The Year of Living Biblically is a book written by A.J. Jacobs describing how he, an agnostic, attempted to live according to the Bible for a year. There was humor in his attempt, but some serious benefits as well. So, I wondered what the United States would look like if the church, evangelical Christians at least, lived biblically?
If you watch the news, you see a lot of “religious leaders” claiming to be a part of one movement or another. They may even quote a passage of Scripture they believe focuses on a specific cause. Let me address that a little. Now, I’ve promised God, myself, and you that I won’t insert political issues into this blog, so I’m not going to start now. Some of this blog will, however, address how we Christians should act if we join some political cause or another.
There are a lot of demonstrations going on in America right now, some of which are bordering on violent. How should Christians handle themselves in these sorts of events? First, I’d like to talk about how some are bringing their children to these protests. We, as Christians, are to protect our children:
Matt. 18:5-6 (ESV) 5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Causing harm to a child, whether physical, spiritual, or moral harm, is an abomination to God. Parents who lead their children into such situations to “show them Mommy and Daddy’s cause” but end up causing harm to the child will answer to God for their actions.
Lately, we’ve seen school children cutting school to protest. Is this what the children should be doing? Who is teaching them this is the thing to do? Who is using them for their own cause?
Eph. 6:4 (NKJV) 4 And you, fathers [teachers?], do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Lastly, concerning the demonstrations taking place, I’d like to offer this passage, remembering Paul was writing this under cruel and oppressive Roman rule:
Rom. 13:1-7 (ESV) Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
So, we are to obey the governing authorities but within biblical parameters, of course. Currently, in the United States, this does not mean we are prevented from protesting against that government. Our basic law, the Constitution, allows for peaceful protest. Protests aren’t innately good or bad. Half of the Christian Church is based on protest – that’s why we’re called Protestant – but once the protest is no longer done peacefully, we need to remove ourselves (and our children). Some believe one side or the other is evil, dastardly, and cruel, but so were the Romans. While we cannot control the behavior of others, we can control our own. Let us be models of Christ-likeness
Why is this important?
Living biblically is a good way of life. To point to a few of the more well-known commandments: Honoring our parents makes for a good home life and a respect for the property and person of others.
Not committing murder makes for a civil society and does not destroy the family of the victim or the perpetrator.
Not committing adultery makes for a happier marriage and cuts divorce rates.
Not wanting your neighbor’s stuff, or stealing it, keeps family members out of prison and at home, as well as making for good neighborhood relations and recognizing property rights: the first sign of a civilization.
These are just five of the Ten Commandments. Think of how much better and peaceful our society would be if just these five were followed. God is interested in our souls, yes, but He is also interested in our lives. He wants us to live safely and peacefully. It is we humans, who mess this up.
So, let’s live biblically and show others how to bring peace to even contentious causes and events.
Believers Armed and Dangerous 