Render Unto Caesar but Jesus is Lord!

The first confession of the early church was, “Jesus is Lord!” This first confession implied that since Jesus is Lord, Caesar is not. This was a political statement that cost many Christians their lives.

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What do we “render unto Caesar?”

The first confession of the early church was, “Jesus is Lord!” This first confession implied that since Jesus is Lord, Caesar is not. This was a political statement that cost many Christians their lives. The Romans wouldn’t have burned Christians at the stake or fed them to lions or beheaded them for saying, “Jesus loves you!”

The proper starting place for biblical understanding of governing authority is not Romans 13, as many pastors would have you believe. If one runs to Romans 13 as a standalone text, you’re left with an incomplete understanding of authority that leads to bad theology and unbiblical outcomes that cause harm.

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” (Romans 13:1-2)

Actually, one must begin with Matthew 22:17-20:

“Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

This presupposes that some things DO NOT belong to Caesar (the state / government).

So, what things belong to Caesar as opposed to other authorities appointed by God?
Do your children belong to Caesar?
Does the Church belong to Caesar?
Does your body belong to Caesar?
Does your home belong to Caesar?
Does your food belong to Caesar?

During the COVID nonsense, many pastors and Christian leaders trotted out Romans 13 as their hard-and-fast “submit to the governing authorities” proof-text to coerce their fellow Christians to do what the government says (closing churches, social distancing, wearing masks, getting experimental shots, quarantining, etc.). Many manipulated others by saying that refusing to submit was “not loving thy neighbor.” Repent now, if you haven’t already.

This confusion about biblical authority extends beyond pandemic responses to the very heart of our civic duty. Having established what belongs to Caesar and what doesn’t, we face an even more pressing concern.

There is an important question Christians in America fail to grasp.
Will you cast your lot with life or death? Righteousness or sin?

Unfortunately, our choice on the ballot is not between Jesus or Satan. It’s more like Herod the Great or Cyrus the Great. The former murdered the firstborn throughout Bethlehem. The latter was a pagan king whom God used to shepherd God’s people back to Israel: “the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia…”(Ezra 1:1b)

A choice is set before every American Christian voter: a platform of life and order, or a platform of death and chaos.

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse…” (Deuteronomy 30:19a)

Not voting is equivalent to silence. If death is a choice on the ballot, then silence is evil when life is on the ballot as well. In fact, in America your vote belongs to Caesar… Render it!

Remember, God’s righteousness can be expressed through a single vote and can be accomplished through many votes.

A biblical case can be made that refusing to vote for the protection and promotion of human life violates the Sixth Commandment: “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Implicit in the prohibition of unlawfully taking a human life is the protection and promotion of human life.

Brian Tallman wrote, “Because God is the God of life, and because we are His children and those who walk in the same way in which He walks (1 John 2:6), we are necessarily those who work for the preservation, protection, and promotion of life. This command, then, is profoundly rooted in the nature of God. As John Calvin writes:

“We are accordingly commanded, if we find anything of use to us in saving our neighbors’ lives, faithfully to employ it; if there is anything that makes for their peace, to see to it; if anything harmful, to ward it off; if they are in any danger, to lend a helping hand.””(1)

It’s also our responsibility to steward this blessing God has ordained for American Christians who are eligible to vote.

Just as the early church’s confession “Jesus is Lord!” was a costly political statement that sent Christians to the lions, today’s Christians face their own moment of costly conviction. This is our moment to proclaim with our votes what the early church proclaimed with their lives – Jesus is Lord!

Proclaiming “Jesus is Lord!” costs something.

Related Podcast:

Revolution of Man Podcast Ep. 10 Election Predictions, Render unto Caesar, Preaching on Politics w/ Tyler Durham (Spotify) (Apple)

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Now more than ever, worldview training is essential. It is not a Christian elective. I launched the Forge Room Foundation in order to equip Christians to understand our cultural moment and respond with a biblical worldview perspective.

