The Religious Outlook

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 7 April 1945, Page 8

The Religious Outlook

. CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP THE HEAVENLY AND THE EARTHLY Following are extracts from an address given by Lieut. Colonel H. B.: Estill at a non-conformist service in' a German internment camp. Colonel! Estill was the Salvation Army’s Chief Secretary in Germany and until re-j cently was a civilian prisoner of war. | Being a Christian does not make a! man any less a citizen. On the con-| trary, becoming a Christian must make a man a better citizen: yes, even an ideal citizen. The Christian does not go through life as a detached spectator, but as a person enjoying the privileges and benefits of citizenship, and also willingly assuming responsibilities and burdens. Yet the Christian is a citizen of another world. His home is not here. Christian teaching represents the Christian as a pilgrim on a journey to a beauitful and glorious land—a home eternal—and this teaching is confirmed by Christian experience through the ages. This life is the 'scene of toil, care and sorrow, but, says the Christian, there will be a bright tomorrow for Heaven is in prospect. j Some show no interest in their duties and responsibilities as citizens. | They go to the extreme of neglecting! their obligations to mankind, and in I so doing they fall short of God’s standard. Others secularize or ‘socialize,’ religion to such an extent as to almost leave God out. They go to the opposite extreme. Their vision of God,, their conception of the Divine is limited to things of earth and time, and in consequence they do harm to the Kingdom of God. We need to strive after true perspective and perfect balance, or, to use a phrase of Henry Drummond’s, to ‘hold things in their proportion.’ Here is something to pray for, something to exercise yourself in to cultivate sound spiritual judgment. This conclusion leads to the question, ‘How will such a citizen express himself?’

He will begin by accepting the scriptural teaching that there are provinces in the human life in which the authority of secular goverments is sustained by the will of God. Parliaments, ministries, town councils, judges, magistrates and a host of others have their place in the Divine order. Civil rulers may be doing their work badly—in which case they will have to answer to God for their injustice or their folly—but this makes no difference to the underlying principle that ‘the powers that be are ordained of God’ for the protection of life, for the maintenence of order and for the protection of property and of personal freedom. The Christian will regard it as part or his citizenship that he shall pray for all who are in authority. Who can estimate the tremendous power and influence on rulers and governing authorities of the united prayers of all Christian citizens? We are only too ready to criticize and complain, to express our opinion in condemnation. How much better it would be if, instead, we were to resort to prayer! The Christian will regard it as his bounden duty to make himself well informed on matters relating to his citizenship. He will take a responsible interest |n the affairs of his town and nation, putting the mind of Christ into all his thinking about them. Think, for instance, of the economic conditions under which numbers' of our fellow-citizens are compelled to live. Think of the social evils that oppress humanity! A Christian citizen must set his face against them. The Christian’s thinking must rise higher than his own nationality; his outlook must be world-wide.

The Christian will realize that it is part of his earthly citizenship to be conscientious in the discharge of his regular civic obligations. Some would be very offended if you were to call them dishonest, yet they seem to think that a tax or a rate is a claim to be evaded. The tax may be vexatious, it may be unequal, but while it lasts we should be scrupulously honest, for religion is of no avail unless it purifies our daily product. It is the duty of every Christian to use his vote intelligently and with courage, remembering that for the manner in which we discharge this 1 duty we are responsible to God. | If all the Christian people could have a vision of bitter evils of our' civilization and a vision of what the world might become through the. growth of truth and righteousness,' peace and love—if they could all learn to exercise their votes, and face their civic responsibilities in the light and inspiration of that vision—-

what a blessed and transforming thing it would be for the future of mankind. You and I do not make up Chritianity, but it is for us to make our choice and play our part as though we did. In discharging his earthly citizenship, the Christian will be ready when necessary, to give personal service. He will be ‘ready to every good work,’ which means that he will not hold back from municipal or national service, once it is clear to him that such is in harmony with the will of God. One man may have just as real a Divine calling to become a town councillor or Member of Parliament as another has to become a minister of the Gospel. In either case it is at a man’s peril that he is ‘disobedient to the heavenly vision.’ The Christian is not to forsake municipal duties and political life because it is corrupt, but to carry into municipal and political activity the law and spirit of Christ. If through ignorance, indifference or selfishness Christian men do not come forward for public service, we must not be surprised if undesirable people gain control. To sum up: 1. Christian citizenship is two-fold —the heavenly and the earthly. 2. In its earthly setting, Christian citizenship should be marked by: (a) A clear conception that the principle of civil government 4 is ordained of God. ’ (b) Christian citizenship will be hallowed by prayer. (c) It will be intelligent and well informed. (d) It will be conscientious, faithful, just, without trickery or deceit. (e) It will be held at the disposal | of the public cause should the necessity arise. The present times call loudly to Christians everywhere to awaken to a fresh realization of the importance and sacredness of their earthly citizenship. God grant that the call shall not fall on deaf ears!