Al Ngu.   August 1, 2023   

To be winsomely reformed, is the one of the mottos in the Reformed world, the philosophical approach with outside world for the sake of not provoking hostility unnecessarily so as able to preach the gospel. I think there’s a lot of truth in this, however I do think this is not exactly applicable to the public square in the political sphere especially what we see now in America.

If you take that a step further to being winsome that seems to me we Christians are withdrawing away from the public square and speaking out the prophetic voice of God from the scriptures what the world so badly need to listen. And this may be offensive but it is actually the cutting edge of the double edged sword of the word of God. I remember Tim Keller preached that the God that doesn’t offend you is not God, it is your idol and that’s exactly correct. Christians interaction with the public square without bringing the word that may even offend people it’s no more prophetic and that will be very sad. Look at what’s happening in America the transgenderism and gay pride and the whole lot that’s has been going on for years now, the voice of many evangelical leaders’ scholars theologians pastors alike is eerily silent and disturbing. And the saddest thing to me is it’s not about politically left or right but it is about losing the prophetic voice in the public square which is in dire need of a fresh injection of the voice of God.

Paul preached on freedom, equality and standing up against injustice

Paul’s letters touch on themes of freedom, equality, and standing up against injustice. For instance, in Galatians 3:28, he writes, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” emphasizing the equality of all believers in Christ. To fight for equality is not just fighting for social justice but also fighting for justice and equity and freedom for unborn babies, and above all the most disruptive transgenderism and gay theology and philosophy for sexuality that is not only cost the splitting of mainline denominational churches all over the land, but also caused countless heart breaks and griefs of young people’s lives. The church has been awfully silent in this matter and without a prophetic voice on this, this land would not see calmness and peace and the Shalom.

The willpower and the fervent desire to see the Spirit of God moving in the land

I do not doubt this desire of most pastors, evangelical churches, and theologians to advocate for the right theology, but I do doubt the willpower and the fervent desire to see the Spirit of God moving in the land to counter this immense oppositions to the word of God. There’s no way to put forward a public voice in the public square from the churches, pastors, theologians on this issue without offending some people. The only way is to do it under the unction of the Holy Spirit, the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit so that we will see a wave of holiness sweeping across the land that would never seen before. Churches have been so downtrodden but this overwhelming public opinion and social wave cultural divide then shuts the church effectively from speaking out the truth of the word of God on this issues. While I’m passionately writing this, I’m not advocating any one way to do this apart from the fact that we need to seek the Lord with all our hearts and asked the Lord for his wisdom and also opening the door to speak the voice of God, the truth prophetic, to the world so that the world will respond and not reject it.

The answer to that is not by staying silent in the name of being winsome

There has been so much woke philosophy that has penetrated into our schools, and college campus syllabus where we produce the best minds of the land for the last decades or so, and if we want this land to be won for Christ we will have to take the campus back for Christ. It does sound cliché and slogan ish, for I know this is the right thing to do but again I do not know exactly how to apart from praying seeking the Lord for his revelation. The heartbeats desire must be there to bring changes to this land in the public square and the answer to that is not by staying silent in the name of being winsome. What’s worse is complete imbalance of attacking any muscular narcissism or any political leaning right choice in the public square by Christian scholars and theologians whilst completely silent on the sanctity of marriage and sexuality in the image of God. It almost seems we can sacrifice the doctrine of sexuality and sanctity of heterosexual marriage in exchange for social justice and the world very much in line with exactly what the liberal world wants.

James wood writes: “Keller’s “third way” philosophy has serious limitations as a framework for moral reasoning as well. Too often it encourages in its adherents a pietistic impulse to keep one’s hands clean, stay above the fray, and at a distance from imperfect options for addressing complex social and political issues. It can also produce conflict-aversion, and thus it is instinctively accommodating.” [1]

Augustine criticized the Roman Empire in his ground breaking “City of God”

It is this mindset of keeping one’s hands clean, and stay above the fray from addressing any social and political complex issues that has silenced the prophetic voice sadly. Again I would just say that the answer for revival or renewal of the land it’s not by staying silent.  Augustine wrote a book the city of God criticizing and mocking the Roman empire whose empire collapsed and in turn they blamed the church for such. That book by Augustine city of God is a true prophetic voice in his days and in our days too!

The Political Left & Right

Wood further writes “ During the 2016 election cycle….I was too concerned with how one’s vote might harm the “public witness” of the church, and I looked down upon those who voted differently than me—usually in a rightward direction. “Public witness” most often translates into appeasing those to one’s left, and distancing oneself from the deplorables. I didn’t like what this was doing to my heart and felt that it was clouding my political judgment.[2]

I can relate very well to what he wrote about the public witness, how many are ready to appease the left and I think it is really not healthy for our Christian doctrinal understanding on being a light to the world and definitely detrimental to our hearts like he wrote.

Jesus & the Political Powers

Jesus did criticize the political powers of his time during his ministry in the 1st century AD. Throughout the New Testament, there are instances where Jesus addressed issues related to political authorities and their actions. One of the most notable examples of Jesus criticizing political powers is when he confronted the religious leaders and Pharisees. These leaders held significant influence in the religious and political spheres of Jewish society. Jesus often rebuked them for their hypocrisy, oppression, and failure to genuinely follow God’s principles. He accused them of prioritizing their status and power over the well-being of the people they were supposed to lead.[3]

Jesus was absolutely bold and direct full of passion in tearing apart the hypocrisy of the political the lead group of the Jewish pharisaic who led the synagogue at that time. He was not afraid of being unpopular and in fact suffered being crucified because of his constant preaching the Kingdom of God and claiming his godhood to the point he exasperated the Pharisees who finally decided to kill him. But his death precisely is the instrument of God to change the world by bringing the redemption of God to his elect.

Moreover, Jesus’ teachings and actions often challenged the oppressive political and social systems of his time. He preached about love, mercy, forgiveness, and the kingdom of God, which stood in contrast to the harsh and unjust practices of the Roman Empire and other ruling authorities.[4]

Jesus challenged the oppressive political and social system of his time and he preached about love mercy forgiveness and the Kingdom of God which stood in contrast to the harsh and unjust practices of the Roman Empire another world in authorities. It is this kind of boldness and conviction under the anointing of the Holy Spirit Jesus thundered the prophetic voice to the nation of Israel and in fact the whole world in our modern days today.

Conclusion

We need boldness and the biblical conviction to be or see a prophetic voice by concerted prayer of seeking the Lord for his wisdom and direction. Every time Israel was defeated, they would tear through clothes and put ashes on their heads in repentance and crying out to the Lord and the Lord would speak to them what’s the problem. Today we evangelical questions see our nation so beaten up, all Christian culture so torn apart, our churches being split the left right and center, I don’t see much tearing up our clocks and put ashes on their head in repentance and crying to God to intervene to save our nation. By the spirit of God and the grace of God, may he direct our hearts to cry out to him for revival and the cleansing of our land. Amen.

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[1] James Wood, How I Evolved on Tim Keller,   https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2022/05/how-i-evolved-on-tim-keller

[2] Ibid

[3] ChatGPT

[4] Ibid