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Clueless Christianity and the Liberal Trap

Clueless Christianity is weak and powerless. It cannot withstand the onslaught of darkness. Only through repentance and an unapologetic return to Biblical truth and faith can we withstand the coming storm. Pray that God raises up saints and sound doctrine against evil and falsehood in our time.
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The biggest problems for evangelicals are not that Satan and the world are against the church. Evangelicals’ biggest problems aren’t external – they’re internal. We’re clueless.

A clueless Christian is open to manipulation, false teaching, and heretical beliefs.

We must admit that most evangelical Christians struggle with Biblical literacy, self-centeredness, uncritical adoption of fads, ignorance of our cultural moment, questionable theology, and avoidance of confronting social issues scripturally. Add to this the recent American theology of “Christian escapism,” and you have a recipe for societal disaster. We wonder why our nation and the church are complete dumpster fires.

The Liberal Trap

Case in point, David French and other “liberal” Christians serve as water-boys for liberal elites (liberal Christianity is heresy, as I will point out later). French and his cohort (Russell Moore, Curtis Chang, Francis Collins, Tim Alberta, Andy Stanley, etc.) lean left and punch right. That is to say, they espouse leftist political and moral positions, wrap them in Christian language, then bash conservative Christians and admonish them to avoid politics altogether. Read their books. They are theological chaff under the pretense of sophistication.

They all superimpose a political framework on their theology, at the same time claiming they are trying to keep politics out of Christianity and the church by bashing conservative Christians through a straw man fallacy of the “right’s political idolatry.” They are so obsessed that when confronted for their folly, they shift tactics to ad hominem attacks, calling those who disagree or expose their falsehoods “Christian Nationalists.” I’d rather be called a “Christian Nationalist” (whatever that means) than actually be a “Christian Socialist.”

Remember, Curtis Chang told Christians the “shot” was a gospel issue and anyone who didn’t get it was breaking God’s command to love our neighbors (1). Chang and others who said that sinned against God’s church. I highly recommend they repent.

Herbert Marcuse must be rejoicing in Hell as these men and their followers impose a form of “Repressive Tolerance” wrapped in a Christian veneer on the church at large.

Note: Every Christian should read Herbert Marcuse’s “Repressive Tolerance” to understand our cultural moment and mood. We are living in the logic of Marcuse. Link below this post.

These men are not shepherds of God’s flock nor are they shepherds for sale. They are mere hirelings of modern Marcusian Liberal Christianity masquerading as pious pastors and thought leaders.

They wave banners revealing their true nature that read, “To Save Conservatism From Itself, I Am Voting for Harris” (David French actually wrote a New York Times piece by that title) leading undiscerning believers toward the outer darkness.

Meanwhile, a mobile abortion and vasectomy van is parked at the DNC national convention offering free abortion drugs to women and vasectomies to men (2). Yet, they can’t tell you what a woman is. Their signs use code-speak like “Reproductive Healthcare” which everyone knows means, kill the baby in the mother’s womb. “Healthcare” for the unborn means death.

What French and his ilk are promoting is not historical biblical Christianity, but another religion altogether.

J. Gresham Machen nailed it in 1923, in his book, “Christianity and Liberalism“:
“What the liberal theologian has retained after abandoning Christian doctrine is not Christianity at all, but an entirely different religion… Christianity is founded upon the Bible. Liberalism is founded upon the shifting emotions of sinful men.

Clueless Christianity manifests in several ways:

Biblical Illiteracy Crisis

Problem: Our biblical ignorance lets wolves use out-of-context verses to peddle false doctrines.
Solution: Repent of your spiritual sloth, believe the Gospel, and study your Bible.

Self-Centered Worship

Problem: We demand entertainment instead of worship, therapy instead of repentance. We psychologize sin and apply therapy rather than repentance and believing the gospel.
Solution: Repent of your selfishness and trivializing sin. Find a church that preaches God’s Word unadulterated, not some watered-down rubbish.

Following Fads

Problem: Pastors chase pop-culture trends, and use big data and “best practices” to attract the lost.
Solution: Repent of your unbiblical techniques of “doing church.” (What the heck does “doing church” mean anyway? It’s theological nonsense). Get your ecclesiological (doctrine of the church) house in order. Study God’s design, purpose, and destiny for His Church. Remember, what you win people with is what you win people to.

