If we want to see widespread change in our society, that change must be yoked to the proclamation of the Gospel. The Gospel alone is the power of God unto salvation, and it alone has the power to convert man’s hearts, and enable them to embrace Christ and His law. To prioritize something other than the Gospel, or to subjugate the Gospel to man-centered methods, is to fail.

Ten men are stranded on an island.  Two are Christian, eight are not.

The two Christians, concerned about the direction of the group, decide that they want to see change. They would like the whole group to adopt rules and precepts that reflect their Christian beliefs.

The question is: how should these two Christians go about it?

The way one answers that question is telling. If the two men have a modern evangelical mindset, they might see the need to be in positions of authority to affect change. And so, they might pursue leadership of the group; hoping that by taking the reins of governance, they can set the pace and rules for the rest.

Alternately, they might opt for argumentation. Feeling that their own views reflect an obvious set of “right” and “wrong,” they might seek to convince the others of the “right” way to do things. They could appeal to the obviousness of their viewpoints, to their logical application, and to the benefits that would follow.

Failing this, they might simply set up camp away from the others, elsewhere on the island.

In my twenties, I had the opportunity to work in politics before being called into ministry. Specifically, I dealt with lobbyists and constituents who were working to bring about various forms of “change.” Of those who lobbied on behalf of Christian organizations (or points of view), the overwhelming mindset was that “if we can only get the right politicians, or the right laws in place, the Kingdom can advance.”

In other words, their emphasis was upon some form of legislated persuasion.

With that said, are our fellow men open to such persuasion? Are two men on an island capable of persuading the other eight to adopt a Christian worldview? And is it even possible for a Christian worldview to be adopted (sustainably) by those who are not Christian?

This last question is the key.

If two men look at the other eight, and see them as “moral free agents,” then of course they will try to persuade them to see things the way that they do. But what if the other eight are not so free? What if they are constrained, and unable to see with the same eyes as the two believers?

In Romans 8, the Apostle Paul wrote “the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can (it) be”. The implication of this verse (and others) is that the unsaved, unregenerate man is not morally neutral, but is at active enmity with God and His law. And this enmity will, naturally, find its expression in the way that man chooses to live amongst his peers.

If this is true, then the hope of the two island believers must be that their number grows to include others. Argumentation (or legislation) alone will not produce lasting change in a society that remains carnally minded. However, an ontological (natural) change of the hearts and spirit of the others will. Should the island’s population of regenerated believers grow, then the island’s society and relationships would be dramatically informed by the fruits of this regeneration.

With that said, if we want to see widespread change in our society, that change must be yoked to the proclamation of the Gospel. The Gospel alone is the power of God unto salvation, and it alone has the power to convert man’s hearts, and enable them to embrace Christ and His law. To prioritize something other than the Gospel, or to subjugate the Gospel to man-centered methods, is to fail.

Two believers on an island will never convince the remaining number to embrace something that their nature resists. But if they are leavened by the Gospel, and God uses it to change their hearts, then that change will produce fruit that no amount of lobbying, legislation, or argumentation ever could. As Spurgeon has said, “our grand objective is not the revision of opinions, but the regeneration of natures.”

Toby Holt is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America.