Christian Civic Responsibility

This is the text of a sermon given by Dave Webster at the Jeffreys Bay Bible Church on Sunday 10th July 2011.

Text: 1 Peter 2: 11-17

Intro:    In the last two weeks of June I was involved in 4 meetings, meetings which have left me challenged and determined to do something. 

The first meeting, on the 15^th June was the J/Bay Residents/Ratepayers Assoc. meeting – Trevor Watkins (the chairman) and others informed us (approx 80 people) of the sad condition of our town and Municipality and they then went on to ask us “what are we doing about it, besides complaining?”

The next day I phoned Trevor and thanked him for his informative and challenging address.  We arranged to get together and have coffee, which we did on the 20^th June and I learned more about our Municipality – and again left challenged to the core.

The third meeting, 22^nd June in Humansdorp, was as a result of a public invite to listen to and interact with the Mayor and the ANC councilors, who make up the Mayoral Committee – these are the seven people who run the Kouga district – this invite to the public was made 24 hours before the meeting – and there were no more than 30 of us from the entire Kouga area.  After the late arrival of the Mayor, on the day, and the “ear tickling”, promise politicking of some of the Councilors, and taking the opportunity of saying something myself, I/we all left disillusioned.

The  fourth meeting on the 30^th June, an invite from the Chairman of the JBay Res Assoc, a meeting at which 6 of us were asked to be part of a new group called “The JBay Res/Rate Payers Legal Watchdog.”  The function of this “Watchdog” group is to fact find (which means reading the 5 Municipal Acts some 336 pages) and then see where the law is being broken; address one on one with the Mayor and or Councilor; then use public media; and finally take legal action, if necessary.

Now beloved, I was/am left in limbo – this is not my thing, my calling, my passion, not even my real interest.  What do I do?  What would you do or more correctly ‘What should we all be doing?” 

Topic:  The Christian and Civic Duty/Responsibility

Let me start with sharing a few Random thoughts/questions: (Think and respond with a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ or ‘I don’t Know’)

·                     Since, as Christians, we’re “in the world but not of the world” are we therefore to be pacifists, to sit back and do nothing (involving "the world") until the Lord Jesus returns?  After all, mankind messes it up and Jesus returns to fix it up.

·                     Are we to be “so heavenly minded that we’re of no earthly good?”

·                     Are we to allow and say and do nothing about injustice, crime, the murder of unborn babies, unbiblical sexual/marital unions, corruption etc etc?  If you say “No, we must do something” then let me ask “What/How?”

·                     What about paying rates and taxes, from our hard earned God-enabled money, money we know is being mismanaged, used for personal gain by corrupt means, etc.  Where does responsible and good stewardship come into the equation?  Or are we to knowingly dish it out and say, “They’ll give account, not me”

·                     What about taking/holding office in public/political parties?  What about Kenneth Meshoe and the ACDP?  What do say about Joseph in the OT, he ran the economy of Egypt for Pharaoh.  What about Daniel who was made ruler and chief administrator over all of Babylon, second only to Nebuchadnezzar.  What about you/anyone of us?

·                     Does the view of separation between State and the Church mean that neither one, in any way, is to get involved with the other?  Therefore:

·                     Was the RCC and to a degree the Protestant Church biblically correct in not getting politically involved, or even speaking out, against anti-Semitism, Hitler murdering 6 million Jews? 

·                     Just how far are we to get involved?  Is voting for political parties every few years and individuals OK, but no further?

·                     Where do we draw the line/lines with community/party politics/social, civic responsibility?

NB. I think we’re beginning to pick up how either naive or deceived, or possibly even brainwashed, many of us really were and/or still are.  No offence!

A few profound quotes from the Enlightened:

·                     "Evangelicals will inevitably disagree about policy, but we realize that we have many callings and commitments in common: commitments to the protection and well-being of families and children, of the poor, the sick, the disabled, and the unborn, of the persecuted and oppressed, and of the rest of the created order." (If you want a few Scripts that teach the truth of this quote, then start at Gen 1:26 which declares man's God-given dominion over all creation; go through to the Lord's prayer “Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven”, and through the rest of the Bible!)

·                     "As Christian citizens, we believe it is our calling to help government live up to its divine mandate to render justice." As we consider this profound quote, let's look at the last question of the many  referred to earlier (“Where do we draw the line/lines with community/party politics/social, civic responsibility?”).

