p. 10 | Civic Righteousness

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 21, 1913

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 41.

Civic Righteousness

We hear a great deal, in these days, about civic righteousness and civic reforms; and an interesting thing in connection with it is that a great deal of this talk is by ministers of the gospel, and others who are professedly religious and who are working in the interests of religious work. The teaching of these individuals would seem to convey the idea that you could have a righteousness apart from Christianity that will make men civilly decent, and these civil responsibilities are to be brought about through certain reformatory laws and their enforcement.

We would not argue with those who hold such positions from the world's standpoint. Civil laws are necessary, and civil government is ordained of God to hold outbreaking lawlessness in check, so that people may be able to live on this planet. But as gospel ministers and Christian workers, we should recognize the truthfulness of the Master's words, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from Me ye can do nothing.” The Master says, “Apart from Me ye can do nothing,” and He says that without a single qualifying word. The terror of punishment may restrain the evil-doer from outward deeds of lawlessness, but the work of the Christian is to go much deeper than that. We are to have truth implanted in the soul, so that we become partakers of the divine nature, and detest wrong because of the indwelling of God's great truth and righteousness in the soul.

Political movements are a necessary part of civil government, but at best they can only produce superficial reforms. Christianity goes deep down into the heart and the life, and lays a foundation of righteousness that can not be overthrown by any power on earth.