A thought for Christians post-referendum

Having spent some time cycling and running round the Isle of Wight I’ve had head space to try and reflect theologically on the situation we awoke to find ourselves in on Friday 24th June. I hope these thoughts are helpful to those who follow Jesus.

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world” – nothing has changed that. We as God’s people, members of God’s kingdom, are the light of the world. We bring light into darkness, our presence banishes darkness, and we bring with us the kingdom of God into every situation. Spirit filled, Spirit empowered, members of Christ’s body.

The question of course is what does that look like when roughly half of us (presumably) are elated at the outcome of the referendum and the other half are unhappy?

First off I think it means we remember our purpose, we are the light of the world. Ours is to make disciples of all nations, starting at home, then in our neighbourhoods, then more broadly until we reach the ends of the earth. Our lives should be so attractive, and filled with such power, that those around us want to know more about God’s kingdom and ultimately join us in following Jesus.

Second I think we need to remember our identity. 1 Peter 2:9 “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” – Paul puts it like this Ephesians 2:19-21 “You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.” Our identity is not European, British, English, Welsh, Irish or Scottish (or any other secular identity). Our identity is the people of God. The division of nations at the tower of Babel was a result of the fall, the work of Christ has restored us into being one people in Christ (and Revelation closes with Eden restored). The referendum has changed how we are governed by our secular political masters and may have changed the identity of those who do not belong to Christ, but it has not changed in anyway our identity if we are Christians.

Third I think we need to remember our dependence on each other. Ephesians 4:2-4 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called.” We stand together on both sides of the referendum debate and result, we are God’s family members of one body.  1 Corinthians 12:27 “You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” So whilst those who don’t belong to Christ tear lumps out of each other, we don’t “the eye cannot say to the hand, I don’t need you” (1 Corinthians 12:21). [As an aside, on that note please don’t proclaim how God told you to vote as that merely implies that those who voted differently either didn’t ask God, heard him incorrectly, or disobeyed him.]

Does that mean we are all going to be happy and talk positively about the referendum result? No, such thoughts are in my view naive, unrealistic, and trite. For example whether you are on the side of exit or remain you must be horrified by some of the negative impact the vote has already had:

• We have seen in the last 24 hours the facist right wing of Europe applaud our referendum result. We have seen some UK politicians proclaim the death of the EU (which may suggest that it wasn’t only UK independence they were after). Last time Europe saw a tide of extreme right wing nationalism the church sat back and watched millions of Jews, homosexuals, gypsies and others get slaughtered. We must do better than that, we must speak out against nationalism, racism, and oppression of others whatever the personal cost to ourselves.
• Our news has broadcast interviews with people in the streets who express barely disguised racism as they denounce immigration and immigrants and proclaim that they are glad we have our country back. Yet we should remember Leviticus 19:34 “The foreigner residing among you but be treated as your native born” or Matthew 25:40 “Whatever you did for one of the least of these … you did for me.” We must be a people that welcome others and set an example in doing so wherever they were born.
• Our credit rating has been downgraded by Moodys who see negative implications for the medium term outlook and who believe our fiscal savings will be outweighed by lower growth; the pound has fallen to the level of the 1980s and stock markets are down whilst we have to remember that we have one of the largest budget deficits amongst advanced economies. In short, all the pointers are toward more austerity and those who voted for exit because they were tired of being impoverished by austerity and the self interest of the ruling classes are about to get a rude shock. We must be ready to provide more shelters for the homeless, food for the hungry, clothes for those that need them (regardless of their ethnic identity or country of birth).

That isn’t to say that there won’t be good come out of the result of the referendum, nor is it to say that the referendum result is either right or wrong, nor yet is it to condemn or congratulate anybody on how they voted because I assume that as Christians we all voted as we believed God led us.

But it is to say that our mission hasn’t changed. We are still the prophetic voice bringing God’s kingdom to bear in the situations around us. We are the people who pray for our political leaders “for there is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1). We are the people who will engage positively to help those who are dispossessed and powerless. We are the people of God who will stand together united as one family. We are the light of the world. We are the hope of the nations. We are the people who will not stand by and see darkness claim ground because as we proclaim God’s kingdom the gates of hell itself will not be able to stand against us (Matthew 16:18). We are the people who will work to see God’s kingdom come and his will done on earth, and the lives of millions transformed as they too join us as followers of Jesus.