Scripture leaves no doubt that Christians should be concerned about their reputations among those persons who have no interest in religion, indeed may be anti-religious. Several Bible authors refer to the principle. That Christians, even when they try to achieve excellence as neighbors and citizens, will often miss that vaunted goal is not the point. That Christians should have a major interest in their consistent performance in society, and respect in that society, is the point here. First and foremost in that matter is the modeling of Christian life, one of the approaches used of God to draw seeking persons unto him. This means positive/affirmative work and service. Christians are directed to keep the moral laws of God, noted in Scripture. God expects and orders it so, but so does society generally expect it even if society garbles some of its declarations.
Violation of moral law becomes more serious for Christians than for non-Christians. God does not presume the same performance from unbelievers as he does from believers. The permissive views of the founder of Playboy Magazine may be tolerated for a while because of the context about sexuality held by him, a man who in actuality flaunts the general mores of society. We leave him to law and God. Not so easy with persons of faith. For a church adherent, minister, priest, musician or layman to violate moral standards is unacceptable with both God and man. Evaluation begins with God through man, but ends with God. The story lines change, but carnality is clear in the mind of God, and unacceptable. Many persons need this education.
Right for all persons on earth is to keep society’s laws, especially the spirit of law. Christians are bound to accommodation as a moral matter. The secular citizen may keep the law in order to escape penalties related to laws. The person may break the law if he is willing to pay the penalty for violation. Even if the Christian is willing to suffer the penalty, he seldom can afford to take that option. God has made it a moral matter for His children to keep the laws of society. The only opening for Christians to break a civil law is that the particular civil law violates a clear moral law of God. In such an instance the Christian will pay (or ought to if required) the penalty for breaking a law in witness of moral laws. Christians are concerned first with moral right, and civil obedience in all other matters. Morals are outlined in the Scriptures as required by God for consistent and obedient living related to righteousness and responsibility. Human righteousness is an attempt to reflect the character, perhaps also the nature, of God. Law is the means whereby man learns to live in peaceful relationship with neighbors and nations. Mankind asks what is the law? Christians ought to ask, what is the extent of holy love in dealing with this or that? God’s approach is expansive. In love, against which there is no law, man is drawn upward and made a better person. In law man is harnessed to make him civil in a world that is complicated, fraught with ignorance, tensions, even terror. Christians, if knowledgeable and wise, fit both dimensions in respect for the law and in growth as morally (biblically) guided persons. To larger society we respect the law, but also strive for moral rightness in ourselves and to the degree possible, in society. Laws and morals were meant to be friends. For many persons, even some Christians, that biblical ideal is not learned or applied well. We would do well to study certain movements to discover better how to make transitions in peace and respect. The United States gained freedom in revolution that dragged on the nation until after 1815 and the Treaty of Ghent. Canada gained freedom peacefully from the same mother country and sustained historical ties that have served both nations. Do we find something there in building peace? *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020