In the World, but Not of It

 

I would like to respond to some of the concerns raised over my recent post advocating Christian involvement in the political process (e.g., voting, etc.). First, I agree that we must be careful to set our primary focus on Christ first and not allow anything to distract us from that main goal. In other words, our trust should be on things above and not on things below. That's precisely why I advocate a "balance." Certainly, we are not to be "of" the world, adopting its philosophies, imitating its practices, or putting our faith in man instead of in God to solve our problems. However, I do believe that we are still to be "in" the world, acting as salt and light. In order to do that, though, we can’t be passively disengaged or hide from the world. I know it’s tempting to not get involved. Who wants to be on the battlefront? It’s certainly a lot easier – at least initially until things get worse in the government and our culture, and we’re fighting for our freedoms and our lives, as Christians had to do in times past (e.g., the Reformers, Covenanters, etc.). So, I personally believe that we should be actively involved and engaging with those in the world – not only for our sake, but also for those in the world and future generations. Again, I’m not implying we are to, in any way, “be” like the world. And I know that’s a challenge to maintain that balance – being “in” and yet not “of” the world.

So, again, I maintain that we should try to balance things. On one hand, I don't think we are to stick our heads in the sand and be oblivious to what's going on in the world. We need to be aware of what’s happening so we can be effective in helping others around us. On the other hand, I don't think we should be "obsessed" with the political process, being overly consumed with that so that God is not our priority, and making it our idol. I’ve known people who have taken that extreme position. I also know many on the other side who say that Christians should not discuss politics or get involved with it at all. However today, unlike 20-30 years ago, the issues at stake are major and no longer grey issues or what used to generally fall under the broad category of "politics" (things related to the economy, environment, etc.). What we're dealing with today are obvious "moral" issues: abortion, homosexuality, gender issues, euthanasia, losing our religious freedoms, etc. - things that clearly contradict God's Word, which I believe we are to defend and uphold, God enabling us. Socialism, or worse, communism, are also being actively promoted by the far left, which clearly oppose Christianity. I lived in East Germany, when it was still communist and witnessed some of the horrors of a totalitarian regime. Part of my family also lived in China and were persecuted by the communist government after WWII.  If we do nothing, and neglect to use the legal means that God has given us as citizens in our (thus far) free nation, we may lose our religious freedoms and face severe persecution, as in autocratic nations. And perhaps that is God's sovereign will for our nation, as a judgment for our apostasy. I can't say we don't deserve it, if that's His plan. But just as the Apostle Paul used his civil rights as a Roman citizen to avoid unnecessary punishment (i.e., scourging and imprisonment), I think it is permissible for us to do the same while we still can. (Sadly, I believe that there will come a day when we may no longer have that privilege.)

Having said that, I can respect some Christians who, because of their conscience or moral convictions, do not wish to be involved at all in the political process (e.g., Amish, Mennonites, etc.). Some in my family (i.e., Mennonites) hold those beliefs. However, for those of us who feel morally compelled to speak up and actively oppose what is evil should not be discouraged by those who hold other convictions. God uses different people to accomplish His will in various ways. In the Old Testament, God sometimes used Israel’s kings and soldiers to fight the enemy (though He certainly did not need them). At other times, He fought the battle directly Himself without their participation at all. Likewise, God used Wilberforce to help abolish slavery in England using the political process. And currently, God is also using many believers and Christian organizations to fight for the lives of the unborn, to protect our children from sexual perversion, and to help prevent radical leftist indoctrination in public schools, etc. I think that is a good - not a bad - thing.

Certainly, there are no perfect political parties or leaders, even on the right, and unfortunately, we're going to find corruption and moral compromise everywhere. And yes, who wants to vote for the lesser of two evils all the time. I struggle with this dilemma, too - especially when trying to decide which candidate to vote for. Continuing, even if someone decides not to vote for leaders, he can at least vote on bills that relate to moral issues. I mean in some states, they’re trying to legalize infanticide now. Abhorrent! Things are degenerating very quickly. I could not even conceive of such a thing fifty years ago. That sort of evil should not at all be tolerated, let alone even considered. It’s horrible enough that abortion within the womb is still legal, though, thankfully, it’s being fought. So, I think it is critical for believers to vote against immoral legislation.

Having said all that, I think the MOST important thing we, as believers, can do is to spread the gospel far and wide and pray fervently that God will send a "true" (not a humanly contrived) revival and save souls – like in the Great Awakening. God’s Spirit must attend His Word, though, and believers must be willing to get out there and boldly proclaim His truth. That is when we will truly see major change in our nation. That’s where most of our effort and prayers should be directed.

My prayer is that God will help us maintain a balance in fighting this spiritual war. Just as Nehemiah’s men held swords in their hands, while they rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem (representing the human side), and also prayed for God’s protection (representing the divine side), I think it is permissible for us to do the same – that is, to fight with the legal sword (the human side) on one hand, and on the other hand, to lean on God (the divine side), trusting in His provision, and praying that He will grant us the victory over our enemy for His glory and the benefit of His people.  

