Should Christians Be Involved In The Current Battle For Our Secular Freedom?

This is a question that burns in every politically minded person who calls himself (or herself) a Christian.   Should I be involved in this debate about secular governance, and if so,  to what extent?

Before we go any further in answering this question, allow me to establish my own Christian credentials. I am pastor of a small church congregation, which is loosely affiliated with a larger group of church congregations that adhere to a particular kind of theology. That theology is referred to among these congregations as the “grace message.”  I have provided numerous articles on this website, plus published a book, that deal elaborately with this subject.  But for our purposes in this short essay, briefly, this message teaches that the world has been in a period of grace for going on 2000 years.  While some among this community believe this began at some time during a 30 year time span following the crucifixion of Christ, referred to in the Bible as the “Acts of the Apostles,” I believe it began at the end of that period with the Apostle Paul’s declaration of it in his letters to the Ephesians and Colossians.  (( Eph 3:1-2
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward:
Col 1:25-26
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints))

In any case, while there is disagreement among grace believers as to exactly when this period (or dispensation) started, all agree that it is where the world presently exists.

The next most obvious question is, what is the significance of this Biblical designation? In as brief a statement as I can possibly make, it means that the entire world exists under God’s grace, which means it is not under God’s judgment. One of the primary passages of Scripture that testifies to this truth, outside of the overt declaration of it in Ephesians and Colossians,  is found in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians:

2 Cor 5:18-21
18    And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19    To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20    Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21    For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The highlighted phrase declares that God, in Christ, is reconciled to the world, and therefore is not holding anyone’s ( in the world) sins against them, and in turn, giving anyone who desires it, the option of reconciling themselves to Him by receiving the gift of salvation by grace, through faith (in Christ). ((Eph. 2:8))

The question then, which is raised in the minds of many grace believers and teachers, is this: if God is not holding anyone in the world accountable for their sins, why should we humans hold them accountable?  Why should we stand in judgment on the world if God isn’t doing this?

Many grace believers, because of this truth, do not feel that we should be judging what the secular world does or doesn’t do, and therefore should abstain from getting ourselves entangled in its political battles. ((Ref. 2 Tim. 2: 4))

If the world is in a downward spiral–which to most believers it obviously is– who are we to try and stop it?  Shouldn’t we be spending all our time preaching the above truth to folks in the world, and looking forward to the Lord’s return to take us out of it, ((aka, the “rapture” event, which is described in 2 Thess. 4:13-18)) rather than wasting our efforts in trying to fix it?

It often perplexes Christians who adhere to a dominionist/ re-constructionist theology, that those of the dispensational persuasion, like myself, would be involved at all in political battles.  Since dominion theology teaches that the Christian’s primary objective is to convert the world to Christ, and establish it under God’s governance, it is easy for them to see their role in the political arena as being critical. On the contrary, they often see the political involvement of folks like myself as a contradiction in terms.

The question is: is it?  Obviously, I don’t believe so. To explain why, allow me to paraphrase a quote made by Pastor Chuck Baldwin in an article he wrote some time ago:

“When I got saved,  and became a citizen of heaven, this did not abrogate my earthly American citizenship, or release me from the responsibilities associated with this citizenship. Good citizenship in our Constitutional Republican system of government requires active involvement. American citizens are the owners of this country in the same sense that stockholders are the owners of a corporation (( The difference being that we can easily disavow ownership in a corporation by simply selling our stock;  whereas,  disconnecting ourselves from our American citizenship isn’t quiet so easy.  Even when we live abroad, we are still considered citizens by the government)) We appoint, through the democratic election process, citizens from among our ranks to execute the law of the land, represent our interests, and protect our rights under the first ten amendments to the Constitution. If this is the case, to say that we have no interest or responsibility in what these people do in regards to these things is ridiculous. If anything is a contradiction in terms, it would be this position. This is likened to investing your money in a business venture, and from then on completely ignoring what the managers of the venture are doing with the money.”

How much involvement?

I know a few Christians, including those with whom I share the same theological beliefs, who eschew political involvement, claiming, “it isn‘t our problem.” But these same people will usually vote in elections.   Unfortunately, in my opinion, this does not qualify as responsible citizenship, especially when the activity is accompanied with the “I’m voting for the lesser of two evils” attitude. If this is the case, why vote at all? Isn’t this still supporting evil with your vote? ((Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil…))  One wonders who Christians with this attitude would vote for if the candidates of the  two major parties–the only ones who have a chance to win, of course–were Stalin and Hitler?