Cultural Ignorance

Problem: Ignorance of our cultural moment leaves the church vulnerable to destructive undercurrents.
Solution: Repent of your apathy. Preach God’s Word as it intersects with the actual lives of your congregation, not as if in a vacuum.

Theological Confusion

Problem: Problematic positions on scripture’s authority, inerrancy, the Gospel’s sufficiency, sexual and ethnic identity, and politics have left many in the church confused.
Solution: Repent of your apostasy and heretical theology. Recover biblical categories, anthropology, and sociology.

Social Issue Avoidance

Problem: By avoiding critical moral issues, we allow bad ideas and policies to harm our neighbors.
Solution: Repent of your cowardice. Speak truth to error and against destructive ideologies, theories, and policies.

Christian Escapism

Finally, many believe that Jesus would never allow His Church to suffer trials and tribulations, despite 2,000 years of evidence to the contrary. Are modern Christians somehow exempt from God’s judgment on broader society or persecution?

Problem: This mindset is unbiblical and leaves us unprepared for the challenges of today. Furthermore, the escapist mentality can lead to apathy, inaction, pride, and a lack of care for future generations. “Get people saved and wait” is not Biblical.
Solution: Repent and focus on being faithful to Christ in every moment today so that when He returns, he will find you faithful. Remember, God called us to be faithful in every moment of our assigned station in this life as if Christ’s return could happen at any time.

In conclusion, Evangelicals are invariably 15 to 20 years behind the culture. In a foolish attempt at relevance, evangelicals jump on the cultural bandwagon just as everyone else is getting off. Meanwhile, many hirelings enrich themselves by peddling their books and programs, leading many sheep astray while shaming actual shepherds.

Clueless Christianity is weak and powerless. It cannot withstand the onslaught of darkness. Only through repentance and an unapologetic return to Biblical truth and faith can we withstand the coming storm. Pray that God raises up saints and sound doctrine against evil and falsehood in our time.

It’s time to repent and fight for truth or lose the nation God gave us and men died for.

I leave you with another quote from Machen to contemplate:
The type of religion which rejoices in the pious sound of traditional phrases, regardless of their meanings, or shrinks from ‘controversial’ matters, will never stand amid the shocks of life. In the sphere of religion, as in other spheres, the things about which men are agreed are apt to be the things that are least worth holding; the really important things are the things about which men will fight.

 

“So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.”
(Isaiah 59:19 KJV)

Citations, sources and links:

(1) https://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2021/09/08/curtis-chang-former-pastor-vaccine-exemption-sot-ebof-vpx.cnn

(2) https://www.npr.org/2024/08/20/nx-s1-5081386/planned-parenthood-mobile-clinic-abortion-vasectomies-dnc

Herbert Marcuse “Repressive Tolerance” (1969) https://www.marcuse.org/herbert/publications/1960s/1965-repressive-tolerance-fulltext.html

David French: “To Save Conservatism From Itself, I Am Voting for Harris” (NYT 2024) https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/11/opinion/harris-trump-conservatives-abortion.html

J. Gresham Machen “Christianity and Liberalism” (1923) https://www.amazon.com/Christianity-Liberalism-J-Gresham-Machen/dp/1642894915

Essay: “THE CHRISTIAN DUTY IN POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT” by Lance Cashion (2023)

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Now more than ever, worldview training is essential. It is not a Christian elective. I launched the Forge Room Foundation in order to equip Christians to understand our cultural moment and respond with a biblical worldview perspective.

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From Debate Stage to Spiritual Awakening: Human Dignity and Politics – A Christian Response

Last night’s debate revealed deeply troubling issues.
What’s really happening?
How are we supposed to think about it as Christians?
What are we supposed to do?

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Last night’s debate revealed deeply troubling issues.

Links between Biden’s cognitive issues, his performance, and our understanding of raw political power are rising to the surface. These events demand a biblically-informed response from Christians.

What’s really happening?
How are we supposed to think about it as Christians?
What are we supposed to do?

