In the final session of my recent online cohort for The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, we discussed political and societal polarization and its evidence in the online rancor of social media. Too often, our speech isn’t seasoned with salt because of our fear of man, or our fear of insignificance, or our fear of cultural trends.
As an alternative to blaming the algorithm for our sinful responses online, I put forward a solution of better understanding our justification by faith, for only then will believers have the inner security to engage without reflexive selfishness. A deep and abiding understanding of God’s grace to us in the person and work of Christ in our place is the best source of inner rest and assurance.
Knowing we’re accepted by God (because of Christ’s performance, not ours), we don’t interpret online disagreement—even harsh words—as an attack on our identity. When we speak the truth, defend the faith, or correct someone who’s in error, we don’t do so as a way of “proving” our loyalty to one tribe or another but out of sincere concern for someone else, seeking to persuade from a place of humble conviction. Apart from a heartfelt understanding of justification by faith, I said, we’re bound to follow the world’s tribal instincts, assuming the worst of brothers and sisters in Christ, catastrophizing every controversy, proving our bona fides to whatever camp we care about most.
Justification Isn’t All
A few weeks later, I sat across the table from one of the participants in that cohort, a recent convert to Christianity, who pushed back on the idea that justification alone is where we should turn if we’re to be more Christlike online.
He agreed with everything I said about deepening our understanding of who we are in Christ and finding our rest and security in him. But justification isn’t the whole of the Christian life. Spirit-driven sanctification that flows from our union with Christ must play a role in how we call people to better online behavior. And glorification, the promise of our future selves marked by Christlike virtue eternally, also matters.
I think he’s right. If we’re to be holy (“set apart”) in how we engage online in an era of worldly polarization, we must start with justification, yes, since this goes to the heart of the heart—the transformation wrought by our regeneration. The inner security and assurance that flow from justification provide a good basis for online engagement. But simply resting in Christ, or finding our identity in him, isn’t the only source of life change in this area. We can and should call people back to the deep reality of justification, and we can and should call people forward on the journey of sanctification headed toward future glory.
In other words, as well as resting assured of God’s approval of us in Christ (thereby removing the fear of death, the fear of judgment, and the fear of losing the approval of others), we also work out our salvation in fear and trembling. We work out what God has worked in.
Justification isn’t the sole aspect of our self-understanding when we seek to engage others faithfully online. Christ tells us to follow him, to love our enemies, to pray for our opponents, to exude indescribable joy in the face of slander and insult, to return blessing for cursing and good for evil. If we’re to stand out in how we engage others online, it’ll be due to both the assurance of our status before God (we’re declared righteous because of the imputed righteousness of Christ) and the affirmation of God’s promise to renew us (we’re becoming righteous as the Spirit works in and through us).
Without a firm grasp of our justification, all our talk of sanctification sounds like little more than moralistic striving and behavior modification. But if we lose sight of sanctification, all our talk about justification sounds like little more than a past event, a new birth that casts no vision for the natural, healthy growth of an infant toward maturity.
Call to Online Christlikeness
When it comes to online discourse in a world of political and social polarization, we’ll need the self-understanding that comes from justification and sanctification working together. We should stand out not only because we rest in Christ ultimately for our righteousness and approval but also because we strive in the Spirit’s power to demonstrate true righteousness in our interactions.
We can be quick to repent when our selfish impulses get the best of us, slow to grow angry when words test our patience, and consistent in seeing the image of God in both ourselves and our opponents, while recognizing we’re in the process of being made whole—fully unique and yet more like Christ through the Spirit’s power every day.
To truly stand out in how we interact online, we don’t simply point back to our justification. We seek to demonstrate in the present the fruit of the Spirit, with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and (especially) self-control becoming the hallmarks of our attitude and actions. And we look ahead to the day we’ll be perfectly whole, forever full of Jesus—glory-given in glory-giving.
Because of our justification, we rest assured in Christ. Because of our sanctification, we strive in the Spirit. Because of our glorification, we press forward in faith. And the point of it all is to show Jesus as great.
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