Question from a reader:
I have read what you had to say about: The Role of Government; How Can We Please God?; The Problems with Voting; and, What Does the Bible Say about Humility? I am working on a topic for discussion that addresses what our role as Christians are according to God. Now I know there are many but it seems that they boil down to live right and share the gospel. Now my question revolves around where we are as a country and how we are moving more and more away from Christian values in this country. The country as a whole seems to be moving in the direction of thinking of Christians as bigots and a negative to be a Christian. Now I know that we have the “Great Commission” to go out and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Is it the complete plan of the Lord to gain ground by just individual conversion, and one by one quietly winning the majority or winning the battle against evil or sin? This country is or was a country based on Christian values and we used to have the majority to keep the decency to a degree but little by little we are losing the battle and control of the country. Do we have any other responsibility other than living right and sharing the Gospel? Thanks for your writings and for your consideration of this question that has really been on my heart and mind in a big way lately. I feel like we should do more than most of my Christian brothers and sisters do but I wonder if I am wrong and all I should be concerned about is living right, voting and quietly sharing the gospel. So, again I ask: “Do we have any responsibility other than living right and sharing the Gospel?”
Thank you for your question.
I agree that we are supposed to live right and share the gospel. I further believe that our sole purpose is to glorify God, and I agree that this includes living right and sharing the gospel. Now, “living right” includes a lot of things, as outlined in the epistles. We glorify God by pleasing Him through right living, and this includes sharing God’s grace, being faithful in Bible study and prayer, giving to the needy, etc. Please see my e-Book entitled True Christianity. This covers the doctrines of the epistles, and it offers my views on what I believe “right living” to be.
Thanks,
Owen
I appreciate your response but I know what right living involves I just summed it up with living right to shorten my email and to get to the main question which I did not see a clear answer to. Can you answer the question more directly?
You asked, “Do we have any responsibility other than living right and sharing the Gospel?” If “living right” includes glorifying God, then I believe that this is correct. If we believe and share the gospel, and live the Christian life, this will bring the maximum amount of glory to God, so this is the extent of our responsibilities in this life.
So, the way you understand the scripture we are to quietly go about our God Glorifying lives and share the gospel and not fight to keep biblical principles as a guide for our country? I know that we can’t win the day without God but do we do nothing while the country goes down the toilet other than these things we have spoken of or do we do these things plus other things?
No, you have misunderstood what I said. Yes, we are to quietly go about our God-glorifying lives sharing the gospel. However, I do not agree with the rest of your statement, “and not fight to keep biblical principles as a guide for our country.” I said that we could bring the maximum amount of glory to God if we believe and share the gospel, and live the Christian life. I also indicated that the (God-glorifying) Christian life (“living right”) includes a lot of things, and I referred you to my free e-Book entitled True Christianity because it covers the doctrines of the epistles. It offers my views on what I believe “right living” to be; i.e., understanding and sharing grace and faith, pleasing God, being faithful in Bible study and prayer, giving to the needy, etc. Have you read this e-Book to help you answer your questions?
You also asked, “…do we do nothing while the country goes down the toilet other than these things we have spoken of or do we do these things plus other things?” If you are asking what our responsibilities are in the political arena, I believe that I have already covered these as well, in my articles on government and voting, which you indicated that you had already read. We should vote, we should support God-fearing Christian candidates, and we should support the Christian principles upon which the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were founded. For example, concerning social issues, we should not tolerate abortion, and we should insist on our right to arm ourselves.
If you’re asking about civil disobedience, I believe that those believers who feel led to do so should participate in orderly and non-violent civil disobedience, bearing in mind God’s instructions about this in Romans 13:1-7: “1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”
Thanks,
Owen