Writing this on election eve, maybe one of the most historic midterm elections ever, I am struck how well-intentioned Christians can be poles apart when it comes to the subject of politics. On one extreme are those that think the pulpit and a political platform or candidate should be connected at the hip. On the other extreme are those that think that anything political in nature should be disconnected at the lip. One church may be decorated in red, white and blue, and it may be hard to distinguish it from an American Legion hall (except maybe for the smell of beer) or a political convention (except maybe for the smell of champagne). The other church at the opposite may think if is a sure sign of ungodliness to do or say anything about "politics", which has to be one of the works of the flesh that should have made the list in Galatians 5.
Both extremes are extremely disappointing and dangerous. To be intoxicated with political pursuits, be it in liberal or evangelical churches, advances the kingdom of man and not the kingdom of God, no matter how justified a person or an entire church may feel toward politics in general and certain hot button issues. To be indifferent toward political matters, though, advances also the kingdom of man and not the kingdom of God, no matter how "spiritual" a person or church may feel by ignoring politics in general and certain hot button issues. Silence and inactivity on the part of those who are called to be salt and light can do as much damage as any misguided political overzealousness.
Some Christians in the land of the free and the home of the brave find any mention of politics as totally repulsive. It should be off limits altogether, because they think somehow it betrays a trust in God's providence by putting one's trust in man instead. These same people though find nothing wrong in going to work on a daily basis, as if God's providence is not going to help them pay the bills and put food on the table.
Politics is a dirty business. So what else is new? We live in a fallen world and everything we do is dirty, because we are all dirty. Being a firefighter is dirty business. Being a salesman is dirty business. Being a nurse is dirty business. Being a preacher of the gospel is dirty business. Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, because when you walk through this world you get dirty. And might it be that God wants to use His children as cleansing agents in all spheres of life, including politics, if He truly is Lord of all?
It reminds me of the raging debate in Martin Luther's day (since we just celebrated Reformation Day on October 31) if a Christian could be a soldier at the same time. Today some of the "spiritually indifferent" would have us to believe that it may not be possible for a person to be a Christian and involved in politics in any sense of the word. The ungodly and unbelievers in our land would love to have all us Christians to become so "spiritual" so we would let others direct the course of our nation, while we have our heads buried in our Bibles and in the sand. If our high and mighty indifference toward anything political is a route we feel compelled to take, just remember that we will have Jehovah's Witnesses as some traveling companions.
Anytime a person erects a new man-made criteria for advanced spirituality, i.e. uninvolvement in anything political, then that only breeds a haughty judgmentalism toward those "weaker brothers" whom they judge to have soiled themselves with political matters. Romans 14 has much to say about these matters, regardless where one fits on the political involvement spectrum. "Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand."
Do we not recall how the saints and the prophets in the Old Testament were involved in the affairs of government in their day? Whether it be Joseph serving in a heathen Pharaoh's court, or Daniel serving in Babylonian or Persian administrations, or Esther finding herself as first lady, what would the Old Testament redemption story look like if any one of those three had removed themselves from the dirty business of secular government life? What if Nathan had decided not to confront the governmental leader of his day, King David, because he thought it would be more spiritual to stay aloof from messy governmental concerns? Be it Moses, Amos, Isaiah or Jeremiah, one can not read their stories and their preaching without finding a man of God who was deeply informed with the main issues of his day and then told the political machinery of his day what he thought about the main issues of the day. John the Baptist lost his head at a dance because he refused to dance around the politics of his day.
Jesus did not come to start a political movement nor a new political party. The Democrats could try to say that Jesus is one of them because he cared for the poor and he rode a donkey and not an elephant into Jerusalem. The Republicans may try to say that Jesus is one of them because after all does not GOP stand for God's Own Party? As Joshua learned when He faced the Commander-in-Chief with a drawn sword in Joshua 5:13-15, our Lord does not take sides; He is here to take over. Jesus came to die for man's sin, because man's chief problem is not his political position but his spiritual condition.
At the same time, Jesus was not afraid to throw Himself in the political arena, be it His involvement with Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Sadducees or the Pharisees. Jesus was not a Zealot out to overthrow the government by political and military maneuvering (although He did have a Simon the Zealot as an apostle), but neither was He an Essene, who withdrew from the dirty business of daily living by just waiting on God out in the desert (after all, He did have a government employee in Matthew as an apostle).
If it were not for our nation's forefathers, most of them very active churchmen including ministers among the group, we would not have a Declaration of Independence or a Constitution or a nation called the USA. So much for spiritual indifference and aloofness. Read the sermons of those God-fearing Revolutionary ministers, and one will not find the extreme of political intoxication, nor will one find the extreme of high-minded spiritual indifference.
If we sit back and do nothing except go to Bible studies, then who are we to blame if our American culture continue its slide toward Gomorrah so that we are not as able to "lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity." (1 Tim. 2:2)? Exactly how is uninvolvement a wiser and higher ground we must take? Do not Scripture and history say otherwise?
I am very eager to vote tomorrow, because I am very concerned about the future of our country, which I love very much. I do not want my children to live in a different country, totally different than what our forefathers had in mind and what I have enjoyed for much of my life. This country had the hand and heart of Providence guiding it, and I am not going to let my hand and heart be idle on election day, just as I get up tomorrow morning to head off to work (after I vote) while trusting in Providence to provide for my needs.
I hope my candidates win, and I hope they live up to my expectations. If not, then I can vote them out the next round. If my preferences do not win, I will not writhe in agony and utter hopelessness. God is not limited on man's terms, and God is not term limited. Regardless who is on man's throne, even if it is Nero in the case of Paul, then we must pray for him or her (1 Tim. 2:1-2). God can change the hearts of the kings (Proverbs 21:1) and He can use us in a free country to change our "kings"--our senators, our governors, our presidents, our mayors, etc. How many in other countries would give their right arm to have the right to choose their leaders like we do in ours?
I will not tell the congregation whom to vote for, nor will I have candidates come in to give a political commercial. The church members can watch Fox News and listen to talk shows or read the daily newspaper, but I must preach the Word. The gospel is not for sale to the highest political bidder. At the same time, I will not sit on the sidelines when it comes to election day and all the days leading up to it. Ignorance is not bliss, nor is uninvolvement more blissful.
When it comes to the doctrine of election, I will enthusiastically preach it when the text calls for it. When it comes to the duty of election, I will enthusiastically do it when the day calls for it.
"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist; And then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist; And then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew; And then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up."
Pastor Martin Niemoller
Yours in Christ,
Chris
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