“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the maker of all things” (Ecclesiastes 11:5).
Spiritual understanding begins with the acceptance that we can’t always understand the work of God; only that which he reveals to us. Obviously, He has revealed a great deal to us through his word, and through the life, death and resurrection of his Son, but there still are great mysteries surrounding God we simply can’t comprehend.
For example, the Apostle Paul wrote: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).
Scripture tells us that is by the foolishness of preaching that God brings people to salvation. We can set the stage for salvation with music and numerous other tools of communication, but ultimately it is by the foolishness of preaching that people come to a saving knowledge of Christ.
It’s a mystery as to why God chose to do things this way, just as it’s a mystery as to why he chose us to be his voice in the world—but he did. The weakest of us is capable of having the strongest voice for God, and although often despised by Satan’s crowd, we’re capable (in Christ) of being great witnesses about salvation that is only found in Jesus.
Many Christians become upset when elected officials, such as the president, publicly say America is not a Christian nation. The truth is, in America there are millions of people who are inclined toward Christianity, but many of the nation’s leaders are not.
Many other Americans see the Christian faith as privately engaging, but as publically irrelevant—having nothing to do with the shape, structures and rhythms of society. So America can only be as Christian as we are—those who comprise the body of Christ. No matter where we choose to live, or are called to live, that is the case.
Early Christians didn’t spend their time worrying about how the country in which they lived was perceived by others. They, instead, spent their time carrying out the Great Commission. We would do well to do the same.
The weakest of us, with God’s blessing, is capable of impacting the world more than any elected official can without that blessing. And, when we work together with other blessed brothers and sisters in Christ, we’re capable of initiating tremendous societal change. Our faith can be the central component in the shaping of all policies affecting society—but that takes great faith and less whining about the way things should be, and more action on our part.
Our faith must become more than a privatized, peripheral weekend thing. Christian values are not something you simply play with on the weekend. That’s why the Apostle Paul went after the gatekeepers of society, those who influenced the culture of their time. We often write these people off as being unreachable, but it’s amazing what persistence and faith in the message of Christ can do.
God cares about transforming and renewing people, along with transforming and renewing culture and society. Ask yourself if you truly believe God has a heart for people and for creation. If God created it, God cares about it.
God wants to renew both people and creation, so consider to what degree your faith addresses the wider world. The faith of most Christians has very little to say about what they see on television, the movies they go to, what they read in the paper or what’s done in the public schools, in law and in business.
Just look at the gaping holes in ethics we have in our social fabric today. Where are the Christian leaders willing to fill those gaping holes with the truth of Christ?
To what degree does your faith engage the wider world, or do you simply have a privatized faith? If you’re serious about engaging the wider world, start with your neighborhood. Start with the public schools, probably the greatest mission field in America. And, please don’t become drunk with the evasive entertainment mentality that saps your mind of all spiritual thought; do something about it. Change begins with you.
And, if you think it would be foolishness on your part to try to initiate change for the better in our society, think about Paul’s words to the church at Corinth. Think about those early Christians who faced what most considered an insurmountable task in getting the gospel to the entire world. They didn’t shrink from their commission; they embraced it.
Spiritual understanding is far different than human understanding. Spiritual understanding takes you to new frontiers of faith, whereas human understand will keep you in the same place.
If you think God wants to renew both people and creation, consider how you might encourage, pray and contribute to those who are engaging culture in this country. We need to be on Mars Hill speaking out with Paul, not hunkered down waiting for someone else to do the fighting for the souls of people.
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