Agents of Change

Should a follower of Jesus be expected to renounce the acts of others for the sake of unity with fellow Christians?  Following the violence in Charlottesville, over the protest of removing the historical statute of Robert E. Lee, the African American Network released a document titled “Charlottesville Declaration."

The document was created and signed by 80 Black Christian leaders. This document is calling on white evangelicals and white Christian leaders to renounce "in the strongest terms" the ideology of white supremacy.

A part of the document declares:

"In Charlottesville, the violence of white supremacy visited our nation once again; its demonic presence has not been exorcised from us. From the founding of this nation until the present hour, the idolatry of whiteness has been a pro-death spirit within our republic."

The signers of this document state, “From Puritan pilgrims to Evangelical revivalists, churchmen have been seduced by the spirit of the age, calling evil good and good evil” and calls on the Christians to remind the nation and ourselves of the personal and social power of the Gospel.”

The thrust of this document is calling out Christianity to be an agent of change in the social structure in our communities. The question that must be answered is “Does the Lord’s church exist to restructure political and social guidelines?”   

The biblical view of slavery or racial oppression is not addressed as a community issue. The only real biblical observation of the issue of slavery addresses the hearts and attitudes of both the slave and the slave owner. In the Apostle Paul’s letter to Philemon, Paul identified Philemon as a “fellow laborer.”

In this letter the Apostle Paul further revealed that Philemon, a convert of Paul, hosted a church in his home, “…to the church in thy house” (Phi 1:2) and was a slave owner. Addressing the issue of a runaway slave named Onesimus, Paul said:

“I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds.” (Phi 1:10)

The slave Onesimus had become a follower of Jesus just as Philemon had under the ministry of the Apostle Paul. A slave and a slave owner are now brothers in Christ! What was the Apostle’s advice to Philemon:

“For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?” (Phi 1:15-16)

The Great Commission does not include any verbiage that would suggest the power of the gospel is to change laws or community standards. Jesus’ directions to His followers is found in these words:

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Mat 28:18-20)

Jesus never encouraged His followers to be agents of change in the community they lived in. When the subject of national allegiance and obligations for Jesus and His followers were in question by the Pharisee’s question,“Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?” (Mat 22:17)  Jesus simply said:

 “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” (Mat 22:21)

There is no question that when the gospel takes root in the lives of people, there is a change of perception of right and wrong behavior in a community. The New Testament has several examples of the impact of the Gospel bringing change in the communities’ view of personal behavior.

In Ephesus, the power of the Gospel changed the fabric of the community’s behavior in the occult:

“And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.” (Act 19:17-20)

Slavery is repugnant and declaring the value of one race over the other is not Christian values “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Rom 10:12-13)

Creating and signing a document will not change the hearts and minds of people. The work of the Lord’s church is not to address the political nature of our world but rather to preach the gospel to the “sin-broken, lost people.” When the gospel’s work is done, just as with Philemon and Onesimus, enemies become brothers and attitudes about race and all other views are filtered through the teachings of God’s Word.