Should Christians protest? What does the Bible say?
1. Christ's instructions to us in Matt. 28:19-20 is to Go and teach. There is nothing in the Bible that says "go and protest".
2. In Exodus 1:15-21 the King of Egypt ordered the killing of children.
The midwives just kept on serving God. Verse 20 tells the outcome of that strategy. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
3. James 5:13-14 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Afflicted means ~ To suffer evil
When we’re afflicted (to suffer evil in any way) we are to pray. When we’re merry, we’re to sing .When we’re sick, we’re to call for the elders of the church.
This covers every aspect of life, and there is no mention of protesting.
Practically, what have been the results of protesting? Abortion clinics blown up, people injured, killed, etc.
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
There is no fleshly glory in praying. Others often don't see our prayers, but the Bible tells us God hears our prayers. It doesn't mention God hearing us when we participate in protests.
How much time does the protester spend in prayer and fasting? How much time has their church spent in prayer and fasting?
The time we’d be out carrying signs, let’s be praying OR out among the crowd giving out tracts and speaking with folk about the gospel that DELIVERS (saves) the soul from SIN. It's the gospel of Jesus Christ that will change people. That's why the Bible commands us to preach the gospel, because that's what works!
Let’s teach our children that abortion is sin.
Peter was in prison unjustly. Did the church make up signs and begin to walk up and down in front of prison protesting? Acts 12:1-19 They came together and prayed.
PRAYER IS FORGOTTEN TODAY
How much do I pray and fast?
How much does the church fast and pray today?
It’s easier to carry a sign and walk a beat.
Protesting often leads to ecumenism, which is not Scriptural
You joined us in this, how about joining us in….
5. We never were protestants. We were never part of the Catholic church. We never protested. We’ve always been Christ’s disciples (later called Christians) doing the will of God from our hearts.
6. What happened to the people in the following verses? The Bible is clear that those who sin will be punished.
1 Timothy 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Revelation 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
1 Cor. 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
ANSWER, they got saved and their lives changed!!
Nicely thought out.
ReplyDeleteThanks KS! When my pastor preached this, that's exactly what I thought too, which is why I wanted to share it here.
ReplyDeleteWhen studying the life of Paul/Acts, I realized that wherever Paul went there were protests. Just think of Ephesus, Iconium, and Philippi, to name three. However, Paul and Silas or Barnabas did not ignite these protests directly. Rather, they happened because Paul (and his companions) were preaching the gospel in these cities. Hence, unGodly opposition will arise, protests ought to happen when we communicate the gospel. But, this being said, we have no record that Christians sought out protests or tried to initiate them.
ReplyDeleteSo perhaps this is my point: if Christians are living genuine lives for Christ and communicating the gospel faithfully and properly, there should be protests (opposition). However, these protest should not be carried out by the Christians themselves.
This having been said, whenever human authorities forbade Paul from preaching the gospel in a certain area, he kept doing it. So I suppose that if we, as Christians, are going to protest, we should ignore laws that prevent us from communicating the gospel and living Godly lives.
And I couldn't agree with you more about the efficacy of prayer. Just look at the student protests in Quebec. Ignoring the fact that tuition is not being increased very much, Christians can resort to prayer instead of protests, especially illegal ones.
It is my belief the bible teaches that to intercede is to be done in prayer and that prayer is for God and God alone. Yes we are to share the gospel and spread the word of Jesus but to use it as a weapon is not to teach love and God is love. So therefore protest can not be the way a save man can share the word of the lord. we are to hate the sin and love the sinner. If we going in bashing the sinner how can we ever have hope of teaching the lords words that they may divert from their unholy ways and see Gods way.. We must come to the in love and light and teach them the word with love so that long after the happiness that was have. That living our lives in a Godly way and letting them see the joy of loving the lord and his laws is where that Joy comes from. That they then will long for him and seek after him
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