Definitions are important:
First, we may need to differentiate between legislating Christianity and legislating morality. Religious freedom gives individuals the opportunity to worship who and how they so desire as long as it does not impede on others rights. We should not be imposing faith on others by making anything but "Christianity" illegal. I have no problem with having laws that encourage morality: laws against stealing, killing, and any other laws that enhance human flourishing. I don’t see Paul or the Apostles seeking to legislate their Biblical values upon or through the government, but instead boldly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Christian laws for the non-Christian?
Second, we as Christians need to be careful about applying God’s law to those outside the body of Christ. We may get into a sticky topic here, but I find it interesting that people in the church get so riled up about non- Christians being homosexual when the average church sees divorce and heterosexual activity outside of marriage as a lighter issue, and often turns a blind eye to these issues. Sexual sin is sin, no matter what form it takes: infidelity, adultery, pornography, sex outside marriage, etc. We also need to ask why we have an expectation for unregenerate people, who don't have Christ, to turn from this lifestyle and accept our way of thinking when they have no power through Christ to overcome this. Paul uses homosexuality in Romans 1 as an example of the apostate mind and life. We should not expect to see change by making more laws. The only way change will come is if the heart finds Jesus and forgiveness.
Christian but not at all like Christ?
Third, I believe that in churches and families we need to do a much better job of seeking after holiness. This means we need to love the law - it is revealing the character and quality of Christ. We need greater attention to the commands of Jesus and his underlying of the ten commandments and the moral law. Romans 7:12 tells us the law is holy, good, and just; we just need to make sure we don't turn its fulfilling into the means by which we think we obtain eternal life (that's legalism). We have an identity crisis in which many in the church live no differently in reference to lying, hate, divorce, and a whole host of other actions. This does not equate; if we have God’s Spirit in us then why do we look nothing like Jesus? It is either that we don’t have God’s Spirit in us or we don’t understand what Jesus is calling us to.
Being leery of authority types not ordained in scripture
Fourth, When I think of Christian colonies from our American history and nations that would seek to be Christian according to their bylaws I get nervous about the idea of a government of coercion or by fabricating faith and forced conversions. Having Christ-centered membership is to be the responsibility of a church, but I'm not sure we find Biblical precedence outside of theocratic Israel. I believe we must avoid promoting this type of extra-biblical authority. This lends itself to other serious assumptions as to leadership, control, and law. We just don't find this in Paul's world or in the NT.
Muddying the waters with less than the gospel
Finally, I think we should also be careful that we be clear about the gospel and stand for our rights as believers to worship and live out the teachings of God's Word. Where we may need to be careful is that we entangle ourselves so much in political issues that the gospel gets blurred or forgotten, taking a back seat to other teachings. We must be careful to teach the whole counsel of God in our churches, but not expect righteousness from those who don't have Christ's righteousness or God's Spirit to enable righteous living. If people reject us and choose not to come to our churches, I trust it will be for those issues that pertain to the gospel and their rejection of Christ and that they not drive by the church and say "that's that democrat/ or republican church" or "there's those Obama hater's." If that is what we are known for then we have not properly communicated and lived out the message of Jesus Christ. The average individual we meet needs Jesus and not the vast amount of extra-Biblical things the church has often aligned itself with or the less primary Biblical issues the church has at times made itself primarily defined by.
In closing let me emphasize that we must be people who live by the Word and should be careful about expecting Godly living from those who have rejected Jesus. We must also be careful not to have our own modern day Salem Witch Hunt that veers us far off the path of holding forth the gospel as salt and light and instead causes us to enter behavior modification with more laws, no grace and utter darkness. This is not the mission we have been called to; this is not the role of the church; and this is not the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
First, we may need to differentiate between legislating Christianity and legislating morality. Religious freedom gives individuals the opportunity to worship who and how they so desire as long as it does not impede on others rights. We should not be imposing faith on others by making anything but "Christianity" illegal. I have no problem with having laws that encourage morality: laws against stealing, killing, and any other laws that enhance human flourishing. I don’t see Paul or the Apostles seeking to legislate their Biblical values upon or through the government, but instead boldly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Christian laws for the non-Christian?
Second, we as Christians need to be careful about applying God’s law to those outside the body of Christ. We may get into a sticky topic here, but I find it interesting that people in the church get so riled up about non- Christians being homosexual when the average church sees divorce and heterosexual activity outside of marriage as a lighter issue, and often turns a blind eye to these issues. Sexual sin is sin, no matter what form it takes: infidelity, adultery, pornography, sex outside marriage, etc. We also need to ask why we have an expectation for unregenerate people, who don't have Christ, to turn from this lifestyle and accept our way of thinking when they have no power through Christ to overcome this. Paul uses homosexuality in Romans 1 as an example of the apostate mind and life. We should not expect to see change by making more laws. The only way change will come is if the heart finds Jesus and forgiveness. Christian but not at all like Christ?
Third, I believe that in churches and families we need to do a much better job of seeking after holiness. This means we need to love the law - it is revealing the character and quality of Christ. We need greater attention to the commands of Jesus and his underlying of the ten commandments and the moral law. Romans 7:12 tells us the law is holy, good, and just; we just need to make sure we don't turn its fulfilling into the means by which we think we obtain eternal life (that's legalism). We have an identity crisis in which many in the church live no differently in reference to lying, hate, divorce, and a whole host of other actions. This does not equate; if we have God’s Spirit in us then why do we look nothing like Jesus? It is either that we don’t have God’s Spirit in us or we don’t understand what Jesus is calling us to.
Being leery of authority types not ordained in scripture
Fourth, When I think of Christian colonies from our American history and nations that would seek to be Christian according to their bylaws I get nervous about the idea of a government of coercion or by fabricating faith and forced conversions. Having Christ-centered membership is to be the responsibility of a church, but I'm not sure we find Biblical precedence outside of theocratic Israel. I believe we must avoid promoting this type of extra-biblical authority. This lends itself to other serious assumptions as to leadership, control, and law. We just don't find this in Paul's world or in the NT.
Muddying the waters with less than the gospel
Finally, I think we should also be careful that we be clear about the gospel and stand for our rights as believers to worship and live out the teachings of God's Word. Where we may need to be careful is that we entangle ourselves so much in political issues that the gospel gets blurred or forgotten, taking a back seat to other teachings. We must be careful to teach the whole counsel of God in our churches, but not expect righteousness from those who don't have Christ's righteousness or God's Spirit to enable righteous living. If people reject us and choose not to come to our churches, I trust it will be for those issues that pertain to the gospel and their rejection of Christ and that they not drive by the church and say "that's that democrat/ or republican church" or "there's those Obama hater's." If that is what we are known for then we have not properly communicated and lived out the message of Jesus Christ. The average individual we meet needs Jesus and not the vast amount of extra-Biblical things the church has often aligned itself with or the less primary Biblical issues the church has at times made itself primarily defined by.
In closing let me emphasize that we must be people who live by the Word and should be careful about expecting Godly living from those who have rejected Jesus. We must also be careful not to have our own modern day Salem Witch Hunt that veers us far off the path of holding forth the gospel as salt and light and instead causes us to enter behavior modification with more laws, no grace and utter darkness. This is not the mission we have been called to; this is not the role of the church; and this is not the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
