Gary discusses pastors and politics and answers a Facebook commenter named “Missionary Larry.”
Some have abused Jesus’ name and deeds in their attempts to bring about a “better society.” Jesus has been portrayed as a social revolutionary, the purveyor of a “liberation theology” which is little more than Karl Marx dressed in religious garb. Because of the way Christ’s redemptive message and work had been minimized by modern-day “liberationists” and previous social gospel advocates, Christians have been reluctant to preach a “social gospel” message in the name of Christ. Who can blame them from abandoning the social dimension of the gospel when social gospel advocate Walter Rauschenbusch wrote, “It is not a matter of getting individuals into heaven but of transforming the life on earth into the harmony of heaven.” Even so, why should Christians abandon an area of legitimate biblical concern just because others have perverted Jesus’ message, methods, and goals?
Every biblical doctrine has been perverted in some way. Salvation by grace through faith has become “easy believism” for some. A misunderstanding and misapplication of Romans 6:14 that we are “not under law, but under grace” has led to the “carnal Christian” heresy. A belief that Jesus’ Second Coming is near has led many Christians to be preoccupied with the next event in eschatological time while ignoring centuries of failed prophetic predictions. As Christians, we do not jettison biblical doctrines because they are misunderstood and misapplied by some. In the same way, we cannot abandon biblical social reform because of a similar abuse.
The Bible considers outward reform to be, first, evidence of internal renewal (Matt. 7:15–23), and second, a beacon to those who are in darkness to see the light of the gospel of grace (Matt. 5:13–16; Luke 2:32). Failure to comply with the Bible’s admonitions for outward reform hinders an effective proclamation of the gospel. Reform acts as a “light on a hill” for those without the gospel.
Myths, Lies, and Half-Truths
Christianity's failure to show itself practical in the past 150 years has guaranteed the success of secularism and militant Islam, both of which are doing incalculable harm at home and abroad. The rejection of any type of "this-worldly" application of the Bible has resulted in the proliferation of man-centered worldviews that have steadily drained the life out of our world and left behind a spiritual vacuum. Will the church of Jesus Christ be prepared with biblical answers for the millions who will be ready to follow the light of the gospel as the folly of humanism and Islam is made manifest? (2 Tim. 3:9).
Buy NowGary discusses pastors and politics and answers a Facebook commenter named “Missionary Larry.” Larry repeats most, if not all, of the Myths, Lies, and Half-Truths mentioned in Gary’s book by the same name. Gary points out that politics are unavoidable, and ignoring them only increases the level of them, in any area of life, including church life.