In the States, we hear the terms “systemic racism” or “systemic injustice” being thrown around left and right. And even within the church, people debate how systemic these problems really are.
As I read Luke chapter 3 today, however, it seems crystal clear where the real problem lies and what the real solution is.
John the Baptist came onto the scene in Israel and made an instant impact.
What was he pointing to in his preaching? Systemic racism and oppression against the Jews? Systemic injustice in Rome?
No. He pointed to individuals and their sin, and he called them to repent.
And John was not one to mince his words.
Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. (Luke 3:7-8)
John wasn’t speaking to the Roman government. Nor was he speaking primarily to those in power among the Jews. He was talking to the people.
What did he preach?
- God’s wrath is coming upon you because of your sin.
- Repent, not just in your words, but in your actions.
Even for those in the corrupt “system,” the tax collectors and the soldiers, John did not call on them to reform the system, much as the system needed reform. He called on them to repent as individuals. To change their own actions.
But this is a lost message in many churches.
We no longer preach sin, no less accountability for it.
No doubt there are problems in the system. And there is no doubt that there is some degree of oppression in them, although I would argue there is a lot less of it than there was 50 years ago.
Does that mean we then stop working for reform? Of course not.
But all the reform of the world’s systems will never solve the true problem: the human heart.
Let’s assume for a moment that all racism is completely eradicated from the system. Will that then eliminate all of society’s problems?
No. Because sin will still reign in the hearts of people.
You already see that in the hearts of many who are calling for reform.
They aren’t calling for justice as defined by the Bible. Their concept of sin is so far from the concept as found in the Bible, that we’ll end up in Sodom and Gomorrah if we follow them to their logical conclusion.
True God-honoring societal change will not come from systemic reform, especially as it is defined by many of the current “reformers.”
It will only come when we start calling individuals to repent of their sin.
We need to tell them what sin is. We need to tell them what the ultimate consequences of their sin are. And we need to tell them what God has done to rescue us from this problem.
And if we fail to do that, if we instead make systemic reform our “gospel,” we will have failed in the commission God has given us. (See Ezekiel 33 and Acts 20:21, 24-27).
The gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel that God loves us and desires to save us has no meaning apart from the concept of sin and repentance.
After all, if people cannot even recognize their own sin, what are they being saved from? Racial oppression? Poverty? Disease?
All these are important, but they are secondary to the primary problem of the human race: their own personal sin.
Make no mistake, though. The world does not want to hear that message.
For all their cries for justice, they want nothing to do with God’s justice. They want nothing to do with hearing about their own personal sin and their accountability to God for that sin.
Just look at John the Baptist. Herod sinned by marrying his brother’s wife. And when John rebuked him for this one sin (although there were apparently others as well), Herod imprisoned him, and eventually executed him.
We the church will be persecuted if we preach sin. But we can’t be faithful to our call unless we do.
Question: when will we not only call for people in the system to repent, but for people among the “reformers” to repent?
There are Christian leaders who rightfully call for systemic reform. But where are those same leaders when it comes to calling for repentance among the “reformers?”
When we see injustice, let’s fight against it. If you want to march or sign petitions for it, great. If you want to post your opinions on social media, fine.
But more importantly, let’s start with the individuals we know and start preaching repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).
Because only when the hearts of individuals change will we see true societal change.
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 