Statement of Social Principles for Christian Social Concern and Christian Social Action
This Statement of Social Principles was first drafted at my request by Dr. T.B. Maston primarily for use by the Christian Ethics Commission of the Baptist World Alliance, of which I was then Chairman. The statement was rather heavily revised over a period of several years and has since been widely used, particularly in developing countries where churches are becoming increasingly interested in Christian ethics. The material is not copyrighted; and its use by any and all interested persons and groups is encouraged. — Foy Valentine
Numerous statements of faith by many Christian bodies have sought to set out what Christians generally believe. This statement of social principles, in a more specific way, seeks to relate basic matters of Christian faith to social issues that confront us in everyday living. Iris made in the conviction that conversion to Christ through personal repentance and personal faith is the starting place for the Christian pilgrimage in which "Jesus Christ is Lord" (Phil. 2:11). There is no attempt to list all the scriptures related either to the first section on Basic Concepts or to the last section on Contemporary Issues. In most cases, only one or two representative references are given.
I. Basic Biblical Concepts Related to Social Principles
1. Concerning God.
As creator and sovereign, God is concerned about, has a purpose for, and is active in every aspect of the life of the individual and the world. God is righteous, and we cannot be right with him simply by being faithful to the formalities of religion (Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:8; Mart. 23:23). Also, we cannot be right with God unless we are right with our fellow human beings (Isa. 1:10-18). God is light (1 John 1:5), and we are to walk in the light as he is in the light (1 John 1:7). He is love (1 John 4:8, 16), and he loved the world enough to give his Son (John 3:26). We ought to love one another as God loves us (1 John 4:11). Our love should be extended to all persons (1 Thess. 3:12) including our enemies (Mart. 5:44). God is the Father of all who are in his spiritual family (Deut. 32:6; Isa. 63:16; 64:8; Jet. 3:19) and has the fatherly attitude toward all humanity, causing his sun to shine and his rain to fall on the evil and the good, the just and the unjust (Mart. 5:45). God is holy (Exod. 15:11) and his people are to be holy (Lev. 11:44; Heb. 12:14).
2. Concerning Christ.
Christ fully revealed the Father (John 10:30; 14:9; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:2-3). His initial invitation was (Mart. 4:19) and his continuing invitation is (Mart. 19:21), "Come, follow me." Paul challenged Christians to be like Christ, calling them to "walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us" (Eph. 5:2), to have the same mind of humility that was found in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:5-8), and to forgive one another as Christ had forgiven them (Col. 3:13). John says that if we claim that we abide in Christ, we should walk as he walked (I John 2:5-6), live as he lived. "We should try to be like him" (Eph. 5:1, NEB). If we are like him, we will have a deep concern for people, particularly the sorrowing, the suffering, the poor, and the moral and social outcasts of society (Luke 4:18; 7:19-23). We will have compassion for the multitudes, who are harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd (Mart. 9:36). We will also have compassion for individuals who suffer (Mart. 20:30-34; Mark 1:40-42; Luke 7:11-15). Christ himself is served when we serve the needy (Mart. 25:31-46). Though we try diligently, however, we must admit that we are not yet perfect, we have not attained the level of practical righteousness that we should have; but we can say with Paul that forgetting the things that are behind, we press on toward the mark that is set for us in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:12-14).
3. Concerning the Holy Spirit.
"The Spirit of Truth" was sent to teach us all things (John 14:26), to guide us into all truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit lives in the believer (1 Cot. 6:19). For the Christian, he is the inner, subjective source of authority (Acts 16:6-7; James 1:5) as the Scriptures are the outer, objective source of authority. Iris the resurrected Chyrist who speaks to us through the Spirit (Acts 1:2). The Spirit is our teacher (1 Cot. 2:13), the source of any spiritual power we may have (Acts 1:8; 10:38; Rom. 15:13). He is also the source of any gifts we may have (1 Cot. 12:4-12) and of the moral fruit of the Christian life (Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 5:9). We are to walk in the Spirit or where the Spirit leads (Gal. 5:25).
