Christ, Our Representative
April 26, 2020
“The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.” Proverbs 14:1
As a lover of liberty, a respecter of our Constitution, and a citizen of our American Republic, my thoughts on the recent societal developments regarding C-19, like all of you, are manifold. As those of us who are believers in Christ, it is good for us to purpose to collectively pursue wisdom, while seeking to submit to the governing authorities in all things that are lawful under God’s unchanging mandate, and lifting up prayers and petitions for those who are in Bondage of various kinds (Romans 13:7; 1 Timothy 2:1–2; Colossians 4:18). And having inherited a unique form of government that is composed of the people, by the people, for the good of the people, it is not only right, but also healthy for us to exercise our liberty of conscience and call to question the lawfulness of certain measures that are affecting every one of us in untold, countless ways.
After all, we long for Representation.
At the time of this post, millions are isolated. Quarantined, though not ill. Distanced from the loving shelter of friends, loved ones, and the communion of other church members. Thousands upon thousands are experiencing the loss of jobs, the punch to the gut of being deemed “non-essential.” Far too many are suffering alone the awful effects of not being able to give and receive the love and care and attention and dignity that are all good gifts from God’s own hand, by his good design—things that are absolutely vital to healthy, life-giving human relationships (Proverbs 18:21; James 1:17–18). What we have spent years building in wisdom and with remarkable intention—our livelihoods, our businesses, our influence, our meaningful relationships—have all been adversely affected in some form. Problems regarding mental health, economic concerns, confined cases of domestic abuse, the folly of addictive behaviors, and the like are being exacerbated. And on a more long-term scale, the civil and religious liberties which we have enjoyed as a free people are being tested—principles that are foundational to any well-functioning, good-pursuant body politic.
We are finding that we need Representation.
Friends, there is a natural correlation between a society’s reception of the gospel message and the exercise of civil and religious liberty. Second Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” The same promise of salvation in Christ offered to partakers of the New Covenant has wonderful implications for not only the functioning of a life lived by faith, but for society as a whole. In the words of the late Rev. Samuel Miller (1769–1850) of Princeton, Christianity is the Grand Source of civil liberty, after all. And while that is in and of itself another topic of address that is perhaps better had offline, so as not to dabble into the weeds of political ideologies, it is one that is well worth considering, because the gospel of Christ is not blind toward our present fears and concerns regarding freedom.
The truth is, we in Christ have Representation.
In the midst of all of the hardships that our nation is facing in this time of distancing—the great losses, the rightful exercise of intuition and common sense and reason, the striving to maintain normality—we believers still have a certain tremendous gift. That gift is the joy of knowing Christ, our Representative, and it’s a joy that goes well beyond the deepest of all sorrows. For we have a God who has represented us from before all time and who will never cease to represent us, come what may.
See, as we believers in Christ live in the light of the loving foreknowledge of God, we learn to rest in the truth that none of our days are a surprise to him (Ephesians 1:3–6). As we live in light of his work of providence in the Creation, we begin to see the cleverness of his design of our intellect, emotions, and wills and how we were made to bring every thought captive unto him by the power of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 10:5). As we live in light of our God’s immediate response to the Fall, our own breaking of the covenant of works, we see our God as the first responder, quickly unfolding his eternity-past-planned promise to rescue via representative redemption (Genesis 3:15; Hosea 6:7). As we live in light of the Incarnation of Christ, we see our God in the flesh take on our infirmities, not putting out the smoldering wicks and bruised reeds of our lives, but rather powerfully healing us by his wounds, humbling himself to the point of death for our sake (Isaiah 42:3; Philippians 2:8). The one who knew no sin was made sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21) In light of his resurrection, we have a Savior who defeated Death, secured our redemption, and will so soon bring us life eternal with him (1 Corinthians 15:55; 1 John 3:8). And in his ascension, we see him high and lifted up, exalted at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, never ceasing to plead over and pray for us, growing us in our faith even now through the Spirit who testifies of the truth and makes our hearts yearn (Hebrew 4:14–16).
In short, the gospel showcases our faithful and true Representative.
So as we all are faced with times of uncertainty, recognizing our needs—undoubtedly, great as they indeed are—I pray that today we in Christ find him to be our Representative and take consolation in this truth, unchanging. May the bones that have been broken rejoice, for our healer is come. And may we continue to build, and rebuild, in wisdom the things within our spheres of influence in light of the grace of God.
