The Christian and Politics
Central Thought: Those who serve should desire to lead in righteousness.
Text Romans 13:1-7; Isaiah 9:2-7
Though politics is man’s concept, government, however is God’s idea. The word “Politics” is conspicuously absent in the Bible. This perhaps is one reason why the subject has elicited great controversy among Christians. Some see politics as a dirty game, so dirty that the Christian cannot participate in it without soiling his hands, no matter how hard he tries to keep it clean. Others however, are of the opinion that Christian’s participation will not only sanitize it, but will also go a long way to purge government of evil in its high places. The debate goes on and on, sometimes giving room to the most absurd propositions. This is hardly surprising. “Politics” is a human attempt to affect the God ordained institution of government.
We must not be polarized on this subject. We can deduce from the Scriptures despite its seeming silence on the subject, God’s mind concerning a Christian’s desire not only to be a good subject but to also influence his society for better by being a good ruler. If righteousness exalts a nation, Proverbs 14:34, it must come to be through the righteous.
We can find the “whole counsel of God” on the issue of governance in the scriptures.
1. What is politics?
The word “Politics” connotes so many things to so many people, depending on their geographical and socio-cultural location in our country.
Politics is the art of science of power and government, thus a study of how to govern. A politician therefore is one who is involved in party politics: that is, he had decided to take a career in politics especially by seeking for an election into the legislative or executive organs of government. Seen from this perspective, it is a career like any other with its hazards and rewards. The political party to which a politician belongs to is an organized group of people who believe in one particular method of ruling a country. In other words politics provide opportunity for people with the same idea on how a country should be ruled to come together and try to influence the government of their country.
2. What is the relationship between Politics and Government?
Politics, as already defined, is the art of governance. Government, which is God’s idea, is the exercise of authority by people He has put in position to govern. These people are ordained by God as instruments in His hands to bring about justice and peace through their rule, Romans 13:1. Government therefore is run by men usually politicians who having been accepted by the people on the basis of their idea on how government should be run, have their mandate to govern in line with such ideas. This is the basic concept of a system of Government known as democracy. There are however, other forms of government where the politician may or may not be involved. Leaders are chosen in three principal ways; election, appointment and imposition.
3. Why did God institute human government? Romans 13:1-7
Leadership and authority are derived from God. They are God’s way of ensuring orderliness in His creation. They are His way of maintaining peace and tranquility in a creation that He delighted in.
The first sign of orderliness through the exercise of authority is noticed at the beginning of creation, Genesis 1:14-16. One wonders what will happen if the sun and the moon were to govern or rule the firmament at the same time. The same principle is carried through to the climax of creation, Genesis 1:26-30. God thus instituted precedence, not by virtue of being the first, or the strongest, or any other criteria, outside His special favor and in fulfillment of His divine purpose. Having established orderliness and peace in creation through government, God directs His attention to the same in human society. Al government therefore derives from God. Thus in the exercise of their authorities. They are acting as God’s servants to achieve His divine Purpose.
From the Scriptures it is clear that human governments were instituted by God for the purpose of disciplining criminals and enforcing law and order among men, Genesis 9:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17. Furthermore governments were instituted to govern by force and to punish not only local and individual criminals but also international and national criminals. Thus believers should assist in establishing and to support human government for the preservation of society and promotion of the highest goal for man, Romans 13:1. Scriptures also reveal that human governments are not founded upon the arbitrary will of God, but upon the needs of humanity in securing their highest good.
4. What has been God’s method of choosing leaders? 1 Samuel 8:1-21
The issue of leadership arose when Israel grew to become a nation and moreover God needed a vessel to use to lead the people out of Egypt. Moses was appointed by God right from birth to fulfill this role. God’s hand of preparation was upon Moses until the revelation of his assignment in Mount Horeb, Exodus 3:1-2. Even before the death of Moses, Joshua was anointed by Moses to succeed Him, Numbers 27:18. After Joshua, we have the Judges. These were once again appointed by God to lead His people when the need arose. The scriptures also record that Moses set people over groups or units.
In our reference passage above, the people appeared dissatisfied with the successors appointed by Samuel to be judges that they demanded for a king. Though the people demanded for and got a king contrary to the advice of Samuel, God still chose the king for them, 1 Samuel 9:16-18, 10:1-4. David again was appointed by God when Saul fell short of God’s expectation, 1 Samuel 16:11-13. In summary, we observe that God sends His prophet, his angels to the one He desires to use to fulfill His divine purpose. These men in most cases were anointed long before they assumed their role of leadership.
In our present day choice or appointment of leader, God does not appear to be directly involved in the appointment of political leaders; nevertheless the hand of God cannot be ruled out. People gather and by a popular decision their leaders are appointed to have the rule over them. This is democracy according to modern day politics.
