This article has been adapted from a full sermon entitled, “Our Place in Politics.” We encourage you to listen to the full sermon.
To what degree and how should Christians engage in politics?
Politics is a part of life, and as Christians, we have a part to play in it. Not just a part, but, as we’ll see from scripture, Christians have a divine responsibility.
Now, if you do any brief study of theology or the character of God, you’ll learn very quickly that God is a God of order, not chaos. Even before politics existed, government was established because God is a God of order. Government was born out of a need for order in society. God has given us government for our good because man has a fallen nature and left to themselves, it would be anarchy.
For the Hebrew nation, it was a theocracy; God was the head of the government. This situation was unique to the people of Israel because of the special covenant they shared with God. God gave them the Law—the Ten Commandments—which served as their parameters or the boundaries, guiding moral principles on how to interact, first, with God and, second, with one another.
For much of Israel’s history—and world history for that matter—a monarchy form of government was in place. Just read 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles. We’ve seen a small glimpse of what this form of government looks like recently as we witnessed the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the proclamation of King Charles III. It’s a hereditary monarch!
Now, it’s important to know that the Bible never puts forward or suggests what kind of government is best. There are certainly biblical principles we could apply to try and determine it and debate about it. As Americans, we certainly lean toward and love a democracy that is marked by the rule of the people, for the people, and by the people. The Bible does tell us, however, that whatever government we live under has been established by God for our good, and we are to honor its authority.
Governing Authority is Placed by God
Paul wrote Romans 13:1-7 in 57 AD. Nero was emperor at the time and was focused on expanding his rule, strengthening his empire, and consolidating his power. It’s in this context that Paul writes about the establishment of government and our role and responsibility within that government.
In these verses, we learn what government is for (God’s order and our benefit) and how it should operate (promote good and punish bad).We also see our role and responsibility within the governmental authority:
Submit and Obey
The only responsibility given to those under authority in Romans 13 is to be subject to it! Not to do so is to incur judgment (v. 2). We honor God’s order when we respect the authority he has placed over us through submission and obedience. Peter wrote the same in 1 Peter 2:13-17:
“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”
Now, we Americans don’t like this “submission” and “obedience” stuff. After all, rebellion is in our DNA, not just in our sinful nature, but there is a reason it was called the “American Revolution!”[1]
Really, the only time according to scripture that we are not to submit to a legitimate governing authority is if they ask us to do something that is contrary to God’s Word. This is where Acts 5:29 draws a line in the sand, so to speak. It states, “We must obey God rather than man.” We can never honor and come under authority that demands we dishonor Jesus and/or disobey his Word.
Pray and Preach
We are commanded in scripture to pray for those in authority over us. Now, I understand there are some of you praying for leaders to change and change soon, and you can, of course, pray for that. The call of scripture, though, is to pray for those you are currently subject to (1 Timothy 2:1-3). We are to pray…
- That God would grant our leaders wisdom and strength.
- That our leaders would rule and govern in righteousness and with justice.
- That God would put people around our leaders who have sound judgment and skillful experience.
Keep in mind that God is sovereign and in control. Daniel 2:21 teaches us that he changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings. Psalm 75:7 says, “God executes judgment putting down one and lifting up another.” Don’t let a leader in power give you heartburn. Instead, pray. I wonder what kind of officials we would have if we spent as much time praying for our officials as we did complaining or trying to replace/keep them in office. Our lack of prayer is an indictment on all of us.
We are also to preach! One of our first responsibilities and major priorities as Christ-followers is to proclaim his gospel. Disciple-making is what should define us! Jesus and his way of living (death to self, loving others) is who we lobby for.
God’s Kingdom rule and reign on earth should be our main concern and priority. I’m not saying what happens in the political realm is not important, I’m just saying:
- If you find yourself advocating for a certain political candidate or party more than you advocate for Jesus and his Church, you may have misplaced priorities.
- If you are giving more to a political party than you do the Kingdom, that alone reveals where your heart and passion lie.
- If you spend more time listening to Fox News or CNN or listening to talk radio than you do reading your Bible, that’s a problem because you are being discipled by the wrong voices.
- If you find your identity more in being red or blue or with an elephant or a donkey than in being a new creation in Christ, then you need to take a step back.
A ballot or office change without a heart change equals no change at all! Let’s not forget the mandate Jesus gave when he left this earth. It was not about preserving the culture (a topic we will get to in just a minute), it was about evangelism and discipleship.
Influence and Advocate
As noted previously, our form of government is a democracy, and because of this, we, as citizens of the United States, have a voice in our government. We get to participate, which is a great honor and privilege. Because we live in a free country, we are granted certain rights and privileges, including participation in our government. This is where politics comes in.