The second problem with participation of this type is, it is almost always done with a half-hearted attitude. If this is the case, because of what is commanded by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Colossians,  “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men..  ((Col 3:23)), it would be better to abstain from participating at all.

To say that this is to be applied only in Bible doctrine issues is preposterous. If this application is right, then does a passage like Romans 12:17 ((Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.)) refer to being honest only about Bible doctrine with “all men”, implying that in every other area of life Christians can lie, cheat and defraud their fellow man with impunity? This precept applies to anything  we do, which certainly includes political involvement.

A case may very well be made for disconnecting from political activity. If one cannot be involved without becoming “entangled” in it to the extent that it destroys their health, their family relationships and their fellowship with like-minded believers, then by all means don’t be involved. In addition, if you believe that God has commanded us to eschew political involvement altogether, then get out of it totally–don’t even vote–there is no law in America that says anyone must be politically active.

Obviously, I don’t believe God has commanded this, anymore than I believe He has commanded us to become separatists, and disassociate ourselves from all secular activity. We exist in the grace dispensation, and in this spiritual economy we are not to separate ourselves from the world or worldly activity,  ((1 Cor 5:9-10 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world)) which certainly includes politics.

Therefore, assuming that politics is a profitable activity, and you have decided to get involved (to a greater extent than merely voting every four years), there are definitely some borders that should be set in your mind before doing so.  They are as follows:

1. If you do choose to become active, do it as an individual.  Make a determination of what you believe is right, and stand on that individually.  Am I implying that no one should join together with others of a like political mind, in the interest of preserving our freedoms? Not at all. What I am saying is, be wary of political movements and organizations, and their quest to enjoin you to their cause. They all have agendas, and though the agenda might be a noble one in the outset, as in all human collective endeavors, the focus will eventually be directed towards the proliferation of the organization, at the expense of the principles and beliefs upon which it was originally established. How many folks, including Christians, go into voting booths and vote what they call a “straight party” ticket, driven by a sense of party loyalty,  without knowing who many of the candidates are, or what they stand for?  This is political laziness at best, and the height of presumption at worst. When we give in to this practice, doing it in the interest of being a loyal party member. we become complicit in placing people in positions of power who have no business being there.    In my opinion, it’s the primary reason our country is in the present peril in which we find it.

2. Speak the truth, but speak it in love. (( Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ)) One of the most prevalent activities of human beings is denigrating or “putting down” of their fellow human beings.  In speaking the truth in love, we are therefore to focus our criticism (and our praise) on policy, not personality.

3.  In the same token, we are not to engage in the culture of worshiping political leaders, to the extent that they are treated as some sort of anointed, god-like beings who are going to right all wrongs.  The first commandment ((Ex 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.)) expressly forbids this kind of fawning over other human beings, political and otherwise.  Moreover, passages like Jeremiah 17:9  ((the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it?)) include all human character, therefore no political figure, considering the kind of havoc their policies could reek on society,  should ever be allowed a “blank check” by constituents.  We must not fall into the error of calling “evil good, and good evil,” as strict partisans and ideologues are often guilty of doing.

4. Be temperate in what you do in any secular activity.  Do not ever–never–place political loyalty and comradeship above Christian fellowship. This is tantamount to abandoning the spiritual realm in the interest of building up the temporal realm.  Your primary allegiance is to the Lord Jesus Christ and your fellow members of His spiritual body. Your primary cause is to “make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery” ((Eph. 3:9)), not to endeavor to create some sort of utopian, heaven on earth through political activity.  Our political involvement should be done in the interest of providing a “free course” ((2 Thess 3:1  Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:)) to preach the gospel, and an environment wherein we can live “a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” ((1 Tim 2:2))

Finally, if,  through apathy and complacency, we end up losing our right to freedom of speech and assembly, and it becomes unlawful to preach the gospel,  then please those of you who have advocated for either minimal involvement or no involvement at all,  spare those of us who have fought to retain our rights the nonsense that “it was God’s will” that it happened, because God is not presently in the business of establishing an earthly government, we are.

Post Script

Have you ever trusted Christ and what he did for you at Calvary? ((Died for your sins, and was raised again for your justification. 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Romans 4:25)) Do you know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that you are saved, sealed and bound for heaven? If you aren’t sure, make this the “day of your salvation,” by admitting to your sinful condition, and simply asking the Lord to save you. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. ((Acts 16:31))