Martin Luther believed that God’s ultimate intent for the universe is that it be freed from oppression and evil. The kingdom of God, ushered in by Jesus, embodies an ethic of wholeness, justice, and fullness of life, which is God’s will for the universe. We live in constant conflict, however, with evil forces that keep us from experiencing that wholeness.
Luther believed that we Christians have the responsibility to be part of this struggle, not to withdraw from it. In all that we do, we are God’s partners in the world, promoting love, justice, and the well-being of all God’s creation.
Although Luther understood the need to live under structures and laws for the sake of order, he also believed that the dictates of love require that we actively resist those laws when they support evil and oppression. Christians are involved both in the promotion of good and in the active struggle against evil. What unjust structures do you see in society today? In a democratic society such as ours, how can we speak out against such unjust structures?
This message is excerpted from “Called to be Political,” a 2020 resource of the Women of the ELCA. Today we commemorate missionaries John Christian Frederick Heyer, 1873; Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg, 1719 and Ludwig Nommensen, 1918. Today is Election Day in the United States.
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