Elder Abuse and Human Dignity

First, last night we saw what we all knew to be true put on display for the world to see. We observed what can only be described as elder abuse. I am serious. I disagree with pretty much all of President Biden’s political positions.

Regardless of Biden’s political and ethical failings, he remains an image-bearer of God. As such, his life has value, worth, and dignity. That is true regardless of how I feel about him as a politician. As a Christian, I must remind people that he is made in God’s image; his life and dignity must be defended (period).

While Biden provided many cringy moments, we should be deeply disturbed and righteously angry that someone is propping him up and manipulating him for political purposes. That is abusive and evil.

It is abundantly clear that President Biden is experiencing cognitive and physical decline.

I have spent enough time with people experiencing various stages of cognitive decline to know. One need not be a physician to understand this. How we respond is important.

Biden’s own team and family deliberately humiliated him. I believe that what the leaders in the Democratic Party and his own family are doing to him is cruel. The man is obviously struggling, but his handlers keep putting him out there. While this begs the question of who’s running the country, let’s set that aside and not lose sight of the main issue from a biblical perspective. Joseph Biden is a human being created in the image of God with dignity. His life has value regardless of his status, ethics, or abilities.

I believe he is the victim of elder abuse.

That needs to be investigated and properly dealt with by law enforcement authorities. I’d go as far as to suggest that if Donald Trump is elected President, one of his first executive actions should be to open an elder abuse investigation into the mistreatment of Joseph Biden. On a side note, I think Trump should be commended for his self-control during the debate.

It is clearly evident that the people closest to Joe Biden (including family members) do not love him or care for his dignity. How do I know this? Because you don’t allow people to treat human beings with disabilities in such a cruel manner. This biblical command doesn’t change due to personal or political partiality. This is where worldview perspectives on human dignity and politics intersect.

Worldview Perspective on The Politics of the Moment

Second, from a political perspective, last night was President Biden’s removal ceremony. While this may be considered speculation by some, let’s see what happens.

Cannibalism is the Marxist’s version of a “transfer of power.” By this I mean they sacrifice and eat their own on the altar of power. We just don’t recognize it because it’s occurring in America. The old ways of replacing the head of the socialist party through firing squad, poisoning, etc., have evolved for the American context.

Keep in mind that within the Marxian materialistic worldview, human beings are simply cogs in the machine of the state. When a cog is no longer useful, it is removed and tossed aside. Sometimes the cog is eulogized as a “man of the revolution.”

In the coming days, we’ll observe the party attack Biden and ostracize him.

A new cog or darling of the party will emerge. Notice all of this is occurring after the primary when Biden could have been replaced but it was prevented, AND this first debate was strangely early by request of the Democratic Party… enough time to replace Biden before the election?

It sucks all the air out of the room from Trump as corporate media places 100% of their attention on the drama of replacing Biden. Who will be the next party head? Whoever it is better have eyes on the back of their head because they are just another cog in the political machinery.

We indeed live in strange and interesting days.

How are we to think and respond from a Christian worldview?

Repent and Fear God (as churches and nation): We are reaping the fruits of the seeds of godlessness, evil, and disobedience that we’ve sown over the past several decades as a nation. God gives people over to a debased mind and unbridled destructive passions when they turn their backs on Him and His revealed truth (Romans 1:18-35). We must humble ourselves and turn back to Him.

Pray (proceeds from repentance): We need to pray for God’s mercy as a nation. Otherwise, the consequences of the deeds of our past will continue to destroy what is left of America.

Wake Up: The church in America has been asleep and/or apostate for too long. She needs to repent and return to the Lord immediately. Then, we need to equip ourselves to love one another and fight the many real dragons that are terrorizing our families and communities. Those dragons are cowardice, apostasy, and abuse in the church, and corruption and dark ideologies influencing the church and culture.

In conclusion, revival rides on the rising tides of repentance, faith, and prayer. The power of the Christian worldview must be unleashed as we recover GRIT in the Church in America. We need humble hearts and prayerful hands now. We need Guts, Resilience, Integrity, and Tenacity moving forward.

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Taming Politics

Politics should not be an idol nor something to be ignored.

