Dear Church Family Member/Friend,
When I was much younger, I remember a pastor's saying, "This is church. We don't talk about politics here." Even back then, this admonition made no sense to me. I knew that the Old Testament prophets spoke messages to those in power sometimes of encouragement, sometimes of correction, and always of wise counsel. Of course, I am now the pastor of a church located in a nation governed by a Constitution in which the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights reads,
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Some have interpreted that amendment as if it were saying that a religious person dare never talk about governmental issues. Of course, even a surface reading of the First Amendment reveals that this is not the case. It is clear to me that a church is not to endorse a particular political candidate or party, conduct political rallies, or hand out partisan literature. I also think it foolish even to suggest that we have insight into God's political leanings. And, of course, we always must show the grace and kindness of Christ in how we talk with those whose convictions differ from ours. We simply must consider what the Scriptures have to say about political, moral, and ethical issues in the world in which God has placed us. If we fail to do so, we may lead people to think that the Bible is irrelevant and has no wisdom for the major issues facing our society.
But how do we go about it? That's the complex question. And, I'm fully aware that just as Lake Avenue Church has great diversity in almost every way, we also have a breadth of viewpoint on political issues. So, let me suggest several broad guidelines that might help guide our discussions with one another and our involvement as we approach a major election day in less than one month:
- Our ultimate allegiance is to God.
No government in this world is perfect. Indeed, we who follow the Lord Jesus know that through faith in Christ we have become members of God's eternal family. We are people who have "citizenship in heaven" (Phil. 3:20
). With realism and humility, we live in this world fully aware that political change will not, in and of itself, usher in the kingdom of God, strengthen marriages and families, get rid of narcissism and greed, set us free from addictions, etc. Human systems cannot change our hearts. Sometimes, the ways and laws of our heavenly king are in conflict with earthly powers. At those times, we must "obey God rather than men" as Peter declared in (Acts 5:29 ). Knowing when those times occur requires wisdom and good judgment, as the next point will indicate. - Our normal course of action is to abide by our government's laws.
Although we have an allegiance to God that should transcend and have priority over any allegiance in this world, in the normal course of life, we do as Romans 13 instructs us, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted..." The Apostle Paul then adds, "For (the one in authority) is God's servant to do you good... He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing..." (Rom. 13:1-6 ). In other words, Christians always should be counted on to be good citizens. (And remember that Paul was writing this while under the rule of one of the most violently anti-Christian governments in history.) If we take a stand against the laws of the land in which we have been placed, it should be only because we have a crystal-clear conviction that the human laws are directly in contradiction to the laws of God. - Our involvement in the current political process is a stewardship.
We who are citizens in the United States have a rare opportunity that most of our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the history of the church have not possessed. We live in a country "of, by, and for the people," and unquestionably, there are many people of faith in that "of, by, and for" group. Many, many members of our larger eternal family have lived under atheistic dictatorships, monarchies, or authorities committed to other deities. Good citizens in our country are not only permitted to take part in political processes but are expected to do so. Because of that, in my view we should be involved as citizens in speaking out for truth and justice, in seeking government that promotes the good and restrains evil, and (for some) following God's leading to pursue political office. At the very least, we should view voting as a gift, a stewardship, which we dare not ignore. Even if we say that we do not like any of the candidates, we should vote and, in doing so, seek to make sound and wise judgments in our voting. - Good stewardship always demands faithfulness (1 Cor. 4:2 ).
If we will be good stewards of this gift of participation in the political processes of our nation, how shall we exercise faithfulness in this area?• Learn the issues and investigate objectively the positions at stake in the election.
• Listen carefully and without predisposed bias. (We simply must learn to obey Scripture by being "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" ).
• Grow in our understanding of the Bible and what it says about the issues our nation is addressing.
• Discuss issues (graciously) with others, especially with those who may disagree with us, so that we may gain a wider perspective than we otherwise might have.
• Treat those who disagree with us with respect even to the point of loving our enemies (Matt. 5:43-47 ). People can be "red" or "blue" politically and still be immoral, mean, or corrupt. Followers of Jesus must grow in being kind and moral.
• Recognize that believers may disagree with our political positions and still be genuine brothers and sisters in Christ.
• Speak out humbly but courageously when we have gained clarity about political viewpoints that run counter to what is good, compassionate, true, or just.
As we seek to be good stewards in the political process in 2008, I believe that there are several specific issues we should be talking about in our political stewardship. As we know, these issues are usually complex and demand ongoing discussion, careful study, fervent prayer, and a lot of courage blended with humility. Although there are surely more matters before us than I can list here, among the issues on my mind are the following:
- The Bible is unequivocal in teaching that a marriage is to be of a man to a woman (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5-6 ). This, of course, is not simply a religious or biblical issue: Throughout history and across cultures, a marriage both by definition and practice has included male and female. The California State Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage redefined marriage for society in a way that flies in the face of historic and cross-cultural understanding. This decision has far-reaching consequences. These realities should affect our consideration of California Proposition 8.
- Good governmental leaders should care for the poor and struggling within their boundaries. In ancient Israel, those who had authority were to care particularly for the orphan, the widow, and the "foreigner." These were the three groups not supported by the family system in that society. This viewpoint does not mean that large welfare systems must be run by a good government. However, a governmental leader who does not show concern for those who are hurting or marginalized in their midst will not be "good" in the eyes of God.
- Good government should seek to provide security, as it is able, for its citizens. In fact, many of those called to power in the Old Testament were called specifically to protect their people from harm.
- A good government will value the lives of its people and all people. I apply this to the valuing of life both at human life's beginning (conception) to the very end. Weakness, age, disabilities, and infirmity do not diminish the value of a human life in the eyes of Scriptural teaching. Moreover, a good government will treat those from other nations with appropriate respect. It takes a lot of wisdom to know what it means to value human life consistently regardless of age, ethnicity, first language, economic capability, etc. All human life from beginning to end is made in God's image.
- A good government will care wisely for the resources within its authority; people, material, ecological, and any other resources because a follower of Jesus sees it all as being a part of our Heavenly Father's creation that he declared to be good and over which he gave human beings the responsibility and capability to rule well (Gen. 1:27-31a).
A good government will seek to restrain evil and promote goodness. Now, I know that this launches us into a big debate about what is evil and what is good. Even more, it is not easy to determine practically how government might go about these "restraining" and "promoting" responsibilities. However, I am convinced that this is a debate worth having. In evaluating the kind of leader who will do this well, Micah 6:8 "boils down" the expectation of God for the wise ruler:
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Perhaps it is an oversimplification, but I call us to support those running for office who seem most fully to promote what is good, compassionate, true, and just. There is far more that should be said (and surely what I've said could be said more effectively). But let me add a wise statement from our LAC Ministry Council chair, John Lewis: "Since we know that the ultimate solution to the human condition is not to be found in political action but in Christ, we must consider how our actions (political and otherwise) either bring others closer to a gracious, heart-changing relationship to Christ or else drive them further away from it." So, let us deal openly and graciously with one another, always speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15 ). Let us learn from one another as we are "iron sharpening iron" (Prov. 27:17 ) throughout this election season. Let us engage in prayer and in action always instructed by God's Word and guided by the Holy Spirit.
To His glory,
Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor
P.S.: For further reading, I direct you to a discussion about the church and politics in which three Christian leaders with differing views (Charles Colson, Gregory Boyd, and Shane Claiborne) are interviewed. An edited transcript of the interview is published in the Leadership Journal, Summer 2008, pp. 19-25. To hear the entire conversation, visit http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2008/summer/19.18.html.
