Responding to Social Issues

I am disturbed by how social issues are starting to eclipse the gospel, and becoming the focus of churches. Rather than the Great Commission and preaching Christ, many church leaders have become obsessed with social issues and social justice; turning their houses of worship into dens of inclusion and pioneers to address issues like homosexuality. The devil is clever, he had gotten the Body of Christ fixated on social issues and articulating where a particular congregation stands on them rather than preaching Christ! Our pastors have become obsessed with addressing the culture, when Christianity is about the counter-cultural Christ! Jesus was often going against the grain of the religious elite of his day (Matthew 23, Mark 3, Mark 7, John 2, John 10).

✝️ Our Lord Jesus did not get trapped when Pharisees like social issues warriors of today tried to trap him, “Jesus said to them, “Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to trap Jesus in His words. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denariusc to inspect.” So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”“Caesar’s,” they answered.Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.” (Mark 12:13-17). 

Before our Lord Jesus ascended He charged the apostles and us their successors to do one thing, “Go forth to all the world, and preach the gospel to all creation,” (Mark 16:15), and “make disciples and baptize them in the Name of the Father, Som and Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19). We are to be Christ’s ambassadors, making His appeals through us, “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God (be reconciled)!” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Instead many have become side tracked from pure and simple devotion to Christ and are in hot water trying to appesse the mob on social issues. Our response to the issues in our world is not lofty argumemts, but Christ! What people need is Jesus, and all the time we spend responding to accussations from social justice warriors, is another moment Satan has us sidetracked from the most important thing, Jesus Christ and Him Crucified for our sins and risen from the dead.

The serpent is crafty, he has successfully got the church being labeled for what it’s against rather than what if is for. People challenge the pastors and theologians on their social issues, when those leaders should being emphasizing Christ. If a LGBT person seeks to ensnare a pastor, they should answer, “I preach Christ and what everyone to know him, I am not about social issues or kingdoms of the world, I am servant of the Kingdom of Heaven, and my sole focus is Jesus and His gospel, if you want to hear about Him then I will gladly talk, but if you insist on social issues like homosexuality, I have nothing to say except I want all people to know Jesus.” This need to be talking points, when they try to get you to talk about homosexuality, keep saying, “I am for Jesus and the gospel, if you want to talk about that, I am glad to.” If they try to bait you further by saying, “What does Jesus say of homosexuality?” To this say, “You are trying to make it about social issues again, I will gladly talk about Jesus and the Gospel, do you want to listen?” 

Satan is  using social issues to shut up evangelists and teachers; to goad preachers into answering social issues so they csn be labeled “racist”, “homophobe,” “sexist,” and etc. The reason this happens is pastors are falling for the bait and not adopting this disposition, “I count all things lost but knowing Christ,” (Philippians 3:9) and “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”. (Hebrews 12:2). We are allowing the world to have s voice by trapping us and making our ministries focused on answering their accusations or queries, rather than turning the ball in the court into our favor by saying, “do you know Jesus?” and “My social issue is that society know Christ and become saved.”  Our call as Christians is to magnify Jesus, but instead the social issues- justice warriors have us playing defense. If we are to go offensive its not with well crafted arguments that can be twisted by media, but to become a broken record in our only talking points to every trap of a question, “as I said I am for Jesus and the Gospel, you keep trying to get me to talk about your issue, my single issue is Christ and that people know Him and grow in Him.” This is how pastors and ministers (we all are ministers and priests see 1 Peter 2:9, Hebrews 5:12) are to fight back, not with engaging at their level and getting trapped in talking for hours or years about social issues, but bringing it back to our Saviour and saying, “look, I came to speak with you to share about my focus, the gospel, you have spoken your peace on the social issues, I wish to share the Prince of Peace with you and your audience.” 

It is time to stop letting the narrative be dictated to us! It is time to shift our focus back to what matters, our Lord Jesus Christ!  To magnify Him and use our precious time on Earth to talk about Him and know Him more intimately. Social issues are a new weapon to shut down spokesmen and spokeswomen for the Gospel. We have to become a one party, one issue people; that party is Christ and that issue is His Gospel. Amen.