What the Bible Says About Civility

What the Bible Says About Civility July 2, 2018

There’s plenty of rancor in America today. Left vs. right. Extremes vs.  moderates. So treacherous are the positions and the language, some have predicted a coming Civil War – not between states, but between dogmas.

This war won’t be about race or economics or states’ rights. It will be about ideology and power.

And it seems that there is no innocent side in this. Conservatives, liberals and socialists all have the hair on the back of their neck up, ready to fight. Take the icons, the symbolic leaders of each of those philosophies and they are actually helping lead the charge using their bully pulpits.

Thank goodness some have realized the downward spiral and are calling for a stop.

The Coming Civil War?

Shane Phipps here at Patheos writes, “Civil war is coming if we don’t act to stop it. We have a chance to change course and write our own history or to stumble ahead and repeat it.”

Radio host and author Michael Savage wrote in Stop the Coming Civil War, “Without question, we’re living in a nation more divided than any since Lincoln’s presidency, and we’ve entered a time and place that may be as dangerous as it was during the Lincoln years.”

Jim Brown, author of Ending our Uncivil War: A Path to Political Recovery and Spiritual Renewal said this, “We’re in a Binary Age, where nuance is rare, complexity is verboten and sharp political battle lines are drawn. Churchgoers on both sides of our national mess are reluctant to turn a cheek, fine with abandoning the least of our brothers or condemning anyone who is wealthy, and adamantly opposed to loving their enemy. In fact, some want blood. They want Barabbas.

One thing I cannot wrap my brain around is the “Well, he/she started it,” justification for acting badly. From a Christian standpoint, there is simply no rationalization with this mindset. None.

Civility in politics used to mean respect for the other person’s ideals, with such noble expressions like “My worthy opponent.” In the early days of America, the pubs in Boston and Philadelphia would be shouting matches over ideas and beliefs about the young nation. And at the end of the night they would lift their beer high toward “a more perfect union.”

Those days seem to be distant, almost quaint, don’t they?

Civil war, incivility
Photo by David Rupert

Jesus and Paul – Incivility or simply telling the truth?

Jesus modeled a certain verbal ability to talk down to his opponents, even calling them names, “White washed tombs” and “Brood of vipers,” come to mind. And who can forget these zingers, “Your father is the devil,”

Although he was generally a pacifist, discouraging those who would seek to overthrow the Roman government with force, he wasn’t afraid to raise a whip and turn over a few tables himself.

Paul also was quick with the tongue, calling out the dividers, the gluttons, the liars. He even said this about those who were pushing circumcision, “I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves.” It’s in the Bible!

But then Paul tempers his language with a careful nuance. “Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” (2 Thess 3:15).

What the Bible says about civility

But I think it’s important to balance out those examples with clear instructions in the Bible. And as we contemplate our actions, our words and our deeds, let’s keep these in mind.

  • Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, (Col 4:6)
  • With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be(James 3:9-10)
  • Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Eph 4:29)
  • Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry(James 1:19)
  • Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification(Rom 14:19)
  • Words from a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips. (Eccl 10:12)
  • Therefore encourage one another and build each other up(1 Thess 5:11)
  • But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips(Col 3:8)
  • The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. (Eccles 9:17)

Jim Brown, quoted earlier, has a prescription.

“The path to political recovery and spiritual renewal requires work. We can turn the cheek, but not be weak. We can lift up the least among us, as uncorrupted religions teach, while we respect and improve our laws. We can love our enemies deeply – “agape,” as the Greeks, Christ and Dr. King encouraged.”

Are we too far gone?

Balancing act, pikes peak
America the Beautiful? Taken from the very spot that Katharine Lee Bates wrote the inspiring poem. It’s still a balancing act. Photo, David Rupert

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