Slim is a nickname for AIDS in parts of Africa because it leaves its victims literally wasted.1 AIDS is one the fastest spreading and deadliest diseases in existence today and in recent years it has only become worse. It is hard to even grasp its effect on human life. AIDS is without a doubt the biggest emergency that faces humans today. I have heard it said that AIDS is the leprosy of today. It is a disease that no one wants anything to do with, nor do most people want anything to do with those who have AIDS. There is no cure for this virus that kills 7,000-8,000 people everyday. In Africa, the number of people that die from AIDS everyday is equivalent to two 9/11s. Christians do not vary on their position towards AIDS as much as they vary on their position towards the Gospel and neighbor love. I believe that all Christians will affirm that AIDS is a horrible virus and destroys its victims and we sympathize with these people. However, this stated belief does not agree with our actual behavior as Christians. This is because we do not realize the implication that the Gospel has on our treatment of others and what it truly means to love your neighbor as yourself. I would venture to say that many, if not most, Christians do not even understand the concept of social responsibility. A good majority has an understanding that is limited to being nice to others, but never really doing anything for anyone. There are a minority of Christians that truly do understand the concept of social responsibility and that it cannot be divorced from the Gospel. Many Christians simply do not realize what the Gospel demands in terms of social responsibility and what it truly means to love others. Christians too often will limit loving their neighbor to simply being polite to others, but will never go out of their way to show love towards anyone, especially those who are suffering. Other “Christians” will go as far as to say that AIDS is the judgment and wrath of God being poured out directly on those who have it due to their horrible sin. I do not agree with either of these mentalities and believe that the Gospel is indeed more offensive and more beautiful than we give it credit.
I personally believe that, as Christians, we have a responsibility to show the love and compassion of Christ to all people regardless of what they are going through. I believe that the Gospel commands us to go out into the world and be involved in the social issues of the world. I believe that we are commanded to show love through our works to all people, especially those who are suffering. We see countless times in the Scriptures where Jesus heals the sick and the deformed. Never does Christ turn away those who are suffering, but He shows compassion for them and because of their faith He forgives them. Paul tells us in Philippians 2 that Christ is to be our perfect example of humility and that we are to put the interests of others above our own and regard others as more important than ourselves. The implications of the Gospel are great and hugely demanding and we are called to worship and obey. I recognize the severity of the AIDS virus and how devastating it can be, but I also recognize that it is one among many diseases, illnesses, handicaps, etc. I believe that as Christians we should seek to do all that we can to help anyone who is in need and not pick and choose the people that deserve help. I also believe that those who look at diseases as the direct judgment and wrath of God being poured out onto individuals because of their sin is absolutely wrong and those who claim this should repent of their sinful attitudes toward their neighbors. This attitude also portrays the wrong image of our Savior and is improper worship. AIDS is obviously an effect of the Fall and is definitely evil, but those who have AIDS are people and image bearers. I believe that, as Christians, we have the responsibility to be involved in social issues and to do all that we can to aid those who are in need.
Secondly, my position on Christian social responsibility bears with it the obligation to spread the Gospel. This should be our primary motivation in all that we do, not only in helping others. We should be involved in social issues for the sake of helping others, but we should also use this for evangelism. I do not believe that evangelism and service can be divorced, but that the two must go hand-in-hand. We must look to immediate effects, but more importantly to the eternal effects and have an urgency to share the Gospel. This carries much weight when applied to the topic of AIDS and the fact that it does not yet have a cure. This means that death is inevitable to those who are diagnosed. This also means that there have to be a sense of urgency to spread the Gospel to these people. The social responsibility of a Christian is recognized when one has a proper understanding of the Gospel and neighbor love.
A Responsibility to Environment
The environment is not something that people generally put an extensive amount of thought towards. Christopher Wright makes a vital point when he says, “Only a willful blindness worse than any proverbial ostrich’s head in the sand can ignore the facts of the environmental destruction and its accelerating pace.” I must admit that I am not very familiar with the issue of global warming. I do agree with Norman Geisler that a Christian’s view of the environment does come from his or her theology. As a Christian, one’s understanding of God and creation should drive one’s view of the environment. I believe that our view of the environment is essential to proper worship and obedience to God and most Christians do not realize it.
