PREACH WHAT?

When Jesus told His disciples to "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mk. 16:15), He did not say, "Go correct the ills of society." Do you know why? The answer is simple. Man cannot change his environment, until he is change by the Creator of that environment. It is when a person, by faith, accepts God's free gift of salvation (His grace), that he begins to see his environment as God sees it; he actually becomes a "new creature" (Jn. 1:12; Rom. 6:23; 8:14-17; 10:9-10, 13; Eph. 2:8-10; Phil. 2:15; 1 Jn. 3:1-2). A Middletown Bible Church document quotes Dave Hunt on this subject:

"Increasing numbers of Christians are engaging in social and political 'activism' for the astonishing purpose of attempting to coerce an ungodly society into adopting Christian standards of conduct. 'Operation Rescue' is one example. Its founder, Randall Terry, explains that its purpose is to create social upheaval and thereby pressure government into changing the abortion laws.

No matter how commendable the goal of such tactics, there is not one example in the entire Bible of political or social 'activism' ever being advocated or used by God's people. There are numerous cases of civil disobedience in Scripture (the Hebrew midwives, Daniel, Daniel's three friends, etc.), but it was never engaged in for the purpose of forcing an ungodly society to obey Biblical principles.

'Christian Activism' involves the well-meaning but foolish attempt to force 'Christian principles' upon a godless society through more effective lobbying, larger demonstrations, and greater 'social upheaval' than the homosexuals, abortionists, or pornographers can produce. But rather than pressure the ungodly to live like saints, we must win them to Christ that they might live wholly for God.

We must denounce sin, call for repentance, and preach the gospel in convicting power. Yes, Christians should call for repentance from homosexuality, child abuse, pornography, and abortion, but we should primarily be calling for repentance from rebellion against God and rejection of Christ. Rather than indicting the church for its lack of 'social concern,' it should be held accountable for its heresies and failure to preach the truth. It is hypocritical for the church to protest the world's sins while tolerating and honoring those who preach a false gospel and are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

Instead of PROTESTS, we need PROPHETS who call the world to repentance. We need Enochs who walk with God and warn of judgment (Jude 14-15) and Noahs who preach righteousness and warn of judgment to come (2 Pet. 2:5).

'Christian Activism' is not Christian, and represents a detour from the straight path the church is to walk before the world. It can confuse the real issues, lead to compromise and unholy alliances, and divert time and effort that would be better used in proclaiming the gospel...Be fully engaged in rescuing souls for eternity."