4. Concerning the Scriptures.
The Holy Scriptures are inspired of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and are authoritative for the daily life of the Christian. Their authority stems not only from specific teachings but also from general principles permeating their tone and spirit. The authority of the Scriptures resides primarily and ultimately in the Person revealed in the Scriptures. Jesus Christ, God incarnate, is the Word and breathes life into the words of the Scriptures. The Bible explains how individuals can be and how persons are to live. In regard to the latter there is a two-fold emphasis: the vertical or right relation to God and the horizontal or right relation to others. Examples of this two-dimensional emphasis are the Ten Commandments, which represent a summary of the basic moral law of the Old Testament (Exod. 20:1-17), love for God and mankind as the summary of the law and prophets (Mart. 22:23-40), and the relation of faith and works (Mart. 7:16, 20; Eph. 2:8-10; James 2:14-26). When these two dimensions are mentioned together, the vertical is practically always stared first. A right relationship to one`s neighbor is a derivative of a right relationship to God. This is so inevitably true that one`s relation to his fellowman is proof of his relation, right or wrong, to God (1 John 4:20).
5. Concerning Humanity
: Human beings, male and female, are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). This and the fact that Christ died for all gives to all human beings infinite value and worth. An individual person is worth more than all things material (Matt. 16:26). This means that no man or woman, boy or girl, regardless of color, culture, or condition of life should ever be used, manipulated, or treated as a mere means to some end. Furthermore, God has no favorites: he shows no partiality in his relation to or treatment of persons (Acts 10:34; Gal. 2:6; Col. 3:11). Therefore, his children should not show partiality nor be respecters of persons (James 2:1-9) for in Jesus Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female (Gal. 3:28).
6. Concerning Sin.
Sin is rebellion against God, a missing of God`s mark for our lives, a violation of the law of God, a rejection of the will of God. We can sin by attitudes, thoughts, and feelings (Mart. 5:28) as well as by the spoken word or the outward deed. All human beings have gone astray (Isa. 53:6). None is righteous (Rom. 3:10); all have sinned (Rom. 3:23; Gal. 3:22; I John 1:8). We may sin directly against God or against our fellowman, created in the image of God (Gen. 9:6; James 2:9). We can also sin against our family, our church, our nation. Not only do individuals sin but a group such as a family, a labor union, a corporation, a church (Rev. 2:1-3; 22), or a nation (Exod. 32:3 1; I Kings 8:33-34) can sin against God and frustrate his will. Sin is social as well as personal. No one sins unto himself Others are involved in or affected by personal sin (Gen. 3:1-7; Gal. 2:11-13). Sin not only separates us from God (Gen. 4:14) but also from our fellowman. The forgiveness of our sins by our heavenly Father is dependent on our forgiveness of those who have sinned against us (Matt. 6:14-15; 18:35). It is only the forgiving who are forgiven; and the forgiven are to be forgiving.
7.Concerning Salvation and Good Works.
When forgiven sinners become children of God, we are brought into a vital, life-changing union with the resurrected Christ (2 Cot. 5:17; Col. 1:27). By the grace of God (Eph. 2:6-8) laid hold of through repentance (March 1:15) and faith (John 3:16; Acts 16:31), we are born again (John 3:3) to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4). This salvation experience comes by grace through faith apart from the works of the law (Rom. 3:28; 4:1-5; Gal. 2:16) or good works in general (Eph. 2:5; 8-9). Although Christians are not saved by good works, we are saved for good works. Good works or a fruitful life is a clearly stated purpose of our salvation (John 15:16; Eph. 2:10). Our good works should glorify our heavenly Father (Mart. 5:16) and should be convincing to the non-Christian world (1 Pet. 2:12). Good works should so naturally evolve from our union with Christ that they serve as proof of the grace of God in our lives (Matt. 7:15-20; Rom. 6:1-4; James 2:14-26). Salvation through union with Christ inevitably affects the total person-body, mind, and soul or spirit. Also, it affects every relationship of our lives-in the home, the church, the world. Salvation operates in all tenses: past (justification-Rom. 3:28), present (sanctification-2 Cot. 4:16; Col. 3:10), and future (glorification-l John 3:2).
