Christians are encouraged to follow Jesus in the way of the cross—the way of life and peace. It has two purposes: first, to pass through this temporal life without becoming so distracted by its pressures that we lose the way altogether; and second, to do what we can to help secure a portion of the kingdom of God in this earthly existence for the benefit of others.
At best, we are erratic followers of Jesus. We get distracted and wander down strange alleyways. That’s why we are called to lives of repentance, understood as turning again in the right direction, confident in our trust that Jesus knows where we’ve been and can guide us to where we need to be.
Proclaiming and planting seeds of the kingdom along the way is harder to describe. As the old saying goes, some Christians are so heavenly minded they’re of no earthly good—but we are called to be of earthly good. What does that mean in pragmatic terms?
First, we must be clear: however broken the world may be, it remains part of the created order God declared good. It is sacred in its own right, and that sacredness extends to every part of creation, animate and inanimate. Nothing and no one is excluded.
Too often, the Christian obligation to help establish God’s kingdom is reduced to platitudes: love your neighbor (in principle), pray for justice (without working for it), or call for fairness (expecting others to do the hard work). Justice, in particular, is left vague—lest defining it create conflict.
But we must go further. History, including our own recent history, is filled with courageous men and women of faith who gave their lives to proclaim what justice means in practical terms, grounded in the kingdom of God. Where did their certainty come from? From the recognition that Jesus came not to abolish the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them.
Christians are called to weigh the law and the prophets through the lens of Christ’s command: that all must reflect love of God, love of self, and love of neighbor—including those we dislike and distrust. God, through the prophets, spoke in clear, pragmatic terms about what ordinary life should look like if it is to be just.
What follows is my interpretation of that prophetic vision—a morally coherent way of life. Some may say it’s unsophisticated or mere common sense. Perhaps so. But it didn’t originate with “just anyone.” It came from God. As Scripture reminds us, the truth is not so distant you must search the ends of the earth for it. It is here—in your heart and mind—if you will listen.
To follow another path is to invite disappointment and self-destruction. And too often, it’s the path we’ve taken.
A Prophetic Ethic for a Moral Society
- Do not use food as a weapon, even against enemies
- Do not engage in ethnic cleansing
- Maintain integrity in international relations
- Cultivate civil harmony
- Establish security for persons and property
- Respect legitimate civil authority
- Enact fair economic policies
- Engage in honest trade and commerce
- Do not charge interest that exploits the poor
- Ensure equal justice for all, especially the marginalized
- Remove systemic barriers to opportunity
- Have reverence for God’s holy places
- Treat all acts of intimacy with holiness
- Avoid intoxication in any form
- Let God’s prophets speak as they are inspired
- Honor the dignity of every human being
- Care for the poor, hungry, and homeless
- Worship God with heart, soul, and mind
- Practice humility before God and justice toward others
- Establish honest courts and judges
- Assure fair taxation for all
- Promote economic wellbeing, especially for the poor
- Show humble respect for the dignity of all
- Practice compassion toward the suffering
You may take issue with my interpretation, but not with the principles they represent. They are the way to a morally coherent life—for individuals and nations alike.