Politics, as defined by Oxford Languages, are the “activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.” As I consider these “activities associated with governance,” I see two primary ways Christians should work and participate in society. These are (1) influencing and (2) advocating.
Influence
I can’t think about influence without thinking about Matthew 5. Jesus is speaking the Sermon on the Mount and addressing citizenship in the kingdom—it is essential to understand this! Yes, we are citizens of the United States, but we are, more importantly, “citizens of heaven.” Meaning we hold dual citizenship (Philippians 3:20).
There is nothing wrong with being a patriot. Patriotism and love for your country are good things. We ought to all be patriots! But, like many good things, our love for our country can become an idol.
America is exceptional in its founding and in the ideals we have stood for and embraced over time, but it is not superior. Americans are not better than people from other countries, and any worldview that suggests that Christian Americans are God’s chosen people is not one that you want to be a part of. We cannot put our love for country—or anything else, for that matter—above our love and devotion to God! Our Kingdom citizenship is the priority.
In Matthew 5:13-16, we are instructed:
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the
house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
In a word, Christians are to influence people for Christ. This is what it means to be salt and light.
Salt, during this period in history, was mainly used as a preservative. Refrigeration was yet to exist, so people would take salt and rub it into meat or fish in order to keep it from rotting or wasting away. The parallel, of course, is that Kingdom citizens should act as salt to preserve society from the decay of sin. We should not be contributing to the decay of this world—that kind of salt, according to the scripture, has lost its taste.
It’s the same with light. Light, by its very nature, is meant to be displayed. Light shines! Both salt and light speak of influence. Salt preserves from decay, and light shines and exposes darkness. This is how we should live in our society, as salt and light. There are two specific ways Christians can influence in politics.
- Run for Public Office
First, we need godly people to run for public office. This includes every avenue of every public office, from local school boards to a county or state level political office, and, of course, in national offices. We need people who fear God in positions of political influence.
I know that the right thing can often be the hard thing, and running for office or being in any kind of leadership as a Christian in a public setting can be thankless, dirty, lonely, and tough, but these roles and responsibilities are important. To those much is given, much will be required!
- Vote
Second, Christians need to vote! As citizens of this country, we have the privilege to speak via the ballot box, and we shouldn’t take that responsibility lightly. I’ll never tell you how to vote, but I will tell you that your vote should reflect biblical values and a biblical worldview. This is just part of what it means to be an influence in our culture, specifically as it relates to the political realm.
Advocate
We may not all run for public office, but we can advocate for people and programs that make a difference in people’s lives or in our communities. In Jeremiah 29, the people of Israel are exiled and living in an unfamiliar land. Jeremiah breaks the news to them that they are going to be there for a while. Do you know what he tells them to do?
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:4-7).
In other words, make this home that’s not really your home feel more like home. Jeremiah says, “Don’t sit on your hands waiting for deliverance…” In our time, we could say, let’s not just isolate ourselves in our homes and churches and wait for Jesus to return. Instead, we are going to get to work! We are going to build homes, build families, and seek the welfare of the city. Do good where you live while you live!
Christians historically have done this. Listen to how Dionysius, the Bishop of Alexandria, describes believers in the 3rd century:
“Most of our brother Christians showed unbounded love and loyalty, never sparing themselves and thinking only of one another. Heedless of danger, they took charge of the sick, attending to their every need and ministering to them in Christ, and with them departed this life serenely happy: for they were infected by their neighbors and cheerfully accepting their pains. Many in nursing and curing others transferred their death to themselves and died in their stead…”
This means specifically advocating for the down and out, the lost and lonely, the hurting and neglected. And think about this: The Red Cross, Ivy League Schools, Boy Scouts, Hospitals, Salvation Army, YMCA, Prison Reform, AA, and the Civil Rights movement all started because Christians decided to influence and advocate on behalf of those who needed it most.
Stand up and advocate for truth, righteousness, and justice.
Conclusion
We can’t allow politics to divide us. While biblical values are pretty much straightforward and spelled out in scripture, how we are to deal with certain issues that arise in our culture and how we implement what we believe the Bible says isn’t always clear. What is extremely clear, however, is how we should be engaging with one another in our differences, and that is with respect, love, kindness, grace, and civility.
Remember, we represent Christ, and we live for a future Kingdom that is to come. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus, who, according to Revelation 19:16, is coming again to establish his reign, finally and fully, and he will take the title once and for all, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” Soon, we will reign with him forever and ever.
[1] We can’t do a deep dive into this, but the moral argument can be made that a tyrannical government is really no government at all, and just like our forefathers did, sometimes, as a last resort, it may be morally acceptable to take up for the people in your care because the government in place isn’t.