8. Concerning the Church.
The church was founded by Christ. It is his church (Matt. 16:18). It is a body with each member fulfilling a specific and distinctive function (1 Cot. 12:20), with Christ as its head (Eph. 4:15; 5:23; Col. 1:18). It is a fellowship that cares and shares with those in need (Acts 2:44-47; 4:32-35). The church may be located at Corinth or some other specific place and is inevitably influenced by its location; but it must never forget that it is "the church of God" at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:2, 2 Cor. 1:1) or wherever it may be. It should challenge and lift the culture surrounding it toward the purposes of God. The church is the outcropping or manifestation of the kingdom of God, the instrument for implementing the evangelistic witness and the moral principles of the kingdom.
9. Concerning the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is basically a spiritual kingdom (John 18:36; Rom. 14:17); but since God is the sovereign God of the universe, the impact of his kingdom extends to every area of life of the individual and the world. The kingdom or reign of God comes as his will is done (Mart. 6:10), as his righteous rule is extended (Matt. 6:33). Entrance into the kingdom is ethically conditioned (Matt. 5:20; 7:21), including unselfish service to those in need (Matt. 25:31-46). The kingdom, a present reality as well as a future hope, should be sought first by the Christian (Mart. 6:33). Iris the treasure hid in a field, the pearl of great price for which we should be willing to give up all that we have (Matt. 13:44-46). The kingdom should not only be the supreme good for the individual Christian but also for the Christian home, the church, the denomination. Greatness in the kingdom is based on service (Mart. 20:26-28).
10. Concerning the Christian Life.
Christians should express the Christian spirit in every relationship of life: in the church, the home, and the world in general. We are the light of the world, the salt of the earth (Mart. 5:13-16). We are to walk in the light as he is in the light (1 John 1:7). The resurrected Christ lives in us and expresses himself through us (Eph. 4:22-24). Like our Lord, we should go about doing good (Acts 10:38). We should measure our lives by nothing less than the perfection that is in the Father (Mart. 5:48). Any gifts we may have are from the Lord, and we are responsible to him for what we do with them (Luke 19:12-26; 1 Cot. 12:8-11). We should so mature in the Lord that the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), much of which is clearly social, will flow increasingly and naturally from our lives. We should not remain "babes in Christ" (1 Cot. 3:1-2); but should mature so we can teach others (Heb. 5:11-14). Righteousness, conformity to God`s moral law, is a concept with profound social dimensions which is greatly emphasized in the Bible and which characterizes the Christian life (Amos 5:24; Mart. 5:6; 2 Tim. 2:22).
11. Concerning the World.
God is the creator of the world (Gen. 1). Christ shared fully in that creative work (John 1:1-3). All things were created by him and in him all things hid together (Col. 1:16-17). Our heavenly Father is creatively active in the world (John 5:17; 9:3-4) and will be triumphant over Satan in the world (Rev. 11:15; 12:10; 20:1-3). God loves the world and the peoples of the world (John 3:16). In Christ he reconciles the world to himself and has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cot. 5:18-19). Our "citizenship is in heaven" (Phil 3:20, NASB). We should seek the things that are above (Col. :1-3); but while we are in the world, we should cooperate with our heavenly Father in the work he is doing. The term "world" is used to represent evil, however, when the reference is to individuals or social structures that are alienated from God. In this sense we should not love the things of the world (1 John 2:15), should beware of friendship with the world (I John 4:4), and should keep ourselves unspotted from the world (James 1:27). Christ wants us to be in the world but not of the world (John 17:15-16). Our Creator-Rede4emer, the sovereign God of the universe, is concerned about and has a purpose for every aspect of the life of the world he has made. We are responsible for caring for the world`s limited resources (Gen. 1:27-30; 2:15). Through our daily work, as well as through our home and our church, we should seek to extend his righteous rule (Matt. 6:33), knowing that his kingdom comes as his will is done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10).