Continuing, At the same time, I do think we have a responsibility on our part to defend the truth and counter evil, as God enables us to. When we vote for what is morally right (e.g., against abortion, homosexuality, etc.), I think of it as unashamedly declaring that we support what God and His Word affirm, (i.e., that which is good and right).  In other words, I am expressing what my spiritual views or positions are, contra those of the world, as well as my allegiance to, agreement with, and alignment with Christ. I also believe God purposely sends us such moral dilemmas and challenges (i.e., in which we have to decide whether we should take a stand, even though it is unpopular and possibly risky) to test our faith and loyalty. Are we willing to stand with Christ, even if it may mean we could experience retaliation or persecution?

 

Like you, I wholeheartedly believe that we are to trust God (vs. man) to bring about a resolution to ANY problem (not just politically) and to deliver us from the enemy. By voting or being involved in the political process, I am not “truly” putting my trust or confidence in man - a mere agent or secondary cause used by God to carry out His sovereign plan, which He ordained before the world began. I learned that lesson (i.e., to not put my trust in man) a long time ago, by God's grace, having personally witnessed corruption and injustice while working for the government. Likewise, I also learned this about some leaders in the church. We have to be very careful and discerning and not just blindly or naively put our faith in some man, who, like us, is human and thus fallible. (As such, I try to imitate the Bereans in researching matters and verifying claims - both in the spiritual and secular realm - e.g., relating to the government, education, medical field, etc.). Instead of in man, we are to put our whole trust in God.  Again, I agree with you in this. You're preaching to the choir here - believe me. As God is my witness, my hope and trust do not rest in weak and imperfect man. For those who know me well, my record bears this out. Attesting to this, one of my favorite verses is Ps. 118:8-9: "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes."

 

However, having said that, let me try to balance things now. Though clearly, much, if not most, of our current political and governmental system is corrupt, reflecting the apostate condition of our nation, I still think God uses some good leaders (few though they are), like Gov. De Santis and others, to carry out His will. Of course, God does not need them, just as He did not need Gideon and his men to oppose the Midianites, David to fight Goliath, Samson to destroy the Philistines, or anyone else. God accomplishes everything in His own power and determines who will win or lose, according to His sovereign plan. And it does not matter how great of an army we have, how sophisticated our weaponry is, or how intelligent or experienced our leaders are. That is not really the deciding factor. God is - period. And if we are not following God, He may (and has every right to) judge us by allowing our enemies, even if they are in the minority, to defeat us. That happened to Israel numerous times in the Old Testament. So, I am quite aware that power and authority do not ultimately rest in man's ability. Man is a like a mere speck of dust - or rather, nothing - compared to God. Men are simply instruments in the hands of God, who is the true Source of deliverance and the Determiner of every outcome.

 

But despite this, God still wants us (specks of dust) to do our “very” small human part and "act" in accordance with His will, though clearly it is really God who works in and through us to achieve His end for His glory. It goes back to that paradox and tension Spurgeon spoke about that exist between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. Though God indeed controls all things, we are still culpable for our decisions and accountable for our actions. Drawing a parallel, just as regeneration is monergistic, in which we are entirely passive and contribute absolutely nothing while God renews our hearts, still in God's sovereign purposes, He has ordained that we should exercise faith and repentance (gifts of God) before He justifies us. Though God does it all, from start to finish, and all the credit goes to Him for saving us, He still wants us to cooperate by believing and repenting. Similarly, in sanctification (which is synergistic), we are to participate in our spiritual growth, though, again it is really God behind the scenes enabling us in all that we do. So, whatever God has ordained that we (i.e., powerless humans) should do in playing our part in this real drama or story called life, we are to do it, even though again, He is the one truly directing everything and should receive all the glory. Put another way, though God ultimately controls the outcome and means for every event and circumstance in life (e.g., which candidate wins the race and which bill passes), He still wants us to participate, even though we can do absolutely nothing in our own power or wisdom to succeed or control the outcome. A paradox indeed, but I think we are wise to realize that God has ordained the “end” as well as the “means.”

 

I don't know if that clarified my position on this issue, but as for me, I personally would feel better about taking a public stand (unashamedly), demonstrating that I agree with God and what His Word clearly states than to remain passive and do nothing, and by my silence possibly imply either indifference or moral compromise on my part. Additionally, though I would love it if we had more candidates in elections who were "truly" Christian, in reality, that rarely happens in the degenerate age we live in. So, I pray and vote for the ones which are at least conservative morally (if there are any), and pray that God will guide their decisions. Sometimes, if there are absolutely no good candidates, then I don't vote for them, so that I don’t go against my conscience. In that case, I simply vote for the various bills, especially if they involve ethical issues. Personally, I could not, in good conscience, do nothing (i.e., not vote), if, for example, there were some godless groups trying to legalize infanticide or pedophilia, which are currently gaining ground in some states. Moreover, I think we should do more than just vote. Really, that’s the easy part. What’s truly challenging and more effective is to live as shining lights in a dark world, be actively involved in sharing and spreading God’s truth, and fervently praying that God will transform hearts. For that’s when we will see true change – when God moves.

 

Thanks for your patience. For further clarification, please read my response to Noelene touching on the same issue. Thank you, and God bless you.