Part 4 of Viewpoint Study #92 |
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The Christian religion is the worship and service of Jesus Christ. It’s not Mary we worship, but her Son. We worship neither saints, angels, a law code, nor even God’s Spirit. It’s JESUS who is to be honored. The Bible is our guide. |
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Are Public Schools Teaching Well? (Part 4)
While we're thinking about schools, we'll do well to
consider this Soul Food from WORLD Magazine for 10/26/96 ==>
John W. Alexander, president emeritus of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, asks us to Please Pass The Salt.
There are three key ways (or is that four?)
Christians can make a difference in our culture.SALT makes a difference. It affects taste. It preserves. And Jesus calls for His followers to both BE different from the world and to make a difference in the world.
We are the salt. But if salt loses its saltiness, it's no longer any good for salt (or anything). Jesus calls for us to live in such a manner that the world (those around us) will see what we've done and because of our "good works" they will want to praise God (who inspired the work).
Jesus wants US to salinize society, to change society, to make a difference in our world.
There are three ways in which Christians anywhere in the world can make a difference in society. First is evangelism.
1) Evangelize. Our aim is to get out of the salt shaker and into society, influencing others so they know about Jesus and have opportunity to respond to Him.
2) Represent Jesus in our jobs. A second way is good works performed in our vocations; students and teachers in schools, craftsmen in our professions, workers in jobs where we are employed. Through production of good works, we salinize society by imparting the flavor of Christ's Spirit.
3) Show God's love in volunteer work. A third is good works performed in volunteer services; as ordinary citizens going through the daily routines of life in our neighborhoods, as volunteer workers in endeavors designed to meet needs of people (mentors in school programs, volunteer fire fighters, volunteer Red Cross workers, volunteers in the Salvation Army). As Christ's representatives in a needy world, we demonstrate devotion to him by showing love for other people and concern to do good works in meeting the needs of others.
Those three endeavors have been ways in which followers of Christ have affected society for many generations.
But there is a fourth way available to Christians residing in a democracy. We have ballots -- and freedom in elections, which means we can make a difference by influencing government's power. Thankfully, government in America has done a good job serving society in many ways such as providing national defense, a fine network of interstate highways and roads, safe airports, protection against many forms of crime, plus many other valuable services.
On the other hand, government has played a role in the deterioration of the nation's moral fabric. Government has expelled God from public schools, has separated Him from government, has removed constraints against the murder of defenseless unborn children, has taken actions weakening the stability of husband-wife marriages and father-mother families, has facilitated divorce (and taxes at a higher rate the income of two-earner families), has encouraged a rising rate of illegitimate births, has expedited the parole of criminals back to city streets.... Government does some good things, and some bad things.
Admittedly, Jesus said little to His followers about government. But He did direct us to penetrate the world, making a difference in all sectors of society (which includes government). The Bible does not instruct us to avoid seeking to influence government officials. We do not serve Christ well if we erect a fence around government and post a sign saying, "Christians -- Keep Out!"
Take public schools, for example. Why are they in such disarray in many parts of the U.S.? It may partly be because some Christians have distanced themselves from affairs of the schools in their communities. Local churches are not praying for public schools, are not praying for the elections of school-board members, are not praying that citizens will get involved in supporting the campaigns of good candidates for school boards, are not prayhing for the superintendents whom those boards hire, are not praying for principals and teachers appointed by those superintendents. For the children and youth of OUR community, we should care!
As another example, take city (local) governments. Or county governments. Or state governments. Or the federal government. Local churches (we Christians who make up the congregations) are not praying for these government bodies, are not praying bout elections to them, are not praying that God will call qualified grains of salt to run for those offices, are not praying that citizens will get involved in supporting the campaigns of such candidates. But we may be quick to complain when these governments do things we think they should not have done, or when they leave undone things we think they should have done.
Because we have LOST OUR SALTINESS, Christians have failed to make much of a difference in our communities and governments at all levels.
How have we lost our saltiness? By adopting the world's values and standards. Worldly gods are wealth, power, pleasure, and status. While we go through the motions of worshiping Jehovah God, many who are members of our churches worship these false gods. The "world" says it's all right to lie, cheat, and steal. Some in the church do likewise!
The "world" disparages marriage. Divorce rates among church members run about the same as among those who never attend church. ...
If salt is to make a difference in our lives and in our world, we Christians need to regain the quality of being salty! We can do so only by returning to a daily walk with Christ and yielding ourselves for filling by the Holy Spirit.
When Christians are fully salinized, we will make a difference in society. Shouldn't we get busy doing what the Lord told us we should do? [Ray remarks -- What should we do to help the public schools in our community?]
