The Challenge of Change

The keyword of the Democrat and some Republican presidential primary candidates is "change." It seems they are vying for the title of the "changingest" candidate. Some pundits are wisely suggesting that whatever change is promised be clearly defined and described.

Sometimes, change can bring about good. Change for its own sake has brought political chaos in some instances. The U.S. supported a change from the Shah of Iran—a U.S. friend—and got the Ayatollah Khomeini, who came from a Paris apartment to make Iran into an Islamic hell, even imprisoning American diplomats for 444 days. In Cuba, we facilitated the removal of Batista. He was replaced with Fidel Castro, who demolished any semblance of liberty, inspired a crush of escapees including Elian Gonzales, dumped countless human refuse from his prisons in the Mariel Boat Lift convoy and is still a thorn in our diplomatic world.

What do these change agents really want in America? Democrats are united in the need to change from George W. Bush to almost any Democrat, and Republican candidates want to promote change within their own party. Change affects our own economy, our relationships with foreign nations, immigration, social morality, and even religious freedom. No one should castigate any candidate for touting change, but they should be pressed to explain their goals and assess their results.

The Bible outlines both negative and positive change. Surely the demon-possessed man of Matthew 12:43–46 was better off without his demon. But without a new occupant, the demon returned with seven more wicked spirits, and the man was worse off than before.

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first …"

God does not change. "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed" (Malachi 3:6.). And He is the greatest change agent transforming the very soul of man. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (II Corinthians 5:17).

Job longed for the eventual change of God’s restoration in restored life and heaven-bound death. "If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come" (Job 14:14).

The old song clarifies so much. "Change and decay in all around I see, Oh thou who changest not, Abide with me."

Political change is a great virtue if clearly understood and productively pursued, but ill-defined and misty change goals can bring a muddled chaos. At the least, we should expect candidates not to change our freedom to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the greatest effective positive agent of change ever known.

David Virkler