Tank Man
Tank Man. He was the man in the above picture standing in front of the column of tanks in Tiananmen Square on June 5, 1989. History now refers to him as “Tank Man.” We don’t know exactly what Tank Man was advocating for on that day; we don’t know what happened to him after that day; and we are not even sure of his name. But we admire him. We all wish we had the courage that he exhibited as he stood up, symbolically alone, against an oppressive, godless regime. If you are like me, you often see the tanks of our secular culture (moral relativism and other anti-biblical concepts) rolling down the streets of our post-Christian society. What are we to do as Christians? Are we to walk out in the middle of the street and confront these tanks? First Peter gives us some clues.
First, we are to be holy as He is holy. 1 Pet. 1:13-18. To be holy, simply put, is to be set apart and be more like Him. That is, we are not to conform to this world but are to be salt and light—to be distinct and to stand out. Second, collectively, we are called to be “living stones,” being “built into a spiritual household to be holy priesthood.” 1 Pet. 2:5. In short, we stand together as fellow believers. As a family of faith, like our earthly family, we stand up for, and suffer with, each other. Third, although we are to submit to authority, we are to be a Christian presence in a fallen world so that unbelievers can see God in us and be pointed toward Him. 1 Pet. 2:12. Fourth, we are not to be afraid or bitter when we see evil temporarily win over good nor are we to repay evil with evil or insult with insult. Rather, we are to love our enemies, forgive them, and pray for them. 1 Pet. 3:9,14. Lastly, we should not be surprised if we are called to suffer for His name’s sake because we will all suffer as Christians. 1 Pet. 4:12.
So do we jump in front of the column of tanks of immorality, injustice, and moral ambivalence rolling down every street in our modern culture? Maybe. Maybe not. The Holy Spirit will guide us as to the appropriate action. Regardless, we are to be holy, support one another, and be a Christian presence among it all. We don’t compromise our values for the sake of social, political, or cultural expediency. And when things do not go the way they should go, we are not afraid, we take it in stride, and we forgive, and pray for those who have done us wrong. Why? Because we are just travelers in this world. Our home is an eternal one and not in this corrupt, decaying one. 1 Pet. 1:1-4. Furthermore, unlike Tank Man, what we are advocating for is clear—it is the good news of the Gospel. Unlike Tank Man, our identity is known, and it is in Christ. He is in us, and He has personally known us since we were in our mother’s womb. And unlike Tank Man, we know our future. It is an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade—kept in heaven for us. 1 Pet. 1:4. Soli Deo Gloria.
Carter