Politics should be stewarded with thankfulness.

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Political thinking does not arise in a vacuum, nor do our politics stay neatly within the walls we erect around them…

On the contrary, political convictions emerge from our deep underlying assumptions about reality, life, and what we believe about the world we inhabit. While political possibilities shift, biblical truth does not – neither should our convictions.

 

Some treat politics as a worldview – this is wrong. Politics is incapable of answering the bigger questions of life and existence (origin, meaning, identity, morality, destiny). In other words, politics is too small to function as a comprehensive worldview.

On the other hand, some believe politics has no place within a Christian worldview or mitigate its importance – this is also wrong. If a worldview is incapable of containing politics, that worldview is too small.

Only a full-orbed Kingdom vision is capable of not only containing but taming and shaping our politics. For the Christian, our politics should flow from deeply held truths about God, His reality, His creation, His commands, and our responsibility. We must ground our politics in the Word of God, obey His commands, and reflect on the implications of scripture upon our cultural moment.

Politics properly understood impacts individuals made in the image of God with intrinsic value and worth. Because politics involves people we are commanded to love regardless of their political positions – we have a responsibility to properly steward politics. A good gardener would no more allow weeds and pests to infest his gardens than Christians ought to allow harmful ideas and bad policies to infest the way we govern a society comprised of image-bearers – our neighbors.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… And “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39 ESV)

Can we truly claim to love God and love our neighbors while allowing evil and destructive policies to harm our neighbors who are created in God’s image?

Someone said that “politics has sucked the air out of the room” in our social discourse. I agree!  However, I will take it a bit further…  Politics IS the room and the door is locked.

I believe the Church is the only institution on the planet that possesses the only key to unlock the door. But it will require the recovery of an integrated Kingdom vision where we live under the rule and reign of Jesus Christ – declaring the Lordship of Christ over all things… even political things.

Politics should not be an idol nor something to be ignored. Politics should be stewarded with thankfulness.

 

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Part Three: Should the Church Get Involved in Politics?

Part Three: A proper understanding of God’s word and ordering God as our first love. Fearing God, not man, the Christian has permission and a compelling reason to engage in legitimate government and political activities in ways that honor the God who created all things and instituted government.

As I have established previously. Over half a century after the Church abandoned cultural domains due to fear of man, we’re living in the results.

“The fear of man bringeth a snare.” [Proverbs 29:25a]

“Satan spreads the net and fear drives people right into it.” – John Flavel

In my previous two posts, I attempt to establish a distinctly Christian approach to culture, politics, and government. In Part One, we established that politics is downstream from culture. In Part Two, we defined the purpose behind the Christian’s Role in Culture, Politics and Government. In Part Three, I’ll attempt to give some reasons why the church should be involved in politics and government (as best I can with God’s help).

Either God is sovereign over all things, including political and government activity, or he is not. Either we fear God or we fear man.

Should the Church Get Involved in Politics?

Yes.
That said, we can do the right thing the wrong way and get politics and government wrong. As Christ-followers, we must (with God’s help) endeavor to do the right thing the right way. That is the path of humble obedience that honors God.

First, we must properly order our loves and allegiances:

You shall have no other gods before Me.
The primary role of a Christian is not political. However, there will be political and governmental implications flowing from our first love and primary allegiance. The first question of the Westminster Larger Catechism makes it clear. “What is the chief and highest end of man?”The answer, “Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.”

“The sum of the four commandments containing our duty to God is, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our strength, and with all our mind.”

Christians (who make up the church) commit the sin of idolatry when we place a politician, a political party or social cause above Jesus Christ. Christians also commit the sin of idolatry when we place our comfort, safety, family, affluence, status, worship preference, nation, identity or ourselves above Christ. Christ is the sovereign Lord over all domains of human existence. Our job is to tell the world this truth and live in a way that reflects it so that the world may know that Jesus is Lord of all (whether they accept it or not). Our first love and allegiance is to Him. He is our King and we represent Him.

