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[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]A recent discussion with a buddy and co-worker led me to think further upon something that had been on my mind for awhile.

“We’re Not a Political Church”

I have often heard churches and friends say something to the extent of: “We’re not a political church”, “I don’t subscribe to politics”, “We don’t want to polarize anyone, so we don’t take a political stance”.  These political disclaimers are usually said by churches, so as to avoid focusing on “political” preferences/issues that Christians are bound to disagree upon and that can divide the body.  While these statements are driven by a well-meaning heart, I believe they can prove to be more detrimental than helpful. Let me explain.

Gospel as an Interpretive Lens

It is true that being conservative or liberal, republican or democrat is not ultimately what matters, but Christ is all!! Our joy is to live life fully for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom.  While that couldn’t be more true, it is also true that what we believe about God has a direct impact on how we view the world and the issues therein. In other words, the Gospel becomes our worldview.  Jesus becomes our yoke and we begin to open our eyes and see the world in light of Him.  C.S. Lewis once said “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

Romans 12:2 urges: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”  By the grace of God, we will begin to think differently about the issues in our nation in a way that aligns with scripture and the Lord’s purposes.

There are many issues in our nation, and the gospel should inform how we think about them, and therefore, impact our support or lack thereof of a political figure who will significantly influence those issues in a way closer aligned with the gospel or further from it.

Scripture as Authority

There are some issues that are certainly up for debate within politics that don’t threaten the gospel or compromise its truths; but then there are other issues that scripture speaks very specifically to.  Such issues consist of abortion, embryonic stem cell research (these two issues are clearly wrong when taking scripture’s teaching as a whole – for more info see abort73 and Klusendorf) , homosexuality etc…

When dealing in the realm of politics, one branch happens to be against almost all the big things that scripture is against, which is why many Christians are conservatives.  The other branch happens to be in support of some big things scripture condemns.  As Christians, we should know and realize that we are not associated with either group, but with Christ.  As the gospel forms our worldview and we begin to see abortion, ESCR, and homosexuality as wrong, we will certainly be deemed republicans and conservatives  by society, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since we know where our true allegiance and associations lie.  Thoughtful and biblical Christians know these things to be wrong not because we are republicans, but because scripture declares them to be wrong.

Gospel Leads to Action

When the Church refuses to become “political” and avoids addressing the political figures of the time, they stay neutral.  By staying neutral, the Church fails to give support to a figure who would hold closest to biblical truths, but it also fails to withhold support from a figure who would advance an agenda that is counter-gospel and an offense to Christ.  And the Church’s reasoning behind this neutrality has been to ensure that the body of Christ isn’t divided, but perhaps the very reason we are divided is due to the silence on these issues.

Speaking about the issues in politics that scripture addresses can be a healthy season for a church, as it gives the body an opportunity to learn and think through issues in a gospel-centered manner.  Refraining from doing so will most certainly lead to division in the Church and disagreement over policy, morality, etc… because individuals will be operating off their own individual intuitions and personal experiences, rather than the teachings of scripture and the truths of the gospel.

The Apostle Paul understood the importance of this:

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”   –2 Corinthians 10:5

How does one do this:

He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message (the gospel) as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.  –Titus 1:9

Therefore, a Christian’s responsibility in politics is to vote for, support the candidate/figure who is aligning their lives and work most closely to the gospel and to scripture’s teaching on the hot issues of the day.  There is tremendous power and unity in the body of Christ and if we can “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” as we consider the politics of the land and the candidates who would plan to lead us, we can have an incredible impact for Christ’s kingdom.

Last Thought

I often run into Christians who are in support of and voting for political figures that fight for abortion rights, push for continued funding on ESCR and strive to pass multiple pro-homosexuality bills.  I can’t help but wonder and ask these Christians how they can continue giving support to a candidate(s) whose desire is to kill more and more babies in the womb, kill embryos by stealing their stem cells to advance seemingly hopeless research in curing others, and advance the cause of a sin that the Old and New Testament condemns, therefore confirming scripture’s whole teaching on homosexuality.

This is the result of not allowing the Gospel to take full reign in our heart and minds, therefore conforming how we think.  Relying on anything else to make sense of the world will be a failure since it will ultimately be sinful.  Christ alone offers the picture and promise of a perfect world, where he alone will reign with His people, whom he died for.  Putting our trust in Him to wrestle through the concerns of this world will not prove futile.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

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