Is politics too dirty for a Christian?

“Hey, Hey, LBJ!

How Many Kids Did You Kill Today?”

  Those words, part of a chant repeated over and over in protests during the 1960s has essentially been forgotten. Fifty years ago those words rang out across college campuses, fueled antiwar rallies and filled the air outside the White House piercing the soul of the man who lived there.

  The Vietnam War became “Lyndon Johnson’s war,” though it was Eisenhower, nearly a decade earlier who first involved the U.S. in Vietnam. Vietnam eventually wrecked Johnson’s presidency, ending his dream of founding a “Great Society,” free of everything war and violence birthed. Within five years of leaving office, he died a broken and disillusioned man.

  How would you feel? How would you feel if nearly every decision was second-guessed? How would you feel if you were constantly misquoted or your words taken out of context? How would you feel if you were called a “hack, extremist, idiot, thug, radical, shill” or worse? How would you feel if every time there was a traffic jam, a downturn in the economy, or even a pothole, you were blamed and it was somehow YOUR fault? How would you feel if you or your family were threatened with bodily harm or worse because of your position? How would you feel if you weren’t quite sure if your friends were really friends, or because you had some influence that benefited them?   

  If none of that would bother you, maybe you’re ready to run for public office…because that’s the price. While it’s true that some individuals seek public office to gain position or acquire power or money, it’s a small minority. Most seek public office, especially local ones, to work for their community or for a cause. They want to make a difference. Most begin pure in their ideology and motives. They truly, according to their worldview, desire to make their community and this world a better place.

  Yes, it’s easy to become jaundiced and forget you’re a public servant. Very few start that way and most still want to make a difference. They’re committed to the “greater good,” even though we may not agree with their definition of what that “greater good” is or their worldview.

  It’s common for Christians to quip, “I’m just not interested in politics.” Such a dismissive remark is frequently delivered with a veneer of piety implying that political engagement is somehow inherently defiled, occupying an arena unfit for anyone serious about the gospel. Yet, such an attitude denies the gospel and that Christ died for everyone including politicians, even those that we disagree with. The message of the gospel is that by grace through faith every sinner can be reconciled with God (Eph. 2:7-8). It’s only the gospel, not political power, that transforms individuals, nations and cultures.  

  Politics are unavoidable. Ask a pastor of an underground church or a missionary attempting to access a closed country if politics matter. Religious liberty, passports and visas are vital. In America and a post-Christian world, it’s politics that protect the blessing that God has given us, our 1^st amendment rights: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

  Politics then have real-world implications on our God-given mission of evangelism, missions and discipleship. God has given us a responsibility to care for those around us. It’s vital that we engage in the political process advocating for laws and policies that contribute to the good and flourishing of our fellow image-bearers of God. We are our “neighbor’s keeper.”

  God established and uses human government for His glory (Gen. 9:5-6; Rom. 13:1-5). Some of the greatest heroes in Scripture served the Lord by serving in anti-God governments (Joseph, Nehemiah, Esther and Daniel).

  One of the most evil kings of all time was gloriously saved Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4). It’s why we’re commanded to pray for our governmental leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-4). At Grace, we take that command seriously. It’s why we pray for an elected official each week. We want them to govern in a God-honoring way. More importantly, we want them to come to a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

  Think what would happen if those in elected office came to Christ. Most of us are skeptical of that. Yet, that only shows our lack of faith and naïveté of God’s power. I’ve just finished reading, Born Again by Chuck Colson. Known as Nixon’s “hatchet man,” Chuck Colson was the last person many thought would ever come to Christ, but he did. Literally, millions in the corridors of power and in cells in some of the world’s worst prisons have been touched by the gospel because God gloriously saved Chuck Colson. I know that God has used him and his writings in my life.

  This weekend Jane and I are attending the Wilberforce Conference hosted by the organization Chuck Colson started, Prison Fellowship. Tomorrow we’ll be visiting the offices of our national representatives. Why? We have a biblical mandate – Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus was the friend of sinners and you and I are to be Jesus in our world.

  Throughout time God has placed believers in the corridors of power. As Christians, we have a common bond with brothers and sisters in Christ that is eternal, even if they’re from other political persuasions. Our common spiritual inheritance must have precedence over all political differences.   

  Jeremiah 29:7 says: “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Referring to the debauched city of Babylon, Jeremiah recognized even a pagan government serves a purpose in God’s plan. That’s still true. Our witness in the public square contributes transcendent moral values, yet our withdrawal opens the door to a moral vacuum. We are commanded to be salt and light…and that includes the political arena.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.