Second, we must have a biblical understanding of government:

Government was instituted by God for a purpose and resides under God’s providence [Romans 13:1-2, Daniel 2:21, 1 Peter 2:14, Isaiah 9:6]. Government is ‘built into’ reality and in to the ordering of things. Whether you are observing a modern first world nation, or a small tribe, or a company, you will find forms of government.

The institution of government is a blessing from God.

Just government restrains evil and violence and sets forth the conditions for human flourishing and individual liberty to occur.

“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil…. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain” [Romans 13:3-4a].

“It [fear of civil governance] is necessary for the world’s peace, order, and comfort. This passion [fear] acts like a bridle, curbing our corrupt inclinations. If God had not planted it in us, our nature’s corruptions would make us incapable of any moral restraint from the most heinous and barbarous crimes. If fear did not clasp its chains and shackles upon our wild and boisterous lusts, we would suppress all milder motives and break loose from all bands of restraint; the world would be filled with disorder, tumult, theft, murder, and all manner of uncleanness and unrighteousness.

Decency would disappear from the world, No one would be safe; the capacity and opportunity to do mischief would result in the break-up of all societies, This observation is true: Whoever fears not the loss of his own life will master another person’s life. It is the law and the accompanying fear of punishment that keeps the world in order. People are afraid to do evil because they are afraid to suffer for it… Blessed be God for law and government.” – John Flavel

When evil men twist government and politics to their own selfish desires, it is a curse.

‘Unjust government operates outside God’s purpose when it violates, dehumanizes or exploits individual image-bearers, violates God’s moral law or good conscience. When this occurs, the Christian has two choices. Either engage or retreat (appeasement is also a retreat).

Third, we need a proper understanding of politics:

There are many definitions of politics. Merriam-Webster offers a helpful definition among several – “the art or science of government.” I try to keep things as simple as possible. So, politics basically describes the governing affairs (activities) of humans and societies. These activities create structures and forms of governance. Governance is ‘built into’ reality and the order of things. 

Politics is a distinctly human cultural enterprise.

Politics is the behavior of humans in regard to governance. Behavior is always guided by worldview. The dominant worldview of a society will shape the characteristics of that society and its politics.

For example: Societies where Christianity is the dominant worldview will look a lot different from societies where Marxism is the dominant worldview. Hindu dominant societies are very different from Muslim dominant societies. Government and politics that emerge from different worldviews will take varying forms.

Forth, we must recover the true meaning and purpose of politics:

Currently, in the West, we have a new understanding and redefinition of ‘politics’. If you take a moment to ask people what they mean when they say, ‘politics’, their definition sounds nothing like the traditional meaning.

I submit to you the modern description of ‘politics’ sounds more like “sectarian tribalism” masquerading as politics. Melding the two definitions, “Sectarian Tribalism” is excessive devotion to a party or group that is marked by loyalty to one group over others expressing negative sentiments (or hatred) of outsiders.

Therefore, we must recover the true meaning and purpose of politics. Let’s focus on three teleological questions. Teleology means ‘purpose’. When we know something’s purpose, we can properly understand its use and relationship to reality. Chainsaws and scalpels both cut things. However, they have two very different purposes. Here are three questions that help us drill down into the purpose of government, politics, and the church.

1. What is the purpose of government?
2. What is the purpose of politics?
3. What is the purpose of the Church?

Politics describes the governing activities of humans in society for good or for ill. Either political activity cultivates, promotes and protects righteousness, justice, peace, and human flourishing or it promotes evil and death. Politics can be used for either purpose. But, politics is not an end in itself, it is merely a means. The means and the ends should be equally important to the thoughtful Christian.

Fifth, we can look to our Bibles for examples of political activity for guidance.

Legitimate political activity is legitimate cultural activity. The Bible is full of ‘political’ characters. Both good and evil. Moses, Abraham, Daniel, Nehemiah, David, Esther, Nicodemus, and Paul expressed political influence in their place and time. While not it’s primary purpose, there are strong political implications and themes running through scripture.

Sixth, we can challenge the privatization of faith and abandonment of cultural domains by the church.

