Don’t ask, Don’t Tell and the Christian

Paul the Apostle said in his letter to the church at Corinth: “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral persons—not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since you would then need to go out of the world [my emphasis].”  A few sentences later he explains, “God will judge those outside [the church].”  See 1 Corinthians 5:9-10, 13.

In short, Paul is saying that Christians are not to assume or expect that people outside of Christ’s church will embrace the same high standards of morality as the church expected of its adherents.  There is nothing new under the sun.  The Roman Empire had its share of sinners, fornicators, idolaters, etc.  It’s the way of the world.  Followers of Christ however were expected to actually practice a higher moral standard and do so without demanding that those outside the church, Roman society as a whole, live by those same standards.  Why?  Paul made a distinction between the Christian community and the greater social/political community of Rome.

That being said however, anyone that did claim to be a Christian was to be held accountable to the Christian community to live by Christ’s standard of morality as in for example, “whosoever looks at a woman with lust has committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28), or as in “You shall Love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart, strength, and… love your neighbor as yourself.”

“My Kingdom is not of this world.”  Said Jesus to Pilate, the Roman Governor who questioned him before having him crucified. 

“But our citizenship is in heaven….”  Said the Apostle Paul to the church in Philippi (3:20).

“We’re in the world but not of the world.”  Ever hear that said?  The idea comes from Jesus when he prayed for his disciples just before he was arrested and crucified, as recorded in the Gospel according to John (17:14-19).

Clearly a Christian’s ultimate allegiance is to a Rule and Ruler that is above and beyond that of any earthly one.  That is, there is no present earthly Kingdom, Rule, Power, Authority or national entity that stands for, or represents the Rule of God here and now.  We have no Theocracy on earth.

So, what should be the Christian response to the removal of the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy for the military?  First, the Christian community should humbly recognize that many of the old creeds, dogmas, and tenants of the Christian Faith no longer hold sway over many American citizens.  Indeed, Christians have to admit that there is even vehement division within the Faith Community itself let alone the greater population, over this issue.

Christians should therefore stop acting like bullies, pouncing on anyone who happens to disagree with preciously held Christian beliefs, values, and standards.  That is, it is not our place as Christians to demand or coerce others into accepting or submitting to our own faith-held values, convictions, or rules of conduct.  Paul himself was a Roman citizen but he never used his Roman citizenship as a vehicle to force other Roman citizens to submit to Christ’s rule over their lives.  He did however use his citizenship as a means to gain greater access to an audience to hear his message so as to possibly persuade them to accept Christ’s rule in their hearts and lives.  There is a big difference in motive, means, and outcome between these two approaches.

Secondly, we need to begin to live up to our own values and standards; I should say, we need to begin to live up to Christ’s standards as he both lived and taught them?  For example, are we the people of grace and mercy, love and respect, humility and compassion that Jesus modeled for us, truly pursuing a righteousness that “surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law” (Matt. 5:20)?  Or are Christians to act like and be viewed and experienced as nothing more than modern day Pharisees—holier than thou, quick to judge and condemn, and more eager to see the iniquitous burn in hell than to see a miscreant embraced, loved, and forgiven?  Remember that Paul would say that we are all guilty of iniquities and in need of grace.

Finally, it seems to me that Christians ought therefore to be the first to pave the way in showing respect, kindness, and grace to all people(s) with whom they disagree—as to beliefs, behavior, and lifestyle—even while holding true to deeply held Christian faith-values and standards of righteousness, justice, and holiness.  It can be done.  Christians have done so for centuries throughout the world and under many different regimes, governments, and authorities.   There is indeed nothing new under the sun.