That’s the motto at ACU, and if you ever go there you’ll see it a lot. It’s a fine sentiment, I think; perhaps a little broad – but it gets an A for ambition. But it always caused some problems for me theologically.
The way I see the world, evil has existed since the fall, and has never subsided. I see it in life and in Scripture. Many people see change – moral advancement. They believe progress has been made, and more will be made. They believe that we can change the world.
Even if you only looked at Israel from the Exodus through the Crucifixion, you see that evil was present in much the same form for the whole of their history. But if you continue to look at Paul’s letters, Roman and other Western history, and the world as a whole, it’s difficult to build a case for true advancement.
How can we believe that progress is being made on a global scale? There are times when the only words that can make sense of the world for me are these:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.
Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.
The venom of asps is under their lips.
Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
in their paths are ruin and misery,
and the way of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Romans 3: 12-18 ESV
The last line is the one that catches me up. No one talks about “God-fearing” anymore (at least not around me). Even Christians avoid this terminology. I’m not sure why, but we’ve chosen to speak of God’s love exclusively, and done our best to ignore his other qualities. Now, there are obviously groups that focus too much on God’s wrath (Fred Phelps, anyone?), but most of us have moved in the opposite direction.
Anyway, that is beside the point. When people have no fear of God, they do what they choose to do without worrying about Him, His will, or His consequences. This results in rampant selfishness and individualism. This doesn’t always mean violence.
When people think of “evil” in the world they often think of major violent events and oppression: Imperialism, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the slave trade, the decimation of the Indians. What we don’t tend to think about are the individual things. We don’t associate promiscuity with evil, it’s just a bad decision – but it’s making an idol out of sex. That’s evil. We don’t think of the endless pursuit of money to be evil, unless it leads to harming someone else – but that’s idolatry, too. We don’t consider the selfishness we encounter in our daily lives, even within ourselves, to be evil. But do you know what it is? Idolatry.
“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”
Romans 1:28-32
Does any part of this list catch you as something you encounter regularly? What about envy, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossip, slander, hating God, insolence, haughtiness, boasting, disobedience to parents, foolishness, or faithlessness? How many of those have you seen face-to-face in the last week? I’m pretty sure I’ve seen all of them, and even been guilty of a few.
This is Paul’s 2000 year-old incomplete list of “unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, [and] malice.” If we’ve each seen all or most of these things in the last week or month or year, how can we think that progress is being made, or is even possible? (Keep reading, I promise I’m not this much of a downer)
I read two interesting posts about sin recently, one at Pomomusings and one at Rend the Heavens. Both are worth reading, the comments as well. One comment really stuck out to me. Robert Austell said:
How do we make a change at the community level? Change must begin with me. And so, even addressing the idolatry and sin of all Israel, Joshua will repent publicly and say “As for me and my house.” Jesus, addressing the sins of legalism and ethnic bigotry, will speak of one good Samaritan and call out individuals to change.
The two are as connected as evangelism and social justice… transformation and redemption of culture begins (as God’s work) in one life at a time, which involves personal repentance, redemption, and transformation. That means personally dealing with issues of holiness, righteousness, humility, and repentance. That means dealing with personal sin… that produces godly “leaven” for society.
I thought of this concept every time I heard someone say “Change the World” while I was at ACU and again today. Today at Garnett Wade preached about transforming and redeeming culture, which rolls right along with the portion I italicized above. I’m not sure if he was saying that we could use a morally neutral culture for good, thereby redeeming it, or that we could make culture good. I believe the former is true, but am not sure about the latter.
Much like the story of the boy who is frantically throwing starfish back in the water after the tide rolls out, we can’t change everyone or fix everything; but every person we reach, and is transformed by Christ, makes our work worthwhile. So go ahead, Change the World.