Our Christian forbearers would not recognize the modern privatized Christian faith. Even as it is commercialized, Christians are trained to keep their faith to themselves. This is bad theology. Christians cannot retreat from the ideas, institutions, laws, edicts, and movements that harm our neighbors and still claim we love God or the people God created in his image.

Christians who decry cultural engagement or specifically political engagement don’t realize they are the beneficiaries of their Christian forbearers who set the conditions for their freedom (to decry cultural or political engagement in the first instance). In other words, they saw off the limb on which they sit. If it wasn’t for the Church, the Reformation would not have occurred, slavery would not have been abolished and America would not exist (neither would hospitals, orphanages or the scientific method). All these emerge from the Christian worldview.

Some Pastors and elders say, “We shouldn’t get involved in cultural or political issues!” What they really mean is, “We don’t want to take a public position on a controversial issue that could be interpreted by unbelievers as ‘political.'” In other words, some Christian leaders desire to appeal to the world by not offending the world’s political sensibilities. They would rather appease sinners than call sinners to repent. I’ve heard this drumbeat before from Christians. Humans are culture-making creatures. It is impossible for humans not to be involved in culture. Andy Crouch defines culture by saying, “Culture is what humans make of their world.”  Culture includes politics (the governing behaviors and activities of humans).

Seventh, we confront sinful fear of man by offending the world… its the loving thing to do:

Some Christians fear that taking a stand might offend someone. God forbid standing for righteousness creates controversy and offends someone.

Jesus Christ, the Gospel of the Kingdom, and the Bible are controversial and offensive to the world. The unbelieving world hates God, hates the Bible, and hates Christians. In fact, there was a time when Christians were so offensive, they were thrown to the lions, burned at the stake, crucified and sawed in half. By trying NOT to offend the goats, we offend and abandon the sheep and leave them to the wolves.

Issues like, human trafficking, corruption, pornography, debt-bondage, abortion, medical euthanasia, dismantling of the nuclear family, identity confusion, etc. left unaddressed by the church bring death to society. This creates an “anti-culture” and the result is “deathworks” (topics for another time). Examples here: one, two, three, and four.

We should not confuse offending the world with being mean or hateful or bigoted. The world knows timid Christians are afraid of being called names. So, name-calling is a very effective tactic used against us. The world desires the church not only tolerate but celebrate and promote sin. Therefore, sinful fear of man drives many pastors and well-meaning Christians into the snare of complacency, appeasement or silence.

For example: Pastors will gladly speak out against the scourge of human trafficking or poverty because the worldly culture has accepted those positions. Pastors avoid issues like abortion, pornography, ideological indoctrination, and gender confusion because the worldly culture has ordered the church not to speak on those issues. Fear drives them into a snare. Meanwhile, evil is allowed flourish.

Fear of offending someone or creating controversy acts like a prison. Many rationalize, justify and defend their position by stating that the church ought not to involve itself in cultural or political issues. Leaders can cover it up with theological garb and try to proof-text congregants into submission. But, at the root is fear of man. Discerning Christians can see right through the smoke and mirrors. So, stop it!

What most seminarians don’t get is that theological training and resources are widely available for free or low cost. So, the “leave theology and biblical understanding to the trained experts” is losing ground. And, pastors are losing their status chasing after professional careers. Nowhere in the Bible does God insist that only seminary graduates are capable of the proper handling of God’s Word. Training in wisdom, public theology, and cultivation of an integrated Kingdom vision are hard to find in seminaries. Most are focused on professional career advancement and marketable managerial skills instead of training pastors and theologians. I’m not against seminary training (some of my best friends and mentors have degrees from wonderful Christ-centered institutions). Seminaries are a means, not an end. 

Furthermore, I am not saying that politics and government ought to over-shadow the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. I’m not saying that at all. However, from God’s Word flows the truth about reality and a moral imperative that is undergirded and infused with the Gospel of the Kingdom. We should not confuse the Good News (proclamation – how we’re saved) with God’s commands (how to live).