12. Concerning Love.
To love means to will and work for the well-being of all God`s creatures and creation. God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). Love has justice as its other side and finds its concreteness in justice (Micah 6:7-8). Love gives itself unselfishly to the object loved: "God so loved that he gave (John 3:16); "Greater love bath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13); "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it" (Eph. 5:25). Love for God and love for others are the fulfillment of the law and the prophets (Matt. 22:33-40). The Christian cannot love God and hate his neighbor (1 John 4:20-21). James calls love "the royal law" (James 2:8). Our love for God and humanity is based on God`s having first loved us (1 John 4:19). It is love that constrains or controls us (2 Cot. 5:14). Love should be limitless, reaching out to our enemies as well as our friends (Matt. 5:43-45). Love is the first fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), is the bond which "binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Col. 3:14, RSV), is the more excellent way (1 Cot. 12:31), and is the highest rung on the ladder of virtues (2 Pet. 1:5-7). When we face the issues of life, some of which may be extremely complex, we should ask, "Wht does love demand? How can I express the maximum quality and amount of love to God and to my neighbor?" Our prayer for ourselves and for one another should be comparable to Paul`s prayer for the Thessalonians: "And may the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men" (1 Thess. 3:12).
II. Contemporary Issues
An important question that the Christian needs to ask when considering any moral issue is: "What is the will of God concerning this particular issue?" If we are directly involved in personal decisions regarding the issue, we should ask, "What is the will of God for me concerning this issue?" The ultimate responsibility is ours personally for the decisions we make. Others can advise and help, but we must finally make up our own minds.
God has a purpose concerning all aspects of the life of the individual and the w9orld. His will is so comprehensive that we may find helpful distinctions within the will of God. Some speak of the perfect will of God and the permissive will of God. Another distinction that can be helpful is between the intentional and the circumstantial will of God. At times our choice is not between an unmixed good and an unmixed evil, but is in the mixed area so that whatever choice is made, it is likely to involve some evil. When this seems to be true, our choice should be the lesser-of-two evils or the greater-of-two goods.
In discerning the will of God, we should consider seriously the teachings of our church. We can, and in some cases should, seek the counsel of the pastor, a professional counselor, and mature Christian friends. We should search the Scriptures for any light, direct or indirect, on the particular issue. Also, as we seek the advice of others and as we search the Scriptures, we should pray that the Holy Spirit will give us the sense of direction we need. The final responsibility for the decision on any issue of life is personal. This is the right and the responsibility of the child of God. This is true of our position on social issues in general and also on moral issues with which we are directly involved. Each of us is accountable to God for all our choices, for all our words (Matt. 12:36) and deeds (Rom. 2:6; 2 Cot. 5:10).
The "Contemporary Issues" dealt with here are grouped under five main headings: Family Life, Race Relations, Economic Life and Daily Work, Citizenship, and Special Moral Concerns. The major issues under each division are italicized.
