There is a massive wave worldwide to bring about social and behavioural change. Though they have never been right, practices that have been occurring for millennia, have now suddenly become totally unacceptable. We are all aware that the results of such highly publicised campaigns will be short lived and superficial at best, because it has always proven impossible for sinful, human beings to make any type of change that can be certain to last permanently – given the right stimuli, the trigger will be pulled and the (now unacceptable) behaviour repeated. In their attempt to change what are perceived to be urgent problems, that all understand to be wrong, the leaders of these “movements” seem to be forgetting the basic principles of human behaviour. While it gives them “their moment in the sun” of extensive media coverage, we know from past experience that nothing will ever really change in the area of particular concern unless there is a change in the way in which the problem is approached.
“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
“No one of us can in our own strength represent the character of Christ.” ST January 4, 1883
Do we honestly think for one moment that anyone who is abiding in Christ would ever be participating in any of these sinful behaviours?
We all know the answer; It would be an impossibility!
So, on they go making a huge demonstration against these social issues, when doing so will not ever change one thing permanently. Under the pressure of these attempted social reforms the perpetrators may, at best, simply adapt their approach and continue this behaviour unabated.
So, what is the answer?
As Christians, though we should have been able to expect better, we have not been exempt from undesirable behaviour in our church, and if attempted at all, every effort to correct this behaviour, and to bring about the desired reform, has also been totally ineffectual; in fact, the undesirable behaviour is increasing and is becoming worse.
We know that Christ was able to bring about His reformation to the church and the world by drawing all who were willing to respond, with His love. Every category of humanity was represented in those who did accept Him and His reforms.
Today's self-appointed reformers, who have been inspired by the trends in the world, in their zeal and excitement for change, can easily be tempted, as the church and many individuals have been throughout history, to resort to means not approved of by our God; these can include Satanic or Papal-like force, coercion, intimidation, fear, all the way down through the spectrum to the more simple human means of gentle persuasion, to bring about what they think needs to be changed. But, unless we are living with Christ in us and encouraging those we wish to convince, to firstly join with us in abiding in Him also, all attempts to bring about any change in our own lives, and what is believed to be needed in the lives of others, will be futile.
We can now ask the right question:
Who is the answer?
We all know that if Christ is allowed to live His life in and through us, He will naturally produce true reform that will last for eternity – a very different approach to the problem than what we see demonstrated today in both the church and the world.
