SHOULD ALL CHRISTIANS AGREE ABOUT EVERYTHING?

Richard Halverson was Chaplain to the U.S. Senate 1981-1994. In a time of political animosity and electoral turmoil in the U.S.A., no matter what our personal convictions might be, his words are challenging. He wrote in 1982.

One of the false assumptions – very divisive, but common among those who profess to follow Jesus Christ – is this: “To agree in Christ is to agree about everything.” To be one in Christ, so the thinking goes, is to agree politically, economically, culturally, et cetera. In other words, all true believers will be Democrats – or Republicans – or capitalist – or socialist – or right of center – or left of center – or dead center -or whatever! The source of this assumption is sin!

You see it in Genesis 11. Here the cumulative consequence of our first parents’ disbelief and disobedience (Genesis 3) issues in man’s collective desire to build his own human system: “Let us build ourselves a city, with a tower….so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered” (11:4).

God’s response: He confused their languages and scattered the people. Frustration. Futility. Nonfulfillment.

But the delusion persists, even in the church, that man himself can in time build his perfect society. It is implicit in every election – in every party platform and candidate’s speech – and in every social and economic system ever introduced in history. Capitalists believe they can. Socialists believe they can. Marxists believe that they can. Conservatives believe that they can. Liberals believe that they can. Despite the fact that the perfect government has never been realized in more than two hundred years of American history, nor in all the years of recorded human civilization. And in this ancient delusion, believers equate Godly truth with the system in which they believe and assume all who believe in Christ ought to agree.

Is hope for the perfect government – this deep longing of the human heart for a government of perfect freedom, justice and equity – is it futile? A universal dream never to be realized? A fantasy with no foundation in reality?

No! God’s plan for history includes the perfect government. Indeed, he planted the desire for it in the human heart. In the divine economy, history will be consummated in this perfection -certifying the abolition of every evil which today infects humanity. God’s kingdom is the perfect society. And it is totally unlike any human system. Christ introduced it. And Christ will consummate it.

“Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.” (Isaiah 9:7)

A Prayer in the Senate, July 12, 1982

Father in heaven….we have been trying everything but nothing seems to work. We face the bankruptcy of human wisdom. Give us the grace to admit it.

Deliver the Senate from the emptiness and futility of warmed over ideologies, schemes and programs which have been tried and found wanting. Deliver us from the false pride of humanism that conceals vulnerability-that refuses to admit human extremity and will not submit to divine adequacy.

As you did give extraordinary wisdom to King Solomon to govern, give to your servants humility to acknowledge their need, and grace to receive your supply. Amen.

 (Richard C. Halverson, NO GREATER POWER: PERSPECTIVES FOR DAYS OF PRESSURE, 52,53)