In the church, God’s new Israel, God is still directly involved in the choice of leaders as He pours His Spirit on those approved by Him. This underscores a point that God desires to have control over every area of the lives of His people. From Adam’s authority to Christ’s coming rulership as prophesied in Isaiah 9:2-7 and partly fulfilled, God decides who to appoint. Thus it is God who sees the heart of every man even before they are born, and choose the men He wants to use in whatever position He desires to use them even when such men do not seek for such offices.
5. What are the obstacles Christians are likely to encounter in active politics?
Politics to a large extent is a popularity contest, run on rules that have little or no regards for the sensitivity of a Christian’s faith. So a Christian who desires a career in active politics is at a disadvantage from the beginning because while he may share the ideals of a particular political ideology with others, he is operating with mostly people who behave in the words of an ungodly philosopher, known as Nietzsche that, “there are no moral phenomena at all, only a moral interpretation of phenomena”, relatively in politics is an evil that makes the arena very uncomfortable for a Christian who is grounded in absolutes. A Christian in politics therefore faces a big problem of remaining true to his calling by maintaining that things are either black or white, while everybody else insists that there is no black and white, only grey shades or matter of perception.
Though the rules of the game acknowledge moral uprightness, probity, accountability, integrity and honesty, the practice is so far from the rules, and a Christian who insists on the rule of the game is either considered a fool or a joker. Nowhere does the call for compromise sound louder and clearer that in politics. For a Christian the call for compromise calls for a lot more. Sometimes it is a call for their very soul. Unfortunately the corridors of power are littered with so many casualties of the faith, including men who though went from among us, we are no longer sure they are still one of us. The worldly system admits that politics, wealth and sex are the three greatest sources of power and has therefore exerted its most corrupted influence on these, so that no one who desires to harness any of these powers will do so without mortgaging his soul. Some Christians, unfortunately have bought this lie.
6. How can a Christian overcome these obstacles?
A Christian who goes into politics must be sure without a shadow of a doubt that he is there in obedience to a call from God. He must draw a line clearly between his personal ambition and desire of self-aggrandizement, and God’s clear call into this hostile arena. He must not only be sure that God has called him to assume a mantle of leadership, he must also be clear in his mind how God wants him to achieve this. Is it by election or appointment or even imposition?
A Christian whose incursion into the political arena is fully based on God’s call, will learn to depend on the same God to see him through. He will shun all forms of compromise of his faith and sound principles, believing that if possible, God can send his angels to vote, knowing also, that though he walks through the valley of the shadow of death, he will fear no evil, Psalm 23:4.
Only such a Christian will reject the worldly system with its philosophies and lies, because he knows the power of the divine system and its truth. Only such a Christian when he gets there can remain there and rule without fear or favor, and undue patronage of greedy, selfish, evil men who parade themselves as kingmakers, political godfathers, and all other self-serving names by which they call themselves. Only such men can rule in righteousness, justice, and peace. Only such men are capable of exalting their nation. Anything short of this will certainly bring a reproach to the body of Christ.
7. What is the place of a Christian in nation building?
The place of a Christian in nation building is a place of an active involvement and not a passive one in the affairs of the nation. It is like the place of light in darkness, salt in a tasteless meal, Matthew 5:13-16. In both cases they make a whole lot of difference, a meaningful difference which comes from active involvement.
Christians understand the efficacy of prayer too well in changing the destiny of the nation, 2 Chronicles 7:14, but what they do not understand is that God also expects us after we have prayed, to be instruments of His answer in healing our land. There lies the crux of the matter. We are to be actively involved in sharpening the openings of our nation. We should be involved in the struggle against injustice and oppression in our political body. We should be bold to fight ungodly systems with godly standards. We should not equate in our thinking military with undue radicalism. Salt is sharp and light, and in its full power is blinding. Both are not easily ignored; apathy and lethargy cannot be part of those who are called to be light and salt of their society. No office in our nation is too high for Christians to aspire to but no Christian can occupy a higher office who has not proved himself where he is now. When we have proven ourselves where we are now, God can take us higher to where we can be of further use. Not many Christians may aspire to high political office but they can be involved in witnessing for Christ in order to build lives.
Daily Living Application:
Politics must be seen as another area of service to God, it must be seen as another area where God’s divine pervading influence can be brought to bear upon. Christians need to change their orientation in areas of politics. When we do that, and get actively involved as God leads and directs us, we will not only sanitize it, we will be able to bring God’s blessing on our nation, because God will see us as leaders through whom He will lead. But let no one go into this arena who has not been called into it, for he will be doing more harm than good toward the kingdom.
Memory Verse:
Proverbs 14:34 – “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”