Resisting the Call to Action
From the very beginning, as Africa Christian Action was launched 30 years ago, there were those who resisted the call to action.
“You Cannot Legislate Morality!”
“You cannot legislate morality!” insisted many. However, all legislation enforces some version of morality. Either the state will exercise the wrath of God against sin, or it will exercise the wrath of man against God and His people. Either legislation protects babies from the violence and injustice of abortion, or, as we see happening now, legislation will be designed to penalise and prosecute medical professionals who are contentious objectors to participating in the taking of innocent life. It did not take the “gay rights” advocates long to move from demands for “toleration”, to approval, to state funding, to demands for conformity and then criminalising of criticism. The Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) being forced on schools at this time is an example of how the situation has so drastically deteriorated to where pornographic child abuse can become state-mandated, not only in government schools, but even private “independent” schools!
“Christians Should Not be Involved in Politics!”
“Politics is dirty! Christians should not get involved in politics!” becomes something of a self-fulfilled prophecy as it keeps Christians from being salt and light in society. When Christians retreat from social and political concerns, one can expect the situation to deteriorate even more drastically. Nappies/diapers are also dirty and therefore need to be changed frequently. So, it is with political leaders.“Who will rise up for Me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for Me against the workers of iniquity?” Psalm 94:16
“We Are Living in the Last Days!”
“These are the last days! Everything is meant to get worse and worse in the end times!” By this logic, none of the actions we have taken to save lives and clean up local communities over the last three decades should have been done! For as long as I have been a Christian, 44 years, people have been proclaiming that “we are in the last days” and that there wasn’t enough time to do what was being proposed. In fact, date setters have been proclaiming this kind of message for more than 170 years. We are to occupy until Jesus comes, or calls. When Professor Martin Luther was asked what he would do if he knew that the Lord would return tomorrow, he replied: “I would plant a tree today!” Occupy until He comes, or calls. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. Our priority is to fulfil the Great Commission of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
“Just Preach the Gospel!”
“Just preach the Gospel!” This response has often seemed like a convenient excuse for disobedience to the clear commands of Scripture and an excuse for doing nothing. Do we really believe that Jesus would have us stand passively by while God-hating pagans exploit women made in the image of God, to degrade that which God has made to be holy, make public what God has meant to be private, make common what God has meant to be special, corrupting young minds and morals and ruining marriages? “Just preach the Gospel!” has often been used as an excuse to justify laziness or cowardice. Would God have us stand idly by while a murderer rips the arms and legs of a baby and crushes its head? “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Deliver those who are drawn toward death and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this,’ does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?” Proverbs 24:10-12
Back to the Bible
Which servant of God in the Bible limited himself to “Just preaching the Gospel?” Was Elijah wrong to confront and expose the pornographic, child-sacrificing prophets of Baal? (1 Kings 18). Was John the Baptist wrong to have publicly confronted the immorality of king Herod? (Matthew 14:3-4). Could our Lord have been in error when He confronted the corruption in the Temple? Why did He overturn the tables and drive out the money-changers (Mark 11:15-16)? Why did our Lord not “just preach the Gospel!”
Sins of Omission
The Parable of the Good Samaritan with its “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:26-37), the coming Day of Judgment when our Lord warned us that we will be judged on the basis of what we did to care for the sick, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit prisoners and welcome strangers (Matthew 25:31-46), confirms that we are obligated to do far more than “Just preach the Gospel!” In Matthew 25, our Lord makes it clear that, on the Day of Judgment, we will be judged for sins of omission, for the good things that we failed to do.
True Christianity is Love in Action
In James 1:27, we read that the Biblical definition of true religion before God is: “to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world.”
Seek First the Kingdom of God
We are called to be “the salt of the earth.” Matthew 5:13. We have been taught to pray: “Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven…” Matthew 6:9-10.
Love God and Love your Neighbour
It was love for God that motivated us to stand up against the legalisation of blasphemy. It was love for our neighbour that motivated us to organise outreaches outside escort agencies and brothels. It was in obedience to the Scripture: “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11, that led us to march to parliament and protest the legalisation of pornography and attempts to legalise modern-day slavery, human trafficking and prostitution. “Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.” Isaiah 58:12
Renewing Minds to Transform Lives
For 30 Years, Africa Christian Action has been conducting Biblical Worldview Seminars and Summits in obedience the command “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2
Home Education
In obedience to “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8, we have promoted home education and Christian textbooks for Independent Christian schools. “The discerning heart seeks knowledge.” Proverbs 15:14
Redeeming the Time
In obedience to Ephesians 5:15-16 “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil,” we have been presenting a regular weekly radio programme Salt and Light on Radio Tygerberg, for over 25 years.
Public Protests
In the response to Proverbs 8:1-3 “Does not wisdom cry out and understanding lift up her voice? She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, beside the way, where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors,” we have regularly conducted Life Chains, Marches for Life, Missions in the Malls, mass literature distribution at traffic lights and National Day of Repentance Prayer Vigils at the gates of parliament.
Prayer Vigils
“If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14, has inspired many rallies and services at the gates of parliament, on the lawn before Union buildings and outside the High Court.
Salt and Light
“You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16, has inspired the pro-life, pro-family moral ministry of Africa Christian Action for 30 years.
Rebuilding the Walls
The Book of Nehemiah has been an inspiration for our Project Nehemiah. “…You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” Nehemiah 2:17. As Nehemiah responded with intercession, information, involvement, investment and implementation, we seek to provide research and direction so that our people can be informed, interceding, involved, investing and implementing, applying the Lordship of Christ to all areas of life.
Watchmen on the Walls
Africa Christian Action has been called to be watchmen on the walls. “I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,” Isaiah 62:6
Learning from History
“Stand in the ways and see and ask for the old paths, where the good way is and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls… Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’” Jeremiah 6:16-17. As Nehemiah rallied the people of Jerusalem to the sound of the trumpet to mobilise to defend that part of the wall under immediate attack, so ACA has used the Christian Action magazine and E-mail list, the www.ChristianAction.org.za website, our Salt and Light Radio programme and public meetings as trumpets to alert and mobilise positive, practical Christian Action to where it is most urgently and strategically needed. “So, I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it…” Ezekiel 22:30
Persevere in Prayer and Action
Our Lord Jesus taught us that we should “always pray and not give up.” In the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus taught us that even an unjust judge will give in and do what is right in response to persistent prayer and pressure (Luke 18:1-8). We need to continually ask (pray), seek (strategy) and knock (action). “Also, I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’” Isaiah 6:8
A Call to Action
If you want to join, or start, a Christian Action group, contact [email protected] and visit www.ChristianAction.org.za for news, projects and resources that you can use to educate, enlist and encourage others in this Biblical movement to motivate and mobilise the church to be salt and light in society. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58.
Christian Duties in Politics and the World: Reformation
