Are we fighting the wrong battles?

‘The church is not here to reform the world, for the world cannot be reformed. The business of the church is to evangelise, to preach the gospel of salvation to people blinded by sin and under the domination and the power of the devil’ (Lloyd-Jones, D. M., 1982, Life in the Spirit in Marriage, Home and Work, Banner of Truth, pages 318-319).

I wonder what Lloyd-Jones would have made of the constant efforts of evangelical Christians to stand up and be heard in the political, moral and social arena.

Different Christian organisations ask us to raise our voices against some evil in society. We are urged regularly to sign petitions, to take part in protests, etc., so that Christians will no longer be ignored. We have been encouraged to oppose plans for the development of Vegas-style super casinos and the re-writing of the smacking law. We had to voice our concerns against the proposed Incitement to Religious Hatred law and against the new Civil Partnership scheme and much more.

Of course, it is right to be seriously concerned about all these issues and individually we must do what we can to be salt and light in a decaying, dark society. However, what I am deeply and increasingly worried about is that the main voice coming from evangelical organisations and churches is a voice of protest and criticism and not the life-changing message of the gospel of our Lord Jesus. We may win a skirmish here or a battle there, but the moral slide continues, perhaps because we focus on protest rather than proclamation.

What is the church’s task?

That is the vital question. Are we to influence society for good with our protests or is our influence to be a different one? Martyn Lloyd-Jones believed it was the latter. ‘The trouble today is that the leaders of the Christian church are spending much of their time in dealing with these things directly. They are always preaching about them, sending messages and protests to governments, taking part in processions. Direct action! The Bible never does that…’ (Ibid, 323). Lloyd-Jones continues by saying this: ‘We must not take up a position of antagonism towards those whom we want to win for Christ. If we spend the whole of our time talking against them we shall never win them (Ibid, 323).

Was Lloyd-Jones just a man of his time who didn’t foresee the complexity of the 21st century, or did he present biblical principles that are still valid today? I strongly believe that it is the latter. After all, where are the protests in the New Testament? Where are the demonstrations? Where is the teaching against the social problems of the day? Jesus was asked this question: ‘Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’ (Luke 20.22). What an opportunity for Jesus to denounce this evil Roman regime, this cruel, immoral and greedy emperor. But he said: ‘“Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s”, they replied. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Luke 20.24-25). In other words — the most important matter is not your view on Caesar or his government, the most important matter is your relationship with God!

Shutting the door

Lloyd-Jones was very clear that, ‘The church cannot change conditions; and she is not meant to change conditions. And the moment she tries to do so she is in various ways shutting the door of evangelistic opportunity’ (Ibid, 329). I may be simplistic, but the only way society can change is when people change. And the only way people change is when they come to faith in Christ. And the only way people come to faith in Christ is through the preaching of the Word of God and prayer in the power of the Holy Spirit, because ultimately God is the agent of change!

In all I have said, I do not deny that the spiritual condition of Britain is very bleak today. The need is great, perhaps greater than ever before. The church is under threat. That is why we need far more than letters, protests and marches.

Bert Weenink,
pastor, Tyndale Baptist Church,
Yate & Chipping Sodbury, South Gloucestershire

Are we fighting the wrong battles?

What is the church’s task?

Shutting the door

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