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Passivity is one of the most repulsive human responses that people can have before a Holy God. British philosopher Edmund Burke said "all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Is he right?
Terribly right.
Adam should have confronted the serpent and fought for Eve in the Garden, but the text says he just stood there. Saul should have saved Stephen, but instead he "was there, giving approval to his death" (Acts 8:1). The Israelite army should have whipped the Philistines through faith and the power of God, but they just stood there (I Sam. 17). Pilate should have saved Jesus, but instead he just watched men, mere creatures, spit on the Son of God and beat him to a bloody pulp (Matt. 27). Herod should have given "praise to God," but instead let the crowd go off about how he was a god (Acts 12:22-23).
What was the result? Eve ate the fruit along with Adam and the worst disease ever known contaminated the entire world. A powerful evangelist was murdered and Saul continued his Christian killing spree. A stubby shepherd-boy risked his life to do the work of a man because the real men did nothing. Nails were driven through a sinless carpenter’s hands and the Son of God was crucified. Then Herod fell over dead, and the rest is history.
All of these things - and countless more - happened because they did nothing. The interesting thing is that, in Scripture, it seems that while God’s people receive a particular kind of shame for their passivity, a certain kind of glory is given for those who refuse to be passive. In fact, the most crucial moments in history were events involving faithful believers stepping up to the plate when it could have been easier to do nothing. This is especially true for women in Scripture such as Esther taking the initiative to save God’s people, Rahab who protected the Hebrews in her home, or the many women listed at the end of Paul’s letter who were actively spreading the gospel to the whole world.
As a result history was utterly and completely changed - undoubtedly for the better. Moreover, God was glorified and life took on true purpose and meaning.
During the Holocaust there were many shameful stories of Christians remaining silent as their Jewish neighbors were taken away and murdered. Some churches would even turn up the music on Sunday to block-out the penetrating screams coming from the cattle cars that carried the Jews to the death camps. Those churches are recorded in history for shamefully doing nothing.
Just as the glory of David is that he filled his pockets with rocks and crossed the brook, the glory of Dietrich Bonheoffer is that he stood up to Hitler’s campaign until the death. But let us not forget one hero in particular...
Martin Luther had the ultimate intolerance for passivity. In the 16th century, when Rome and the Catholic church were selling sex and salvation, Luther confronted the authorities of his day and demanded that justice would take place. He wrote fervently, debated passionately, and with wit and courage he liberated those whose consciences were being "miserably vexed and flayed." He established the authority of the Scriptures and the true meaning of grace in salvation, so powerfully it almost tore the world apart. But everything was at stake, and Luther took action when taking action was the only noble, and righteous option. Let his testimony and the lives of all the other heroes be our example. Men and women are called to live offensively for God, not a passive life of quiet resignation and ignorance.
We too live at a time of great injustice. And you will one day be remembered in history either as one who sought to change the world or one who permitted evil to prevail. Just like in the ancient stories, your life will be an echo in eternity. I pray that it not be tainted with the sin of Christian Passivity.
Terribly right.
Adam should have confronted the serpent and fought for Eve in the Garden, but the text says he just stood there. Saul should have saved Stephen, but instead he "was there, giving approval to his death" (Acts 8:1). The Israelite army should have whipped the Philistines through faith and the power of God, but they just stood there (I Sam. 17). Pilate should have saved Jesus, but instead he just watched men, mere creatures, spit on the Son of God and beat him to a bloody pulp (Matt. 27). Herod should have given "praise to God," but instead let the crowd go off about how he was a god (Acts 12:22-23).
What was the result? Eve ate the fruit along with Adam and the worst disease ever known contaminated the entire world. A powerful evangelist was murdered and Saul continued his Christian killing spree. A stubby shepherd-boy risked his life to do the work of a man because the real men did nothing. Nails were driven through a sinless carpenter’s hands and the Son of God was crucified. Then Herod fell over dead, and the rest is history.
All of these things - and countless more - happened because they did nothing. The interesting thing is that, in Scripture, it seems that while God’s people receive a particular kind of shame for their passivity, a certain kind of glory is given for those who refuse to be passive. In fact, the most crucial moments in history were events involving faithful believers stepping up to the plate when it could have been easier to do nothing. This is especially true for women in Scripture such as Esther taking the initiative to save God’s people, Rahab who protected the Hebrews in her home, or the many women listed at the end of Paul’s letter who were actively spreading the gospel to the whole world.
As a result history was utterly and completely changed - undoubtedly for the better. Moreover, God was glorified and life took on true purpose and meaning.
During the Holocaust there were many shameful stories of Christians remaining silent as their Jewish neighbors were taken away and murdered. Some churches would even turn up the music on Sunday to block-out the penetrating screams coming from the cattle cars that carried the Jews to the death camps. Those churches are recorded in history for shamefully doing nothing.
Just as the glory of David is that he filled his pockets with rocks and crossed the brook, the glory of Dietrich Bonheoffer is that he stood up to Hitler’s campaign until the death. But let us not forget one hero in particular...
Martin Luther had the ultimate intolerance for passivity. In the 16th century, when Rome and the Catholic church were selling sex and salvation, Luther confronted the authorities of his day and demanded that justice would take place. He wrote fervently, debated passionately, and with wit and courage he liberated those whose consciences were being "miserably vexed and flayed." He established the authority of the Scriptures and the true meaning of grace in salvation, so powerfully it almost tore the world apart. But everything was at stake, and Luther took action when taking action was the only noble, and righteous option. Let his testimony and the lives of all the other heroes be our example. Men and women are called to live offensively for God, not a passive life of quiet resignation and ignorance.
We too live at a time of great injustice. And you will one day be remembered in history either as one who sought to change the world or one who permitted evil to prevail. Just like in the ancient stories, your life will be an echo in eternity. I pray that it not be tainted with the sin of Christian Passivity.