We speak from the Bible about issues that affect God’s image-bearers. But, we do so carefully and fearfully to ensure that our first love is God. When we speak about cultural issues, we are discipling the nations, pointing them to Christ and commanding them to obey Him (not our political inclinations). This is extremely difficult to do because Christian leaders are under social pressure to keep silent about the deathworks and evil all around us. Nevertheless, our fear of God, love of the truth and love for the lost will offend the world. That is a biblical reality.

Eighth, we must understand that the Bible is a worldview book and God is sovereign over all things, even politics:

If our worldview is not big enough to contain politics, then our worldview is too small.

Attempting to avoid politics is a political act that will have political ramifications. At the end of the day, avoidance is a deflection and cover for fear. Again, fear is a tyrant that can drive Christians into many snares. Taken to its logical conclusion, this non-political illusion is unlivable within the Christian worldview.

When the Church abandons cultural domains like politics and government, bad ideas take root. Those ideas become laws and inflict harm on the most vulnerable in society. Do Christians not believe that we won’t be held to account for stepping aside while other image-bearers of God are harmed, violated, enslaved or killed? [Proverbs 24:11-12, Matthew 25:35-40, Micah 6:8]

“In the beginning God created…” The conditions have been set by the creator. Within those conditions God’s co-regents operate. We exercise dominion and stewardship over all which God has placed in our care. Dominion is not domination. Stewardship is not tyranny. Don’t allow the world to redefine the meaning of these biblical principles.

Loving God above all else puts our human tasks and activities in the right perspective (including politics). Our loves and allegiances must be ordered under God. He is our primary love.

Christ is King and sovereign over all things… All things means “all things.”

“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” [Colossians 1:15-20]

Ninth, we must be ready for every good work and proclaim the only hope for a dying world:

We must have a proper understanding of God’s Word and ordering God as our first love. Fearing God, not man, the Christian has permission and a compelling reason to engage in legitimate political and government activities. We can joyfully and boldly enter political activities in ways that honor the God who created all things and instituted government in the first instance. In doing so, we bring a good into the lives of other humans who bear God’s image. He also calls us to be his witness, to show no partiality as we do justice. Doing justice is often a political act that is expressed in most instances through government.

The Christian engages in political activities because we love and fear God. In doing so, we love our neighbors as well. Historically, Christians shaped the societies and times in which they dwelled. Christians were different – set apart but never apathetic to the people and communities around them. As a people redeemed through Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, they lived redemptive lives and cared for people. Our hope is not in the state or politics. Our hope is in the risen Savior, Jesus Christ. We are the bearers of hope. Hope and love can be expressed anywhere, even politics.

Tenth, Christians must be courageous in the place and time God put them:

We are not called to a “holy huddle”. We are called to disciple the nations (societies). It is no accident that we live in this place and time in this cultural moment (Act 17:26). We obey God’s commands as individuals and collectively as His Church. From the pulpits to the pews, we each have a role to play. We have a prophetic voice. We understand what is wrong with the world and the solution. We worship a God who is sovereign and is not indifferent to the evil in the world. He will hold us to account for what we say and what we don’t say.

When Christians who bear ‘the light’ retreat inside the walls of the church, the world becomes a very dark place. Jesus Christ carried out his ministry in public, therefore, we must recover a public theology and put to death our privatized faith.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. 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.” [Matthew 5:14-16]

Every Christian has the opportunity to be courageous in their time. We are to be salt and light in the world God created that is marred and distorted by sin. We bring Hope.

When it comes to politics and government, we can celebrate what is good, contribute what is missing, fight what is evil and restore what is broken. We can rest at night knowing our God reigns and is sovereign over all.

Parting Encouragement for my fellow pilgrims from all places and times:

“We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. We will cast down the powers of darkness that are in the world by our faith and zeal and holiness; we will win sinners to Jesus; we will overturn false systems; we will convert nations. For God is with us, and none shall stand against us. This evening let the Christian warrior sing the war song and prepare for tomorrow’s fight. Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.” – C.H. Spurgeon (adapted by Alistair Begg)

Dive Deeper: Here are resources on the Christian tradition of resistance against tyranny (click here)

*This is a personal blog. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of my employer or my church. The opinions of expressed by guest authors and commenters do not necessarily represent my opinions.