Christian Christianity

Recently I have been thinking a lot about the role of Christians (as individuals and united as the church) in society – this is a difficult and multifaceted issue that certainly cannot be adequately addressed in this format; but as I was catching up on the news this morning a couple of things struck me. To clarify, let me begin by saying that I am not thinking of one particular news story or incident; I am looking at the big picture. Next, in referring to the news I am talking specifically about the news that relates to the government and politics. My basic premise (which is not at all unique or insightful) is that our government as a whole is criminal, immoral and lacks civility. I don’t deny that there are a few that do not fit this generalization but I believe they are the exception not the rule. By the way, this is not limited to one party or ideology; it is true of every party and branch of government and can be found in every sector. I think it is also important to state that I am not arguing for or advocating a “Christian” America (Christian nations are unobtainable and unbiblical – the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent will always be in conflict). In fact this is not even a political discussion. What I am concerned about is the church. I don’t want a Christian America, what I hope for is a Christian Christianity. The decline of our nation was certainly foreseeable – I am sure that most of us are familiar with this quote by John Adams:

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

— John Adams, October 11, 1798

Those things that Adams claimed would break the strongest cords of the Constitution, avarice, ambition, revenge and gallantry, are certainly the rule of the day and they continue unchecked. Why? I believe that it is time for the church to take some responsibility for the decline. Moral people are not produced by a government agency – they are sinners remade by the justifying grace of God. But the gospel proclaimed by the church today is one that deals lightly with sin – it is even increasingly difficult to find morality in our churches. No longer are we told of the wrath of God against sinners. In fact our rebellion against God and His anger at our rebellion is generally not even put forth as our greatest problem, producing our greatest need. Churches have replaced the message of the gospel (man’s sin, God’s wrath, Christ’s death) with messages that are “relevant.” People listening to these sermons believe that their greatest needs are practical needs – the need to learn how to be better parents, a better spouse or better employees – some churches have even preached that what they needed was really a better sex life. In trying to be practical churches have made themselves irrelevant. What is needed is a Christian Christianity, where Christ and His gospel once again take their rightful place. John Piper says it well – “I do not aim to be immediately practical but eternally helpful.” We will do the greatest good in society when we stop taking the world’s concerns and wrapping them in Christian garb and start telling the world about its greatest problem – God is angry with sinners and He sent His Son as Savior. I know that I have not even begun to address the specific questions about Christians and their role in society – but this is a start; we must begin by recovering and proclaiming the gospel of Christ.