1. Family Life.
The family, Godi first and most basic institution, was written into human nature when he created us male and female (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:18-23). Created in the image of God, husbands and wives are partners with distinctive and supplemental roles to fulfill or functions to perform. Their relations with one another should be such in closeness of bond and degree of trust that they are appropriately compared to the relation of Christ and his church (eph. 5:21-33). There should be a mutuality in their relationship, a mutual respect and sharing with one another, including their most intimate relationship-sexual union (1 Cot. 7:1-5). Parents should love (Titus 2:4), teach and train (Deut. 6:4-9; Prov. 22:6), and properly discipline their children (Prov. 29:15, 17), bringing them up "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4, RSV). In turn, children should respect, honor, and obey their parents (Exod. 20:12; Eph 6:1-2), although there may come a time in the lives of maturing children when they should obey God rather than their parents. Mature children should see that their parents` needs are properly met (Mark 7:9-13; 1 Tim. 5:3, 8, 16). It is difficult to know the proper interpretation of some scriptures regarding divorce, but it is clear that divorce is out of harmony with the fundamental purpose of God. (The specific references to divorce in the Bible are: Deut. 24:1-4; Lev. 21:7, 14; Ezek. 44:22; Mal. 2:16; Mart. 19:3-12; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cot. 7:10-16). His purpose is for one man and one woman to be joined together as husband and wife for life (Gen. 2:24; Mart. 19:4-5). While God, in Old Testament times, disapproved divorce, yet "because of the hardness" of the hearts of the children of Israel, a law was provided that regulated divorce (Deut. 24:1-4). There was an adjustment of the ideal to the realities of life without losing the vision of the ideal. Divorce, in the contemporary period, may seem at times to be the lesser-of-two-evils but it should not be defended as something good within itself. Neither should it be treated as the unforgivable sin. Churches should not only minister to the divorced but also provide an effective prevention program by preparing young peo-ple for marriage and by promoting family enrichment opportunities for the married. Sex is a gift of God and is good (Gen. 1:31). However, the only full expression of it that God approves is the sexual union of husband and wife. This means that premarital and extramarital sex, homosexuality, and open or common-law marriages are out of harmony with the purposes of God (Lev. 20:10-16; 1 Cor. 6:9; Gal. 5:19-21). It is God`s purpose to make his people holy, "and that entails.., a clean cut with sexual immorality" (1 Thess. 4:3, Phillips). All basic laws or requirements of God, including those regarding sex, are for our good (Prov. 3:22; Mark 2:27). Churches should seek to minister to those who have turned aside from God`s will in the area of sex, as well as in every other area of life, being thankful for the grace and forgiveness of God. A contemporary issue that requires attention is the place of women both in society and in the churches. Women who need or choose to work outside the home should not be discriminated against while women who prefer nor to work outside the home should be equally respected. Women should have an effective voice in the program and leadership of churches. The place of women in the structure of the churches, in accordance with Baptist ecclesiology, is decided by each local congregation. There were women in both the Old Testament (Exod. 15:20-21; Judges 4:4) and the New Testament (Acts 18:2, 18, 26; 21:8-9; Rom.. 16:1) who were quite prominent in the work of the Lord. There are some groups, such as single adults- never married, divorced, widowed-and older or senior adults to whom many churches need to give increased attention. Some of these nor only need something done for them, but they need also to be doing something themselves in the work of the churches. Christian family life is characterized by faithful covenant love as revealed in Christ. For Christians, the church family should be an extended family (Mart. 12:48-50) ministering in ways that modern families often can nor, or do not, do.
