Should Christians be involved in politics?
Listen: 120.5
Even among believers, there are few subjects that will spark debate and disagreement like the topic of politics. In America, we are given the liberty to be involved in politics, or to abstain from any involvement. I thank the Lord for that continuing freedom, but should I become involved in politics to ensure that liberty? Does the Lord need my vote to accomplish his purposes?
Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 11:31-32, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” This portion has nothing to do with politics; it has to do with self-examination before one partakes in the Lord’s Supper. However, it does make one very remarkable statement: the world is condemned. What a harsh statement! Why is the world condemned? It is because of the wickedness of men and their rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 3:19 says, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Now let’s read 1 John 5:19, “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.” Guilty and wicked; this is the Lord’s assessment of the world we are living in. Even in His great intercessory prayer, the Lord Jesus prayed for His disciples, but not for the world as we read in John 17:9, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” Will this world ever improve? No, it will not. 2 Timothy 3:13 tells us, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
As believers on the Lord Jesus, our citizenship has been transferred from this world to Heaven as we read in Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” The Apostle Peter instructs us in 1 Peter 2:11, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” Our position in this world is one of being a stranger and a pilgrim. A pilgrim is someone who has a home, but is passing through a foreign land to get to his home. Indeed, we are pilgrims; we have a home in Glory, but we are passing through this foreign land before we get there. Should we use our energy to try to improve this sinful world, which will never improve, or should we use our energy telling others about their need of salvation? Instead of trying to improve this world, don’t you think our time would be better spent in trying to save people out of this condemned, guilty, and wicked world?
According to scripture, we are obligated to obey our government as we read in Romans 13:1-2, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” We are also told to pray for our political leaders in 1 Timothy 2:1-3, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.” May we be faithful in both of these important instructions.
As believers, we need to be aware that the Lord is still in control of the world. He will accomplish all that is His will to do. He has always set up kings and kingdoms and torn them down as we read in Daniel 2:21, “And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings…” While there are different means that countries use to set up their leaders, the Lord is really in control of this as we read in Daniel 4:17, “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” Consider the words of the Lord Jesus to Pilate in John 19:10-11, “Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above…” Pilate was in power because the Lord put him in power, as He has done with all leaders throughout the ages. We can rest confidently in the sovereign will of God to put in office the one that He wants in office to fulfill His purposes.
The Lord has given us instruction towards this world. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Instead of being involved in the world’s business and politics, let us be involved in the Lord’s work of winning souls to Christ. May our hearts be as the Lord Jesus when He was just 12 years old. In Luke 2:49 He said, “…wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” Let’s be about the Father’s business of saving souls and representing Him in this evil world. (120.5)