I had a few interesting personal reactions to my last post. Helpful. Strong. Critical. Off-line. A helpful correction online. Thanks to all. I hope it changes how I write through this referendum season. Thank you especially to those who felt what I wrote was divisive. I have re-written that blog in light of your just and fair criticisms. Much appreciated, and especially the feedback from one member’s mum!
I wrote in my last blog:
a pastor ought to speak to biblical principle and to talk leaderly, with a mix of communal responsibility and personal risk of looking like an idiot.
I guess I have to own that risk. I have no doubt you will point out any matters less than wise in what I write. You just have! Please do accept that I do not speak about this with the same clarity or authority as when I speak on biblical principle. But let me be a good pastor first and start again with biblical principle.
Biblical Principle - The Three Great Reconciliation Passages
Reconciliation is a natural fruit of the gospel. Jesus really does bring people together across great cultural distances. To make sure we see this at work - two passages:
“11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.”
This passage reminds us of one great division healed - Jews and Gentiles - and a further passage in Galatians 3 points out this began to affect other divisions, including race.
26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
And one final one:
“10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”
None of this was achieved from the halls of power, but from the weakness of the cross and in was lived out in the ordinariness of churches. Amen.
It is clear that you can be ‘for’ or ‘against’ the Voice, and still be for reconciliation. It is also clear that you can be ‘for’ or ‘against’ the Voice and still believe Jesus brings about reconciliation more truly and deeply than any action of government. Amen! Amen! Amen!
Why Government Still Matters
Why then bother with political process, Jim? It is clearly true that Jesus does the best governing - the best government is on his shoulders (Isaiah 11). But it is also true that we can care about political action and speak into it remembering that God has given us government because all people matter, not just Christians:
4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Gospel, Politics, and the End
In the end, politics will not achieve for us the great reconciliation. That will be a work of the gospel and it will work itself out into eternity by God’s hand. However, while I have a realistic view of the change that government can introduce to our cultural life together, I am not pessimistic.
The gains made since the 1962 referendum that gave Aboriginal Australia the vote are vast. 61 years is not a long time in history, yet we now have elected Aboriginal politicians and brilliant intellectuals and media commentators. Brilliant. Progress can be made in our political culture. What happens in Canberra does reflect and affect what can happen in your suburb.
In the end, Jesus will heal the tears of the nations (Revelation 22:2). But until that end comes, we have governors who lead us in life together, and in our lucky culture - we get to communicate with them.
So I’ll mend my tone on this issue, but keep encouraging us to communicate with this matter of government. I pray we see change that is good.