2. Race Relations.
There lingers among many people the entirely fallacious idea, sometimes referred to as racism, that some races are by nature inferior while others are superior. God, however, has made no innately inferior or superior races. All races have been created in the image of God. All belong to one family (Acts 17:26). This means that racial prej udice is to have no place in the life of a Christian or a Christian church. Our heavenly Father is no respecter of persons (Job 34:19; Acts. 10:34; 1 Per. 1:17); and his children should not be. We are "all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28). If we cannot pray "Our Father" (Mart. 6:9) with fellow believers of different colors and cultures, there is something wrong with our relation to their Father and our Father. One expression of prejudice that we should avoid is stereotyping. We should never be guilty of saying, "All whites are…," `All blacks are…," "All Hispanics are." There may be voluntary separation of races in our churches and society but there should be no involuntary segregation, maintained by law or social pressure. We may be of many classes and colors in our churches, but we are "one body in Christ" (Rom. 12:5; I Cot. 12:12), with Christ as the head (Eph. 5:23). Human distinctions such as male and female, white and black are transcended in him. He will break down the walls of prejudice that separate us if we will let him (Eph. 2:14; Col. 3:11). A church that is "the church of God" (1 Cot. 1:2; 2 Cot. 1:1) cannot close its doors or its membership to anyone because of his or her race. Racial prejudice is expressed most strongly regarding mixed marriages. While there are some valid practical arguments against mixed marriages in some cultures, there is no scriptural teaching directly against such marriages. Old Testament passages frequently used against mixed marriages were religiously rather than racially motivated (Exod. 34:11-16; Deut. 7:1-5; Ezra 9:1-2). When such marriages take place churches should accept and seek to minister to the ones involved. Christians and churches are obligated to do what they can to eliminate expressions of prejudice in housing and in jobs. Housing is one of the most basic but difficult problems in the whole area of race relations. Many other problems stem from or are related to housing. Christians from any majority group, however, should not succumb to prejudice and scare tactics to be a part of the racially motivated exodus from an area into which minority peoples have moved. Christians should support efforts to see that apartments and houses are available for rent or sale regardless of race. Also, we should do what we can to prohibit discrimination in employment or discrimination regarding upgrading on the job on the basis of race. The ideal, in the area of education, should be that every child regardless of racial origin, would have an opportunity for the best possible education. Every individual should have an opportunity to receive adequate education helpful in his or her daily work.
3. Economic Life and Daily Work.
There is no Christian economic system; and all existing systems are subject to careful Christian scrutiny. The main concern of Christians should be what a system does for and to people. Drudgery and pain have resulted from sin (Gen. 3:17-19), but work itself was a part of God`s original and continuing intention for mankind (Gen. 2:15; 1 Thess. 4:11). In God`s plan there is no recognition of a hierarchy of types of work or vocations. A Christian`s daily work should enable him or her to find personal fulfillment, to provide for personal and family needs, and to give through the church to the cause of Christ around the world. It also enables him to "command the respect of outsiders and be dependent on nobody" (1 Thess. 4:12, RSV). Furthermore, by working he will have something to give to those in need (Eph. 4:28). We do nor have to be consumed by work, making work an idol; but honest work has dignity and is related to the Christian`s calling in the world. No one should live entirely by the work of others except those who are too young, too old, or too incapacitated to work (2 Thess. 3:10-11). Every worker, in labor or management, should give an honest day`s work, for which just and adequate compensation is properly required. Profits and the profit motive are justifiable when they serve socially, morally justifiable ends, but they should be kept subservient to service and the service motive. Human values are more important than material values (Mark 8:36-37). Unemployment and underemployment (part-time jobs or employment beneath the level of ability and training) are particularly persistent in today`s world. The Christian ideal is that every employable person should be able to secure employment suitable to his or her ability and training. Poverty, the relief of poverty, and the change of systems which have produced poverty have been a continuing concern of Christians. Christians are to have compassion for the poor, sharing with the needy in the local church family (Acts. 2:44-45; 4:32, 34-37) and with the poor in general (1 Cot. 16:1-2; 2 Cot. 8:1-5). Government should be supported in providing an equitable welfare system that not only enables the employable to support themselves and their families but also enables the unemployable to maintain personal dignity. The restlessness of the poor is a major factor in the contemporary world revolution and the whole enterprise of missions is affected by how Christians perceive these poor and respond to their legitimate needs. Individual Christians and church and denominational agencies and organizations should seek to conserve energy, recognizing that the energy crisis is critical and will be with us for th foreseeable future. Christians understand that the sources of energy belong to the Lord (Ps. 24:1; Hag. 2:8) and that the proper use and conservation of energy is a part of total Christian stewardship. Christians who are members of business organizations or labor groups should carry Christian character and Christian witness into those groups recognizing, too, that we are responsible to God for any wealth we may accumulate since it is God who gives us the power to get wealth (Deut. 8:18). We are responsible to God for how we make our money, what we do with it, and what we let it do to us. What we accumulate should be acquired honestly (Jet. 22:13, 14; Amos 5:11-12) and should be used to meet human needs (Prov. 11:24; 28:8; Job 31:16-22). Wealth or money can be deceitful (Mart. 15:1-9; 19:23-24) and may give a false sense of security (Luke 12:16-24). "The love of money is the root of all evil" ("all sorts of evil," NASB) (I Tim. 6:10); and Christians cannot serve God and mammon or money (Mart. 6:19-24). Many of us as believers should adopt a simpler life style, spending less on ourselves and sharing more with our church and the needy people of the world.
