“You must be born again”—The Rebirth of Democracy

Anyone trying to live a spiritual life knows that we are not converted once but many times. Salvation is an ongoing process, at least for Christians. The “mind of Christ” penetrates the soul step by step, here a little, there a little, as we submit to God’s Spirit and overcome selfishness incrementally. This means we must be “born again” over and over again, like moving from 1st grade through college—never stopping.

Jesus said to Nicodemus, “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). If God’s Spirit is like the wind, then the Spirit can be active anywhere in human life. We must look for the Spirit at work not only in the church and in our personal lives, but throughout all dimensions of our social life, including politics.

How can someone fail to see God’s Spirit at work when oppressed people rise up and stand for justice? Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The universe is on the side of justice . . . This belief that God is on the side of truth and justice comes down to us from the long tradition of our Christian faith.” In other words, Good Friday may reign for a day and the righteous may be crucified for a time, but Easter is the fundamental belief of Christianity. The kingdom of God is the goal. This kingdom relates to our social life.

Thus, democracy must also be “reborn” in every generation. Organized sin must be countered by organized righteousness. Corporate evil must be stymied by corporate justice. Partisan lies must be exposed by truth. Liberty is a God-given human right that is maintained only through struggle against the demonic forces of oppression.

If there is anything positive in the chaos in Madison, Wisconsin, right now, it is the rebirth of a dormant democratic spirit. People are rising up. Many of them are being reborn. Young people are beginning to see democracy in action. Complacent Americans are realizing that our liberties are at risk and it is time to be “born again.”

What about complacent churches? In 1917 Walter Rauschenbusch wrote, “The saving power of the church does not rest on its institutional character, on its continuity, its ordination, its ministry, or its doctrine. It rests on the presence of the kingdom of God within her.” I would argue that the eyes of faith will recognize the kingdom of God at work right now in Madison, for God is on the side of justice and righteousness.

But in order to see this, we must be “born again.”