This article was first published in Tabletalk, the Bible study magazine of Ligonier Ministries. Find out more at TabletalkMagazine.co.uk.
Increasingly, in a post-Christian world, Christians will serve in positions of influence under leaders who outright reject the Christian faith. Though our culture rejects the Lord Jesus, I believe that God will continue to providentially place Christians in positions of influence. The question that we all must be able to answer is What is the Christian strategy for work in a post-Christian world? Let me offer three principles that form a biblical strategy for serving under hostile authorities.
Serve virtuously
First, we must strive to serve virtuously. The apostle Paul makes a fascinating statement at the end of his list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23. He says, ‘Against such things there is no law.’ In other words, virtue is not contraband. No society, regardless of its immorality and godlessness, has banned the greatest of all virtues: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
In a world dead set on moral decadence, Christians possess both the spiritual ability and the moral mandate to display true godliness. In many instances, we will be the only Bible people will ever read. So our lives must attest to the holy God we worship. As Jesus commands us, ‘Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16).
