By Tin-chee Lo
John Newton (1725-1807) was the author of the lyrics to “Amazing Grace.” This hymn has become one of the most popular and widely recognized songs in the world, beloved not only by church choirs but even by people from different cultures and backgrounds. He also wrote an interesting book entitled <Seven Christian Blemishes>. The “blemish” referred to in his book is something that is not helpful for spiritual growth, but it is not a sin, nor is it something prohibited by the Bible. John Newton pointed out with his heart of a pastor that if these “blemishes” are allowed to develop, it will easily evolve into a lifestyle which will hinder the spiritual growth of a Christian, just like a frog dies in slowly from cold to boiling water without realizing it.
John Newton’s writing is very unique, quite similar to that of the style of the <The Pilgrim’s Progress> written by John Bunyan. He uses the names of some outlandish fictional characters to illustrate the nature of these seven blemishes in a metaphorical way. The names of these made-up characters are: Austerus, Humanus, Prudens, Volatills, Cessator, Curiosus, Querulus.
This article, however, picks only one of the seven characters for discussion: Querulus. This quirky name was borrowed from the English word “querulous” which means “complaining”, “picky”, “whiny”, “irritable”, and “grievous”. John Newton creatively and humorously twisted the word “querulous” into “Querulus”.
Let me rewrite John Newton’s story about Mr. Querulus in our modern-day context:
Mr. Querulus likes to talk about politics. He often denounces the mismanagement of public affairs, but he has no touch of the source of the giant wheel that drives the government machinery. No matter how loudly he shouts, he cannot speed up or slow down the bureaucratic wheel of government. Mr. Querulus has neither legal qualifications as a judge or lawyer, nor has he ever received academic degree on Public Policy. He is also not a historian nor journalist. Why is he so troubled or intense about politics? His information comes from CNN or Fox News, TV talk shows, YouTube, ChatGPT and other social media, as well as some friends who share the same views as his. If Mr. Querulus is just a member of society, then his troubles will just become his own personal blemish. But if Mr. Querulus is a Christian, his troubles are not just blemish; what’s worse is that he runs counter to the biblical teaching of “Do not be conformed to this world” and unknowingly forgets the sovereignty of God. Although Mr. Querulus is critical of society or the government, if he has the opportunity to live in another country for three or four months, after coming back, he may feel that the country he lives may not be as bad as the country he always criticized.
But if a Christian is placed in the field of public service, such as being a civil servant or supervisor in a government department, or even appointed as a high-ranking official, there is no doubt that he should be loyal to God’s call on him to be in politics and use all legal methods to improve the Society. Based on his Christian worldview, he should do things to benefit citizens and their children and grandchildren. The noticeable biblical examples for God fearing politicians were Prophet Daniel, an important minister of the five pagan dynasties, and Joseph who were sold by his brothers but rose to prominence as the prime minister of the Gentile Egypt. They both unquestionably and steadfastly bore good witnesses for God.
For Mr. Querulus, the best thing for him is to “let the dead bury the dead!” Instead of making noises about political issues, it is better to use the rest of his life to achieve better goals, such as diligently studying the Bible, helping other believers to grow, and if possible, participating in the teaching ministries, because teaching can be a good means of learning too.
Most people, including Christians, are powerless to change the political reality, as the workings of the heavenly bodies are unaffected by the controversies of astronomers. However, they can perform more fruitful services such a praying for the government leaders as taught by the Bible.
Mr. Querulus’ zeal is not only unhelpful to others, but also harmful to himself. He makes himself suffer mentally and diverts his thoughts from more important things and prevents him from feeling the blessings and worth that he actually has.
Let us not misunderstand that John Newton was an “anti-politics” person. On the contrary, he was very interested in improving social policies. Let’s first look at his background: John Newton was a British sailor whose job was to participate in the transatlantic slave trade. Once, when he was on a stormy sea, he experienced a profound spiritual transformation. He later became increasingly aware of the immorality of his involvement in the slave trade. He transformed from the captain of a slave ship to an outspoken and ardent advocate of the abolition of slavery. John Newton eventually gave up his career as a seafarer and became an Anglican priest. He began to speak out against slavery, using his experience and insights to convince others of its evils. He published an influential pamphlet entitled “Reflections on the African Slave Trade.” His collaboration with his friend William Wilberforce and other abolitionists played a key role in the abolitionist movement in Britain. Later, William Wilberforce also wanted to become a priest, but John Newton strongly discouraged him and encouraged him to participate in politics and he eventually became a member of Parliament. William Wilberforce also gradually realized that being a politician was God’s calling for him. Through his gift of eloquence, William Wilberforce exerted a huge influence in the British Parliament, which finally led to the abolition of the slave trade in Britain.
John Newton, with deep pastoral love, intended to help us to identify our blemishes in our interactions with the world. Christians should be grateful that they have discovered their blemishes. These blemishes can easily overshadow the sweet aroma of the Gospel and taint the collective witness of the local church. Let us look at ourselves and see our sin and be willing to change the way we live our lives.
