Christians in politics

In a rousing conversation yesterday with my son, we did agree on several things in the two hot topics we discussed: religion and politics.

One of them was that it is easy to be deceived, both by religion and by politics. Far too many people either believe everything they hear (and thus sway back and forth without solid commitment to anything), or their decisions about what to believe are strongly colored by their personal “I-wants.” Either way, decision-making becomes dangerous.

My devotional reading today points to a verse that offers one way to keep on track. 1 Timothy 4:7 says, “Reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.”

This verse tells Christians to concentrate on being godly, and turn from that which is profane or secular, that is, anything disrespectful of religious practice. For most of us, avoiding the profane is not difficult, yet even Christians will say that religion has no place in politics. Think about that for a minute. . . .

Jesus said that He is “the way, the truth and the life” and that “no one can come to the Father except through Him.” If I truly believe that, then it will affect everything I do. This will be my focus in my role as a mother, a teacher, an artist or a member of my community. If, in any area of my life, I deny or push aside the fact that Christ is the only way to God, then I am secularizing that part of life. If I say religion and politics don’t mix, then I am saying that God does not belong in the lives or decision-making of those in public leadership positions.

Yesterday’s discussion also concerned the law about separation of church and state. I believe this goes both ways. The church cannot be ruled by the government any more than the government is the responsibility of the church. Yet if a Christian is part of the ‘secular’ legislative body, they are compelled by God to live as Christians in that position. Not only that, they will bring their perspective of leadership and community need into the church.

If a Christian who is part of the church moves into a political position, the commands to love God and love your neighbor cannot be set on the shelf when that person walks into his or her office. Their Christian faith will affect their leadership role just as their leadership role will affect their church activities.

Regardless of role or position, Christians must not use religious beliefs for personal gain, nor even personal comfort. Christ saved me so that I might glorify Him, not so I could ask Him to swing the vote my way, or give me power to pass laws that would sanction my lifestyle or that of my friends. He did not save me so I could be comfortable and ignore what is going on in the rest of the world either. In other words, and in this my son and I agreed, Christians are just as responsible, and perhaps even more responsible than anyone else to put “God and country” first.

Yet being in the public eye brings public scrutiny. Those who call themselves Christian make the same mistakes as those who do not have faith in Christ. For some reason, those mistakes are more glaring, and certainly deserve the hypocrisy label. We who call on the name of Jesus are expected to live godly lives.

But sometimes we don’t.

It may not matter to the world that deep in our hearts we want to make a difference and we want others to live in peace, enjoy freedom, be treated with dignity and given opportunities to make their own choices without fear. Yet in that desire, we also struggle with our sinful human nature. Sometimes we want those things for ourselves even more, and in that desire, we lose perspective of who comes first.

When I do it, the world doesn’t shake its fist at me because I’m not in a position where most of the world even notices, but when a president or a governor or a candidate who professes the same faith as I do makes a fleshy blunder, the uproar is deafening. This makes me wonder if Christians should go into politics.

It seems that mixing faith into government is a recipe for becoming a target at the very least, but as my son and I discussed, what about the alternatives? Those who are not Christians also bring their belief system to their position of power. When their belief system is just a subtle ‘me first’ hidden behind a lot of high-sounding rhetoric, then what? If their belief system says there is no God, or if there is He doesn’t matter or enter their decision making, then what?

It seems to me that ‘no faith’ is far more fearful than bumbling faith. The secular mind makes truth relative and puts self first. They cannot help it as this is the human condition without the transforming power of Christ. Because of that, without absolutes and objective truth, a secular person will rule their corner of the world whatever way their whim goes.

My son and I also agreed on one other issue. When ordinary people are self-seeking, other ordinary people consider this normal and seldom offer strict judgment, but when Christians disobey God and become self-seeking, it is considered a terrible thing and harshly judged. We both felt great concern that the ordinary person has been lulled into thinking that they will escape the wrath of God for doing the same thing.