 The answer?  Understand we live in a Democracy, which basically means “the rule of/by/for the people” – that’s every one us who make up the RSA.  We have the second best form of rule in the world, the best being a Theocracy “the rule of God” that’s when the Lord Jesus returns.  We’re not under Communism or a Dictatorship, but a Democratically governed country.  Therefore the people appoint national and local authorities and ensure that they “live up to the divine mandate” – and if they don’t then using our “Constitutional democratic right” we respectfully counsel them, then if needs be admonish them, and then if necessary legally remove them.  And it’s with this understanding we apply (Rom 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2: 11-17).  

SPEECH BY F W DE KLERK TO A LADIES CLUB: MOUNT NELSON HOTEL, CAPE TOWN, 1 JUNE 2011

"The fulcrum on which South Africa’s future will pivot is our Constitution. It is a carefully balanced document that represents an historic compromise between all the significant sectors of our society. It makes provision for a fully democratic society; it is based on the rule of law; it protects the fundamental rights of all our citizens; it entrenches our language and cultural rights; it envisages a society based on equality and human dignity. It is a transformative document that rightly rejects the status quo. If we can maintain this excellent Constitution I am confident that our future will be secure."

The final profound quote, in the light of all that’s been said so far, is this:

·                     “Beloved if we don’t who will? And if not now, then when?”  And the passage that immediately comes to mind is the one our pastor preached from a            couple of weeks ago Mtt 5: 13-16 (read).  We are "the salt and the light ... the world needs to see our good works and come and glorify our Father in heaven!"

In our remaining minutes please turn with me to 1 Peter 2:11-17 (read again).

The last verse (v17) lays out four commands for Christians who daily face the tension of living in this world whilst citizens of another, it says we're "pilgrims" (v11).

As “bond servants of God” v16, here are the Apostle's commands:

1 ) "Honor all men." Treat all men alike, for all have been made in the image of God.  Let’s stop stereo-typing those different from us- be it colour/language/political persuasion! (Testimony: Pam & I - SASSA South African Social Security Agency).  In the words of C. S. Lewis. "We are all kings and queens under wraps." Our language/colour/where we live, doesn't show who God sees us to be.  All equally in need physically, emotionally, and most important spiritually!

2) "Love the brotherhood." Love each other, all of God's people (the redeemed),  with "agape" love (a sacrificial love!), and keep on doing that to all, not just people who are like us and in agreement with us, but all! – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

3) "Fear God." Which means being filled with awe, in light of the fact that all authority is from God, given to--kings and Presidents, and Mayoral committees, etc.--therefore  as His "bond servants"  we will/we must be busy  fulfilling our resposibilities doing good works, “Faith without works is a dead faith” (James 2: 14-26); and “whatever you do do it all to the glory of God.”  Why?  Because we know He is in Sovereign control!

4) "Honour the king." Know that all of our leaders have been placed in leadership by God – understand God’s perfect will, which is a Theocracy and understand His permissive will, in which/through which He is ultimately fulfilling His sovereign plan, even using dictatorships or corrupt democracies. Although voting and involvement may seem like a waste of time, it's our privilege and right and responsibility to partake in a Democratic society, knowing that ultimately God is going to set up His Theocracy.

Although the king may be a tyrant or the democracy be corrupt, God has appointed them as His servant for a reason/season. We must rest in that.  Right through the OT God raises Nations and Kings to deal with His people Israel.  For us, the redeemed, the best is yet to come!

Close with a Challenge:

We, as enlightened “born again” Christians, "servants of God" are surrounded by opportunities for "good works" to fulfill our civic responsibilities – the Ratepayers/Residents Association; Neighborhood Watches; the Community/Police Forum; the Joshua Project; the Business Training ministry headed by Willie and Leon; the Kouga Business Forum,  and many other opportunities, whatever they may be. Let us pray that we will have eyes to see them, hands that will want to participate in them, and feet that will be willing to walk in them.

In this way, Christians can reflect the life of Christ to a fallen world until He comes again! "Even so Lord, come quickly!"

Now if you're here this morning and not yet a "born again" Bible believing person, having acknowledged your sinfulness and need of forgiveness, then I must lovingly warn you that no matter how much good you do/how involved you are with whatever social good it is, without Christ as your Saviour and Lord -- all the good you do will not gain you entrance into Heaven.  Today is the day of salvation, acknowledge you're a sinner, having broken the Law/s of God, ask forgiveness and by faith receive Christ into your live.  Amen.