"There is no problem of importance to humanity which has not some
relation to the Gospel of Christ."
There is a social question and it is a live question. It is closely
related to the wrongs and inequalities of life, in wealth, in position,
in privileges and in opportunities. There is a social impulse which
causes men to get together in smaller and larger groups and through
these groups to found institutions which will aid in abolishing the
wrongs and in lessening the inequalities. It is in and through social
institutions that the larger life of the individual is expressed and
he is able to bring about certain results, working in connection with
other individuals, which he alone could not bring to pass. In the
social organism there is specialization of work, one member performing
one function and another another and all working in harmony for a
common purpose (1 Corinthians 12:14-27).
There are three great social institutions through which men seek the
larger life, the family, the church, and the state. They exist in some
form, elementary and crude it may be, wherever man is found.
Christianity entering into all human relations, has much to say about
their construction and specific powers and duties. Its mission is not
only to regenerate the heart of the individual but to penetrate and
transform society. "Its work is to leaven the whole mass of human
interests with a divinely purifying power. It touches every act and
every relation of humanity with a life from above, and interpenetrates
all that a man can do with a new spirit and a heavenly light. It
affects governments, moulds education, rectifies manners, sweetens
fellowship, makes the common ways of men better, healthier, happier,
as well as holier. Its endeavour is to realize a divine society not
hereafter only, but upon earth; to have the kingdom of God come not in
the skies alone or in the future merely, but here and among men."
The Family.--This is the earliest and most primitive social
institution. We are all born into some family, however imperfect its
form. Upon the family depends in large measure the good or bad
training of the children; here they receive their earliest impressions
and what they are taught in the family often dominates all other
instruction. If the bond between husband and wife is not regarded as
binding and sacred the institution of the family becomes corrupt and a
menace to the good order of society.
Jesus spoke in no uncertain way about the sacredness of the marriage
relation (Matthew 19:3-9; 5:32) and the obedience which children owed
to their parents (Matthew 15:4-6).
The Church.--Man has been called "a religious animal." His desire to
worship is instinctive. He seeks the care and protection of a stronger
power than himself. Even a man who says he has no religious opinions
will often be found, when questioned, to hold most strongly to things
which he believes. Individuals, then holding to certain religious
beliefs, naturally come together and form groups in which they worship
in common. This is the social impulse applied to worship, because man
likes to do things in connection with his fellow men.
Christ sought to direct men to the proper object of worship (John 4:
23,24; 14:6-11), the way to pray (Matthew 6:5-15), the way to enter
into life with God (John 3:1-21) and the character which was required
of those who desired to lead the divine life (Matthew 5:1-16; chapters
5-7). Men who believe in the principles of Jesus Christ associate
themselves together in a Christian church.
The Government.--Everywhere we find men uniting for mutual protection
against their enemies, the guarding of property, the settling of
disputes between individuals, the administration of justice and the
exercise of other powers. This government may take different forms
from the one man power in a monarchy to that of the most liberal
democracy. The necessity for some form of government seems plain.
Christ recognized the duties which a man owed to the state when He
said, in answer to the lawyer's question, "Is it lawful to give
tribute unto Caesar, or not?" "Render therefore unto Caesar the
things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's."
He saw the corruption in the government of His times as plainly as any
one, more plainly in fact, but He was showing the necessity of the
functions of government. He submitted to the decree of the state
condemning Him to death although He knew it to be unjust, and that the
power was not with Pilate (John 19:10,11; Matthew 26:52,53).
What Jesus sought to do was to usher in a new kingdom of
righteousness. He taught His disciples to pray for the coming of this
kingdom upon earth. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as
it is in heaven." He was continually speaking of this kingdom (Matthew
13:24-52). He declared that all nations should come to Him finally to
be judged (Matthew 25:31,32). One great theme of the prophets of the
Old Testament was the righteousness, purity and justice of the new
government which God desires to set up amongst men.
Social damage comes to men and great evil is done to individuals when
social institutions are not patterned after the plans given by Christ;
these are divine institutions when they seek to approach to the divine
ideal. Much of the unquiet and restlessness of the masses of men
to-day and the great wrongs in the world are due to the tampering with
the marriage relation, the substitution of the worship of wealth and
worldly power for God, and the seeking of government positions, not to
be of service to men under God but to rule over men.
Social health and vigour will come in the family, church and
government when men turn again to God and obey and serve Him through
the social institutions with supreme love and enthusiasm for His
service.