Every four years there is a national election in the United States to determine who we want as President, as well as a number of other less prestigious, but no less important government positions. It’s a time when we will be inundated with political commercials and commentary concerning who are civil leaders should be. We will face the questions which will ask us who we should reelect and who we should run out of office. We will filter out (hopefully) the lies, inaccuracies and embellishments. We, as an electorate, will mostly think within the binary box of republicans and democrats, which in itself is a frustrating paradigm because it predominantly leaves us with the feeling that we are forced to choose between the lesser of two “evils”.
America was not founded on the presupposition of two major political parties. In fact, an historical case can be made that many of the founders were staunchly against such a paradigm and had hoped to avoid it. But alas, almost immediately in our nascent beginnings, the binary paradigm arose and after 200 years we have accepted it without much resistance. To be elected to a national office with some mandate to govern, it is almost unavoidable that coalitions and compromises end up taking place. The Parliamentary system of the United Kingdom works a little differently, allowing multiple parties to participate, but in the end, some kind of coalition has to form in order to establish the government. So, compromise and incrementalism are to some degree inevitable consequences to any democratic form of representation.
This blog is not intended to lecture the reader on civic government, but rather suggest it might be time for Christians to consider more seriously and deeply as to what God might actually have to say about civil government and what our place, as believers, in that jurisdiction might actually look like. I am not the first to suggest this or write about it. There are several notable scholars, as well as scores of the self-educated, who have explored just these thoughts. My comments are not to somehow say something which hasn’t been said or shed some grand new enlightenment on God’s view of government; but rather take us all back to the foundational question of whether or not the Bible speaks to every arena of life and might God have any thoughts on how we might approach our republic.
This is a serious question and pursuit, especially in our era. I will never forget reading Watchman Nee’s classic book, “Spiritual Authority”, and being confronted with the question that Nee suggests was explicitly being asked in the Garden. That question was, “Who shall rule?” That question became the crux of Adam and Eve’s entire future and indeed, the future of all humanity. If you don’t get that question right, then nothing else ultimately matters.
Of course, the answer to the question is easy…God rules…right? Yes, but the implementation of that reality is where we get twisted. In America, that twisting happens at least every two years and most assuredly every four years in the civic arena. There seems to be this suspension (on our part) of allowing the Scriptures to direct our actions when it comes to choosing our representatives. We automatically presume that the Bible has little to say on 21st century political reality. Oh, it might speak to a couple of personal moral considerations, but beyond that, we defer to our liberal v. conservative paradigm and political tribalism. Plus, we don’t want to field the accusations from both “Christians” and secularists that we are trying to foist a theocracy down everyone’s throat. (Just to be clear, I believe theocracies exist within secularism too. It all boils down to who is your “theos”?)
This has nothing to do with Donald Trump, so please do not make it that. President Trump (even given a second term) will be long gone and the question of, “who shall rule” still beckons us. My guess at this point is that Trump will win that second term and those passionately for and against him will maintain those passions until 2024. So, my point (and actually my strategy) is not to debate and argue through people’s political fervency and paradigm for the next 5 years, but rather continue to seed people’s minds with the question, “Who shall rule?” To what extent will you yield to the Scripture in the political arena, as well as your personal life? Can you be open to the thought that the Bible may have much more to say to us beyond simply an individual’s ethic, a personal salvation manual, or our individualized spiritual growth? (As critically important as all those personal points may be.) But rather, the Bible (rightly interpreted) is actually an owners manual, a blueprint, a guidebook for how God designed ALL of life to be lived and handled. It is His voice through the ages revealing to obstinate human beings, how life can find meaning, order, and true contentment.
Again, books (large and small) have been written on just this point. This blog could run down a hundred interesting alleys exploring the repercussions of that simple concept of God rules and how the revelation of that rule is found in the Scriptures. But my point today is simply planting a tiny seed of a question to you the reader, “Who shall rule?” No matter your political tribe or philosophy, that question is the crux of the matter in the 21st century, as well as every century. Who gets to call the shots? Who gets to define what words mean? Who decides what is best for a nation or community? Who determines what is moral or immoral, just or unjust, fair or unfair? Who answers the ethical and moral questions our current generation appears so confused over? How should I approach an election? If everything I do is to glorify God, then how should I handle my political options? Who shall rule?
My feelings?
My proclivities?
My desires?
A majority?
An elite few?
Or even our individualized self?
Really?
I would argue that the Scriptures teach the greatest sin of all is pride. Pride can manifest in multiplied ways, but at it’s root it believes that oneself is the center of the universe. I would be most frightened to think that any human being could generate answers within themselves. Yet, we attempt this constantly as a species. And it always ends up being a mess.
I simply ask again…Who shall rule?
As for me and my house…we have declared our allegiance. It is the Lord.
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