God commanded Adam in Genesis 2:15 to “cultivate and keep” the land, which is seen as a command to worship and obey as well. John Sailhamer points out that a better translation of the Hebrew is ‘to worship and obey.’ Man’s ultimate purpose is to worship and obey God in everything, which includes treatment of the environment. I believe that we have to look at creation as grace and that we are deserving of nothing, which also means that we did not even deserve to be created. We have to view creation as something that is from God and that is very good in itself. However, creation has been corrupted by sin and the Fall and many people take this and use it as an excuse to not care for the environment because, “this earth is going to burn away” and God is going to build a new heaven and new earth. This is a faulty conclusion that is assuming that God is going to completely wipe this earth away and build a new one and because of this the environment doesn’t matter to Him. The other side of this view is to go completely crazy over environmental protection to a point where one risks idolatry. I believe that as Christians we have to find a middle ground.
In full honestly, I have never put an extensive amount of thought into my position on environmental care. My position on environmental care is that we should make a conscious effort to take care of the environment, but we should not swing the pendulum too far to either direction. As image bearers and Christians, our purpose is to worship and obey God. When we have a proper understanding of who God is and our theology is in place we will see the importance of creation. As a means of worship and obedience, I do firmly believe that we should be good stewards of God’s creation. This means that Christians should make a conscious effort to take care of the environment. I do not believe that we should put so much emphasis on environmental care that we cause ourselves to be guilty of idolatry (i.e. EPA to an extent). We must remember that we are to worship the Creator and not the creation. There are plenty of ways to care for the environment and to make an effort without idolizing creation. I believe that every Christian should seek to find ways to care for the environment; however, this should not be a focus that consumes our lives. I do believe that environmental care is important and should be seen as an act of worship and obedience. I am a steward of God’s creation and I must recognize this; however, I also must realize that I am to worship Creator and not created.
Many people would say that interracial marriage is wrong, but why is interracial marriage wrong, or why is interracial marriage any different than any other marriage? The main reason that people see interracial marriage as wrong is because of their own presuppositions and stubbornness to see the situation any other way. Society has set up, in a sense, a false dilemma for marriage in saying that one can only marry someone of the same race or not marry at all, when these are not the only two options. Many people will say that they are not racist, but they still think interracial marriage is wrong. John Piper says, “Opposition to interracial marriage is one of the deepest roots of racial distance, disrespect, and hostility.”
Man is created in God’s own image (Gen. 1:27), which means that all men are equal because we are all created in God’s image. Through Acts 17:26, it is known that God made every nation from one man, who was created in God’s image; therefore, we are all made in the image of God as this has been passed through generations. Colossians 3:11 says, “a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.” This verse emphasizes that salvation is available to all men through Jesus Christ. All men are equal in the sight of God. These verses will show us that God does not take into consideration the race or culture of a person.
Specifically in marriage, the Bible forbids intermarriage between unbelievers and believers, not between races. The only forbidden marriage is that of an unbeliever and a believer according to God. In 2 Corintians 6:14 Paul says, “do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” Realizing that this verse was not written in the sole context of dating and marriage relationship, but in general of being bound with unbelievers, the topic of dating and marriage fall into the general context of this verse when considering Genesis 2:24. Through these verses, as well as the context of Deuteronomy 7:3-4, marriage is forbidden between unbelievers and believers in order to protect the true meaning of marriage, which is to glorify God. Interracial marriages are not only ethical, but they are also biblical in that we are all created in the image of God and to glorify Him. There is to be no distinction or rank between races and cultures because in Christ we are all one as in marriage, two become one. There is no logical argument that will prove interracial marriage is unethical without also holding that there is not equality among races and cultures. To say that equal but separate is acceptable would be to say that the Bible contradicts itself, or even to go as far as saying that God is wrong and the Bible is false. True equality between races and cultures does not involve separation, but to put differences aside and realize our oneness in Christ, including and especially in the area of marriage.
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