spending at all levels of government." Many of those involved were Christians. Christians who were tired of seeing the freedoms that the Founding Fathers of the United States sacrificed to create and died to uphold being taken away. Many of those same founders of our country were Christians who fought for their religious and personal freedom while relying on their faith to support them. If you believe in something strongly enough you should participate. There are a myriad of issues out there to choose from. All of which have their own impact on the life you and I are able to lead as Christians and as citizens. It all boils down to one simple question. Do you want a society that reflects a biblical worldview or one that reflects a secular worldview? If you want one that reflects the mind of Christ then you are going to have to participate in order to achieve and maintain it.
"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:16)." As Christians we have the mind of Christ. Because of that fact, the deepest questions of our being are being answered. Questions like, "Who am I?", "Where did I come from?", "Where am I going?", "What is true and what is false?", "How should I live my life?" and "Does God exist and how should I respond to Him?" These are the same questions the rest of the world asks. The only way to reach them with the answers found in Christ is through preaching the Gospel. And one of the best ways to preach the Gospel is by creating an environment conducive for doing so. That is mainly achieved through activism on some level. While God can and has reached people everywhere in any circumstance, wouldn't you rather do it an environment friendly to the message you wish to proclaim? We live in a country that was once dominated by a biblical worldview. That has significantly changed in the last 50 years or so. If you want that trend to change I encourage you to act. As you ponder what direction to go in be reminded of the fact that God, in Christ, demonstrated a form of activism for you. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18)."
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