Patriotism - My Responsibility?

About 10 years ago I embarked on an ill-fated run for Arizona State Treasurer. My initial motivation was to "make a difference" for the Christian cause. I say "initial" because after the campaign started, many other forces washed over my brain, including power, greed and ego. God was gracious to me, and he crushed my political career flat.

Since that time, I've been asked to run for several different offices, but for the most part I've sat on the sidelines merely remembering to vote every election day. I have been a supporter of our local policy and lobbying group, but one question has bothered me. As a Christian, what is my responsibility regarding politics and government? I have to admit that I've often adopted an extra-Biblical philosophy and tried desperately to rationalize it in my own mind.

How about this one? If Christians are not involved in politics, then the non-Christians will take over. Or what about this point? God would want Christian government in the United States, and I have a God-ordained obligation to do whatever I can to promote it. I read the New Testament twice per year and the Old Testament once and I have to admit that I can't find any support for this emotional flinch.

I recently received several emails from a fellow that insists that in order to be a philosophically consistent Christian, we need to demand a new investigation into the events of 9/11. He asked, ". . . how does your belief in Christ manifest itself in your life and politics?" He saw a disconnect between the view expressed in James 1:27 "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world", and his question, "What about serving widows and orphans? What about those widowed mothers and orphans of 911? Please understand that none of them are satisfied with the results of the findings of the 911 commission." Where does the Christian have obligation and where does he have option?

I read an interesting post from Chuck Colson's BreakPoint yesterday. He makes this point, "In the United States, Christians have all too often vacillated between two extremes—the God-and-country, wrap-the-flag-around-the-cross mentality or on the other hand, the simply passing-through mindset." I agree. I know many politicians that are bent on reforming our government and from my perspective they see the greatest good that they can accomplish on this earth as being the reformation of our government into a republic/theocracy. On the other extreme, there are believers that I know that won't even vote because they see the government as too far gone and too worldly for them to become even slightly involved. (I had a good Christian friend that wouldn't even go to the polls to vote for ME! Maybe he knew me too well?)

The Christian's relationship to government is laid out in Romans 13:1-6 "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing." This passage shoots down subtly the argument, "If Christians are not involved in politics, then the non-Christians will take over." The command is not to get involved in government, but to be subject to the government that God put in place. It also shoots a big fat hole in, "God would want a Christian government in the United States. . . " This passage was written when one of the most oppressive governments in history was in power, namely Rome! "For there is no authority except from God. If God wanted a Christian government in the United States, there would be one!

What should the individual Christian do vis-à-vis politics? First, if God has called a Christian to be salt and light in the political arena, there is no prohibition against it. The same requirements are in place for that individual that there would be if he were a fire fighter, a missionary, or a corporate executive. He must exhibit integrity and his driving passion MUST be the MISSION, to make disciples as he walks through life. If his passion is something other than this, necessarily he can't be walking in God's will. 2 Corinthians 5:9 "So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him." Understand this, that God wants us to be ENGAGED in the world, but not be separate from it. This does not mean that we are to DESIRE this world in any way. Paul said in Philippians 1:21-24 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account." (italics mine) If the Christian politician does not do his work with this in mind, then he cannot please God.

For the Christian that has not chosen politics as a profession, he has a responsibility to restrain evil and to have stewardship over that which God has given him. In the Jesus' day, the average citizen had no voice in government, so his only responsibility was to honor the king and to be subject to the authorities. Today, we have the same obligation, but we also, by virtue of God's divine providence have been gifted a republic. In the same way as we care for our children, our homes and our automobiles, we have a stewardship responsibility over our government.

As for restraining evil, Romans 12:21 "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." If we have opportunity, we have an obligation to overcome evil by doing good. This could be taken to an extreme. Could this mean that we need to drop what we are doing and go to Capitol Hill to demand another 9-11 investigation? Maybe, but it always needs to be measured in the light of the MISSION. Will your actions actually "make disciples"?

In the end, God's word is the final arbiter of truth. If I am measuring my heart against the Bible and I don't allow it to deceive me, then I will have a healthy view of politics. I can still be "heavenly minded" and avoid being "no earthly good"!

His servant,

D. L. Culiver