Christianity’s Contribution To Society
Posted: Wednesday, June 09, 2010
by John Waddey
firstcenturychristian
Today, secular leaders in our nation look upon Christianity as worthless baggage that must be tolerated until such time as it can be discarded. This is most obviously in our courts and in the actions of the infamous activists of the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. Working together, they have succeeded in driving Christianity from the civic forum into and behind the doors of their meeting houses.
Supreme Court justice Joseph Story wrote, "At the time of the adoption of the Constitution, and of the amendment to it, now under consideration (the First Amendment), the general, if not the universal, sentiment in America was, that Christianity ought to receive encouragement from the Sate...An attempt to level all religions, and to make it a matter of state policy to hold all in utter indifference, would have created universal disapprobation, if not universal indignation." ( A Familiar Exposition of the Constitution of the United States. 1854, p. 259-261).
They understood the many valuable contributions churches make to the welfare and stability of our nation.
• The church provides moral instruction to those under her influence. Without a basic foundation of morality no individual can be a good and productive citizen. With it they can be model citizens.
• The church provides moral reinforcement to society by teaching her people to obey every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake (I Pet. 2:13).
• By her teaching of personal responsibility and accountability, the church provide prior restraint to those under her influence. The laws of the government seek to control behavior by threatening punishment for the transgression. Christians are taught to restrain themselves and live law-abiding lives. "That law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly..." (I Tim. 1:9). Thus while Christian contribute much to their government, their lifestyle requires very little from the government in return.
• The church provides conflict resolution for its members and those citizens who turn to her in times of conflict. Christians are taught to resolve their conflicts with the assistance of the church (Matt. 18:15-18).. They rarely need a civil court or the law to settle their disagreements.
• The church helps to calm and tame man's natural inclination to violence and revenge when he is wronged. She teaches her disciples to "Avenge not yourselves...but (to)give place to the civil magistrates the God has appointed for dealing with offenders (Rom. 12:19- 13:7).
• The church teaches those in her ranks to be responsible citizens who provide for themselves and their dependents (I Tim.5:8).
• When her members fall upon hard times, the church opens her purse to help them through their crisis.
• The church provided healing and restoration to shattered lives. Countless millions of individuals have been helped by churches to overcome destructive habits such as alcohol and drug abuse. Unwed mothers have been counseled and helped in their time of need. Broken families have received counseling and guidance in recovering their unity. Many with emotional problems turn first to their church for counsel and understanding.
• Millions of homeless children have been cared for as have been the sick and suffering of humanity.
• The church teaches her members to love their neighbor as themselves (Matt. 22:39) and to help them with their trials and burdens (Matt. 7:12). This make the community a nicer, more friendly place in which to live.
• Christians have founded scores of Christian Schools that have provided top quality education for children who have gone on to bless society by their good and productive lives. In doing this society did not have to bear the expense of educating those youngsters.
• Christians are taught to earn their living and pay their taxes (Rom. 13:7). Rather than being a burden to society, virtually all Christians will be productive supporters of government and society.
• Christianity teaches its adherents to live at peace with all men (Rom. 12:18). It teaches them to think of all men as created by their God and in his image (Gen. 1:26). They are forbidden to show respect of persons (Jas. 2:9). People of every racial, social and national group have the full right to enter their fellowship and be respectfully treated as children of God (Gal. 3:26-29).
• Children, under the influence of the church, are taught to obey their parents (Eph. 6:1) and to be good citizens
• All who come under the instruction of the church are taught that they are made in God's image and thus are expected to live a life commensurate with that holy state, lest they bring shame on their God.
• Christians are taught that only in marriage can man's sexual needs be legitimately fulfilled. They are reminded that marriage is honorable in all (Heb.13:4). This provides for stable homes in which children can be nurtured and prepared for adulthood. This domestic stability is essential for a stable society.
Recognizing the many valuable contributions of the church to society, past governing bodies across our nation have declined to tax church property, they have encouraged churches to locate in their communities, they expressed appreciation for the help churches provided. Gifts given to churches were not taxed. Input from Christians and church leaders in things affecting community life was appreciated.
This appreciation for the contributions of churches was expressed by George Washington "In all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness....reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail, in exclusion of religious principle" ( Washington's Farewell Address, Sept. 19, 1796).
President Woodrow Wilson wisely observed "A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we came from or what we have been about."
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)This work/write-up is excellent. I thank you all who took time to research, contribute, write, and brought this article onnet. May God reward and promote you even as you promote His church universal and christianity at large.
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