Christ and Politics (Part 1) “The Nature of the Arena”

To engage politics biblically one must understand and appreciate the nature of the arena to which you have been called. Politics and government is exactly like every other mission field on the planet. It holds no special status of uniqueness or absolution from the corruption and dysfunction of sin to which the entire world has been stained. It is no different than the marketplace, public education, the news media, the entertainment business, professional sports, or our family units. To grant it a special space is to begin with a wrong premise. The presupposition of political or public policy engagement is that selfishness (sin) is at work and redemption is the only answer. This isn’t negative, harsh, or disrespectful. It is theology 101.

For years I have taught that the civic government arena (political sphere) is populated by the same people who live in every sphere of life. I have divided them up into 5 demographics which are the primary and perhaps exclusive concern of the Christian.

1. Those who are lost (unsaved) and are hostile to the message of the Gospel.
2. Those who are lost (unsaved) and are open to the message of the Gospel.
3. Those who claim the label Christian yet bear no discernible or consistent fruit.
4. Those who are legitimately saved but have never been thoroughly discipled to apply their faith to their life.
5. Those who are saved and bearing the fruit of a life yielded and consecrated to Jesus Christ.

With close to 30 years of ministry experience in this arena alone I can report that I have met politicians represented in each of these categories. This is unsurprising to most. I will also say that the groups and organizations which orbit around the political sphere are populated by the same categories. Again, unsurprising and confirms in many ways what Jesus taught us in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-9). Jesus taught that the “seed of the Word” will have different impacts upon various soil (a person’s heart).

1. The 1st seed falls on a hardened path and is immediately stolen by the evil one. This represents a person who hears the word but does not understand or receive it, allowing it to be snatched away.
2. The 2nd seed falls on the soil is rocky and shallow, so it withers under the sun. This represents someone who receives the word with joy, but has no firm root, leading them to fall away when trouble or persecution arises.
3. The 3rd seed falls on thorny ground and initially grows but is eventually choked out by those thorns. This represents a person who hears the word, but the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of “things” choke it, making it unfruitful.
4. The 4th seed lands on fertile ground (good soil), takes root, and produces a bountiful crop. This represents someone who hears, understands, and acts on the word, resulting in a life that bears fruit.

This is ministry reality in a fallen world. It might even be observed that Jesus could be suggesting that the true outcome of Gospel work is that 25% of the group you are amongst has a genuinely redeemed heart. Now you may be inclined to say, “So what?” What difference does the reality of these people groups make upon political engagement?

I would suggest… a lot.

It means that there is a high likelihood that the municipal, county, state, or federal government you are engaging is primarily dominated by darkened minds. That’s not to say there are no good people serving in government. Indeed, I have met some stellar and godly individuals. That said, the nature of the political system is not automatically designed for righteous outcomes. There are competing worldviews, ideologies, philosophies, and agendas. People are ensnared by the carnal heart which produces jealousies, envies, immoralities, idolatries, hatred, strife, rivalries, divisions, factions, heresies, revelings and carousing (Galatians 5:19-21). There is pride, ego, greed, covetousness, lust, sloth (neutrality) and hatred. All the carnal forces which have plagued humanity since the Fall are still in operation today.

But here’s the catch…

While we all might affirm the reality of these vices at work in every arena of life and its destructive consequences, to what extent does it impact our civic engagement strategy when it comes to elections, legislation, public policy, and “the common good”. Are we simply a people where “the ends justifies the means”? Or as Christians, do we engage based on a different perspective and framework? Do we capitulate to the laws of politics, or do we obey the commands of the King of the arena? Do we resign ourselves to the supposed political reality of the sphere, or do we arise to the present reality of Christ’s Lordship? Do we compromise to watch the incremental pendulum swing back and forth for centuries, or do we fearlessly obey to watch the hand of our God move miraculously? I will remind you that the Lord moves when His Word is obeyed and faith is released. Not necessarily when pragmatism is exalted and political expediency is released.

I have sat in many government officials’ offices and discussed righteous public policy concerns. I cannot count the times when I have heard, “The votes are not there”; “My district (or the public) is not ready for that”; or “My voting has to reflect my constituency while in office”. Here’s the reality. At a maximum of 25% “good ground” constituents and colleagues, there will never be a day when the numbers work. This is why we need to review and perhaps recalibrate the civic engagement template Christians have bought into this arena. If something is broken and dysfunctional, then enablement and embracing are not paths to redemption and reformation. And the only people group capable of bringing correction and the possibility of redemption is the Church.

I’m glad I heard an “amen”.

The corresponding obedience to that “amen” is where the challenge has always been.

See you soon for post 3.