Lesson 17

Christians And Social Revolution

I Corinthians 7:17-24

Much has been said and written about the social role and responsibility of Christianity, and specifically of individual Christians and churches. At certain periods of history, and strongly in our own day, people have claimed that Christianity should be an agent of external social reform, even of revolution, if necessary.

Over the last twenty years, there has been a strong movement within the ranks of Christianity of political and social activism. Christians have united to throw their support behind certain candidates. Christians have made attempts to protest and even stop abortion - through Operation Rescue and other similar organizations. Currently, the militia movement gaining strength and some Christians are deeply involved, preparing for a "holy war" to overthrow and unholy government.

Most of us who are committed Christians - who see the evils of our day and don't like them a bit - have wondered how and to what extent, if at all, we should be involved in promoting social, economic and political change. What is our role and responsibility?

All human institutions and forms of government are imperfect. Some are obviously corrupt, cruel and unjust. But what are Christians, individually or collectively, to do about wrongs and abuses in civil systems and social practices? I have struggled with these questions. It is easy to get swept into activism by our emotions and our righteous indignation against evil. I mean, I am strongly opposed to abortion and would desire that it be outlawed in this country. I wish that our President would have signed the Partial-birth Abortion Ban into law instead of vetoing it. I am against homosexuals being allowed in the military. I wish that pornography could not be pedaled in our communities. I am against the legalization of gambling be it via lottery or riverboat. I think that there is much evil that is permitted and promoted by our government. As an individual citizen I vote my Christian conscience, I voice my concerns and convictions by calling my Congressman or writing my representative. I believe that if I am going to be against abortion, I'd better be for adoption and I'd better be willing to help unwed mothers during their pregnancy and beyond. I do all of those things as a private citizen. I did not cease being a citizen when I became a Christian or a pastor for that matter. The question still remains as to what involvement the church or Christianity should have in trying to produce social or political changes in our society.

I Corinthians 7:17-24, though not a full and comprehensive treatment on this subject, states a basic principle by which Christians should look at and respond to the civil and social conditions in which they live.

Marriage is the overall context of I Corinthians 7. Paul is answering the questions of the Corinthians about family relations - Does God expect me to marry or would it be better for me to stay single? What should I do if I am married to an unbeliever? Should I leave him and look for a Christian? Apparently, these issues were very pertinent to the Corinthians. Some had a Jewish background and believed that marriage was a command. Some had a Gentile background and wondered if it wouldn't be more holy to stay single and celibate. Some had unbelieving partners. Some were slaves and had little choice about their marriage. And so, the principle that Paul states in our text verses applies to the matters of marriage. However, we shall see that this principle has a much broader application that simply one's marital status.

The Principle Stated, 7:17, 20, 24.

I Corinthians 7:17-24 plainly teaches the following basic principle, which is readily applicable to the civil and social conditions in which believers live: Christians should willingly accept the situation into which God has placed them and be content to serve Him there. This principle is stated three times in these eight verses, vs. 17, 20, 24. Paul, apparently, doesn't want us to miss the point so he says, repeats again and again. Perhaps our human nature rebels against this principle, perhaps it is easy to become preoccupied with changing our outward circumstance, so Paul's point has to be driven home through repetition. Christians should willingly accept the situation into which God has placed them and be content to serve Him there. It is the principle of remaining as you are.

Nine times in these eight verses, if I am counting right, Paul uses some form of the word "call", vs. 17, 18, 18, 20, 20, 21, 22, 22, 24. It refers to time when we were saved. 1 Cor 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. We were summons by the Spirit to salvation. We are called by the gospel to come to Christ. 1 Pet 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

The apostle Paul states in this passage that the Christian life is not social revolution but spiritual regeneration. Christianity was never designed to disrupt social relationships. Apparently, there were many in the Corinthian church who were using their Christianity as a justification for every kind of social change. Husbands were divorcing their wives and vise versa, singles were being pressured into marriage and slaves were chafing under the rule of their masters, all because they had become Christians. And so Paul states this principle - Christians should willingly accept the situation into which God has placed them and be content to serve Him there. If you are married stay married to the same wife or husband, don't try going back to the first one. If you are single, you don't have to get married because you are a Christian. If you were a slave before salvation, you are still a slave after salvation - hopefully, just a much better one. It is the principle of remaining as you are. According to verse 17, Paul was giving this same instruction to all the churches.

Obviously, Christians individually and corporately are to minister in many ways including the practical and material, social and civil. We feed the hunger, heal the sick. Christians have built hospitals and orphanages, visited prisons, helped the poor and ministered in countless ways that would be considered social services. But those ministries, Christians do as Christians, not services that they persuade society to perform.

Christ made it clear that He did not come to instigate an external social revolution, as many Jews of His day thought the Messiah would do. "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight" (John 18:36). Christ's mission was (Luke 19:10) "to seek and to save those who are lost" and that is our mission as well. When Christianity becomes closely identified with a social movement, the message of the gospel is in danger of being obscured.

Christianity does produce social change. But the best way to change society is not from the outside in but from the inside out. We change society one person at a time, by winning him or her to Christ and seeing the transformation that Christ does in his/her life. Becoming a Christian will likely change your values. It will change how you feel about pornography or gambling or abortion or homosexuality.

Christians should willingly accept the situation into which God has placed them and be content to serve Him there. It is the principle of remaining as you are.

The Principle Illustrated, 7:18-19; 21-23.

In order to drive home his point, not only does Paul state it three times, he also illustrates it twice - once in verse 18-19 and another one in verses 21-23.

Both of these illustrations were pertinent issues in Paul's day.

The Circumcision Illustration, vs. 18-19. Circumcision was a highly debated issue in the first century churches, whether it was necessary for Christians. There were first century Jewish Christians who thought and taught that in order for a Gentile to become a Christian, he had to first be circumcised, become a Jew. But verse 18b - 19 very clearly states that if you are uncircumcised when you become a Christian, it is not necessary to be circumcised. Circumcision or un-circumcision means nothing. I'm not sure I understand the first part of verse 18. I don't think that circumcision is a reversible process - that if you had been circumcised it was possible to be uncircumcised. One commentary said that there were many Jewish men who lived in the Gentile world who were ashamed of their Jewishness, ashamed of their circumcision and actually had surgical techniques performed to disguise it. This may be what Paul was referring to. He may also be making the point that some of our circumstances are irreversible and we must not go through our Christian life miserable with our social status. We must be content to live for Christ in the circumstances which we were in when we got saved. For example, it is possible for a Christian wife to make herself miserable with discontent over being married an unbeliever. Don't make yourself miserable wishing you could change that which is irreversible.

Paul's point is that the external in not important. What is important (v. 19b) is obedience - "the keeping of the commandments of God."

The Slavery Illustration, vs. 21-23. Slavery was an institution entrenched in the ancient Roman world. As many as 60% of the population of many Greek and Roman cities were slaves. Many of the first converts to Christ were slaves. In some cases both slaves and their masters became Christians.

Should first-century Christians rise up in revolt against the institution of slavery? Paul says, "No." Did you become a Christian while being a slave? Paul asked in verse 21. Don't worry about it! But if you are given the opportunity to achieve freedom, take advantage of it. Verse 22 reminds the Corinthians that a Christian slave is really free in Christ and a Christian free man is really a servant of Christ. We must not be the spiritual slaves of men because we have been bought with a price - redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.

Christianity is not about social revolution, not social resistance, not social rebellion. The Christian is instructed to be content in whatever social circumstance he may find himself. Christians should willingly accept the situation into which God has placed them and be content to serve Him there.