4. Citizenship.
Government as an institution is ordained of God (Rom. 13:1) and derives its authority (John 19:11) and its purpose (Rom. 13:3-4) from him. Christians should be law-abiding citizens (Rom. 13:1-2) and should respect and pray for those in authority (1 Pet. 2:13-17; 1 Tim. 2:1-3). Also they should use the ballot responsibly and should actively participate in the political process. Some of the church`s most talented and dedicated young people should enter politics with a sense of divine vocation. Christians should pay taxes (Rom. 13:6-7). On the other hand, governing authorities should provide an equitable tax structure and a just use of all funds for which they are responsible. Baptists should study and understand and propagate the principle of religious liberty and its immensely important corollary, separation of church and state. Baptists should not accept government funds which would in any way restrict or compromise our freedom to live, work, and witness as the people of God. Sectarian use of the public schools should be avoided. Also, Christians should be sensitive to the threat of a civil religion that tends to equate our national way of life or the culture of a particular region or group with the kingdom of God. As Christians we should be concerned about war and peace. Our aim should be peace and not war (Ps. 34:14; 120:7; Isa. 9:5-6). We should do "the things which make for peace" (Rom. 14:19). Some military preparedness may be deemed necessary; but it should be kept under careful citizen scrutiny and civilian control. Nuclear proliferation, the multiplying of instruments of death and mass destruction, should be avoided through the concerned and active involvement of Christian citizens. Christians believe that the real strength of a nation is not in its military might but in its moral and spiritual power (Ps. 20:7). Christians, if consistent, will defend the right of the conscientious objector to war (Acts 4:19-20; 5:29), even the selective conscientious objector. Basic to the biblical ideal of citizenship is the idea of democracy which magnifies the worth and dignity of the individual person. In contrast totalitarianism or statism or unrestrained nationalism considers the individual an instrument, whose worth is to be judged by his contribution to the program of the party or state. Democracies,
religious or political, in contrast to totalitarian regimes, generally operate as open societies. We are in the midst of a world revolution of major proportions. Christians should be sympathetic with the restless multitudes of the world, approving, in the main, their basic goals of freedom, self-determination, and fundamental human rights while disapproving some methods sometimes utilized in striving to attain those goals. For Christians there is no necessary conflict between loyalty to one`s nation and loyalty to the larger human family. No nation is self-sufficient, and the energy crisis, in a graphic way, has underscored the interdependence of the world`s peoples and nations. While the United Nations is an imperfect instrument of peace, Christians should seek to strengthen it and to make more effective use of it. Civil disobedience including acceptance of governmental punishment may sometimes be required, for Christians owe their ultimate allegiance not to government (Dan. 6:6-10) but to God (Acts 4:18-20).
5. Special Moral Concerns.
There are so many issues in the general area of moral concerns that it is possible here to refer to only a few persistent and highly significant ones. There are, however, some principles, grounded in the Scriptures, that are applicable, in varying degrees, to most contemporary moral issues. Among these principles are:
Life is a creation of God and should be considered sacred.
The individual will be held accountable by God for his or her decisions (Gal. 6:7-8).
One`s body belongs to the Lord, is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and should be dedicated to the purposes of God (1 Cot. 6:12-20; Rom. 12:1).
