Why should we fight something when people are so passionate about sinning? Does it really make a difference whether we allow something like divorce, porn, or gay marriage to exist in our society? After all, people will sin. People will have adulterous affairs whether we discourage it or not. What harm does it do to make it (it being anything sinful) socially acceptable as long as we as Christians don't encourage it or allow it to permeate our lifestyles? It's not like we're killing anybody. If it's something really serious, like abortion, then we'll take a stand.
"It's not like" are probably the most dreaded words after "why". They stem directly from complacency and apathy. When we stop caring what the world around us reflects, we stop caring about the way the world reflects God. God created this world, and though God is not responsible for the sin in this world, a huge reason against believing in a loving God is "Why?" -- Why would God let this happen if He were so good and loving?
God is reflected through His people, which is one huge reason why it's so important that Christians must not be hypocritical and reverently follow God's standards. But if Christians stop there -- if they think that holiness is extended only inwardly, toward the self, then their efforts to make a positive impact on this world may very well be twisted into selfishness. What starts off as a pure desire to serve God might become warped and turn into an external action that serves to bolster the internal desires of the individual. It gives way to the belief that one must "prove" one's holiness by acting holy.
This is what Jesus warns us against in Matthew 6:1-4
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who ses what is done in secret, will reward you."
and again in Matthew 23:23
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices -- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law -- justice, mercy and faithfulness."
Our desire to give of ourselves should be a natural reaction to the fullness we have in Christ. Pslam 23:5 says "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." When our cups run over with God's love, we can't help but bleed tears out of our hearts for the lost. The holiness God grants us reaches outwards to others.
Our basis for doing good should not be simply about "following orders", it should be about compassion: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. We must be aware that Satan is constantly attacking our motives. If we fall into the trap of believing that our good works are to satisfy some pre-ordained quota by God, then what is our motivation for fighting evil? If we do not have compassion for those who fall into evil, then our external motivation to fight turns inward, and we think of only how the world's evil will affect us -- me and mine. Some even excuse the evil because of this lie: "Allowing this will only affect the people who participate in it." No, not true.
Allowing evil will inevitably affect all people, because it is a poison to an already sinful society.
I am reminded of a disturbing article I just read about the Ashley Madison internet dating site that is specifically for married people to look for a partner to enter into adultery. The founder and operator of the site, Noel Biderman, said one of the most disturbingly "logical" things I have heard in a long time:
"Biderman is quick to explain why his business isn't hurting anyone. "You eradicate Ashley Madison, you're not going to eradicate infidelity. That's what allows me to sleep at night," he says. "If you think that all affairs happen on Ashley Madison, you're very naive. The majority happen in the workplace. People are thrust together, that's where they happen." In that context, Biderman likes to argue, affairs can be much more damaging, by causing meltdowns at work, becoming public, and blowing up marriages. Ashley Madison and its clandestine, more transactional approach, he says, is actually a marriage saver, a public service of a kind." (bold inserts mine.) Article called Cheating Inc. written by Sheelah Kolhatkar, found at this link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41583762/ns/business-bloomberg_businessweek/?gt1=43001
Why fight this? It's true, isn't it? Some married people will commit adultery, whether this internet site exists or not. What is the real damage that it is doing? According to Noel Biderman, it's not causing damage, it's actually helping save marriages. His logic is simply that people are programmed for sex, and if they are not satisfied in their marital relationship, it is way too messy to divorce, especially if the "business transaction" side of the marriage is working fine. The best option is to sleep with someone willing, but keep the marriage bubble intact. People will be much happier for it, because as he is quoted saying in this article, "Monogamy, in my opinion, is a failed experiment."
(I'd hate to be that guy's wife.)
This is how Satan works. He points out a flaw in society and shows you how unreasonable it is to expect anyone to actually follow some "golden standard" by a god that may or may not even exist. He then attempts to get you to accept that this "flaw" isn't a flaw at all, it's just an unfortunate bias of society that will change with time. The real flaw is people hindering the pursuit of pleasure and happiness.
I can't help but think of this passage and pity Biderman:
Matthew 18:7
"Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!"
He might see his business as harmless and opportunistic, but he is making it easier for people to be tempted by their carnal passions and end up in hell. True, I cannot blame every adulterer on Biderman. He is right that they would most likely commit adultery through another means. When there is a will, there is a way. But the damage he is causing through his methods of stealthiness, lies and his encouragement of evil is destroying his soul as well as the souls of countless others. The temptation garnered by easy sex and the prospect that "everyone else is doing it" is too strong for people without Christ.
Partner-hopping humans has been a problem even in Jesus' time. The Samaritan woman at the well is an example of this. She desired to fill that hole in her heart with men, and she could not. It is heartbreaking. Is it horrible, and completely inexcusable? Yes. But it is also heartbreaking. These people are hurting. They do not know Christ, and Satan is waging war on them so that they will never be receptive to the idea that life without their pleasure and happiness is a life worth living. We must pray for them, and we must fight against evil and injustice.
Christians are instructed to be the light of the world, to be the hands and feet of Christ, and to serve the needy and lost. It is difficult to see anyone as poor outside of the socio-economic class structure. In truth, all people lacking Jesus are lacking abundant life. These people are poor in spirit, which is much worse than being poor on a monetary level. When evil is allowed to flourish, then these lost people tend to embrace it as acceptable, or desirable, which will further destroy their spirit. What should we do to help?
As Jesus so boldly proclaims in Luke 4:18-19, quoting Isaiah 61:
"The Spirit of the Lord on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good new to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Oh God, that you would give us your holy compassion!
Why should we fight? If you are lacking a passionate answer, may God transform your heart. If you have an answer, may God embolden you to fight.