Right for the Christian is determined not only by what he or she thinks is right but also by what others think and by the effect of what is done on the lives of others (Rom. 14:1-23; 1 Cot. 8:1-13).
The strong should serve the weak (tom. 15:1-3).
Whatever the Christian does should be for the benefit of others, for th good of the church, and for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:24, 3 1-33).
We who have been recipients of the grace of God should be instruments of his grace, letting our Father reach out through us to those who have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Gal. 6:1-2).
On the basis of these and related principles, the hunger of any human being anywhere should be the concern of Christians everywhere (Mart. 25:35-40); and efforts to relieve the hunger of the world should include ways to increase production of food and to reduce its consumption in countries where over consumption is a serious health problem, including the responsible limitation of population growth. We should also be concerned about crime and should work for a more enlightened and effective penal system where the emphasis is primarily remedial or custodial rather than merely punitive. There should be no place for capital punishment in a remedially oriented penal system because capital punishment is discriminatory in that most persons put to death are the very poor and the underprivileged from minority groups and because there is no clear evidence that capital punishment is a deterrent to crime. Christians should be deeply concerned about the lack of integrity in much of business, government, and society in general. Law and order, on the one hand, and justice, on the other, must be kept in proper balance if we are to have a healthy society. Christians should be careful not to become defenders of regimes that maintain order at the expense of justice for the people. Freedom of the press is constitutionally guaranteed in some countries; but there is no absolute freedom and no freedom without responsibility. Christians should support efforts to limit the publication and distribution of pornographic literature and the flagrant portrayal of sex, violence, alcohol abuse, and materialism in television programming. Pollution of water and air is a problem of major proportions in our society. Also, total abstinence from gambling, smoking, and alcohol and other harmful drugs is a preferable position for a Christian in our culture today. On the other hand, Christians should have a concern and compassion for the victims of these and other destructive habits. Some perplexing moral problems in the contemporary world are in the biomedical area. Among these are abortion, euthanasia, organ transplants, and generic engineering and experimentation. There are moral as well as legal aspects of these problems. Christian doctors, scientists, and others should ask, "Is this right?" as well as "Is this legal?" One thing that will help in relation to many issues or cases will be a respect for life in general and human life in particular. In regard to abortion, euthanasia, and organ transplants, the decision at times is in the in-between area where the choice may be between the lesser of two evils. Christians generally believe, for example, that an abortion is justified only under very serious conditions: when there is a clear threat to the health or life of the mother or possibly in the case of a pregnancy as a result of incest or rape or manifest deformity of the fetus-cases that are extremely rare. Iris important that the pregnant person should have competent Christian counseling with an opportunity to weigh her options, viewing abortion in moral and spiritual as well as physical terms. A distinction should be made between positive and negative euthanasia, with possible acceptance of the latter when it simply means the withholding of artificial means to keep a terminally ill person alive. In contrast, positive euthanasia, the actual raking of life, is wrong. Genetic engineering is potentially very dangerous. There is no reason to condemn organ transplants as long as there is proper regard for the donor as well as the recipient. Another moral issue is the health, including the mental health, of all the peoples of the world. The Christian ideal is that adequate medical service should be available to all.
Making the right decisions regarding social concern and social action may be facilitated in a number of ways.
Ask three questions:
(1) How will this affect me?
(2) How will this affect others?
(3) How will this affect the cause of Christ?
Apply three tests:
(1) The test of secrecy (Would you mind if others knew?)
(2) The test of universality (Would you be willing for others to do the same thing?).
(3) The rest of prayer (could you pray to God about this matter?).
Turn to three sources of light:
(1) Light from within (a sensitized Christian conscience).
(2) Light from without (wise counselors).
(3) Light from above (God).
Christian social concern is based on the truth of God the Father revealed in Jesus Christ the Son, in the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, and in the Bible. Christian social action is the outworking of authentic Christian experience.
