The Role of a Jesus Follower in Our Democratic Republic

(September 4, 2015 at 9:57 AM) "I've asked my friend and fellow clergyman, Roger Wilson, if he would write up a brief on the whole situation and how we as Christians should interact with government. Roger, I know I'm putting you on the spot, but of all the people I know you have the most Biblical clarity when dealing with conflict. You also have a good way of expressing it. If you would do this, I will gladly share. Thank you for even considering it."  Yes, it has only taken me 4 1/2 years, but I have finally responded to my friend Randy's request.  In the meantime, it might seems the questions have changed with the change in the Oval office, but my focus is pretty much the same.

The Role of a Jesus Follower in Our Democratic Republic

(see also "God & Government" and "Why Not Trust the Government?")

Observing Christians during the 2016 campaign for President and then through the first three years of Donald Trump's Presidency has been disheartening, to say the least. So few Christians seem to set themselves apart as “Christ-ians”, “little Christs, or as disciples. What am I looking for? Love, truth, wisdom, kindness, a forgiving spirit, mercy, and grace. What have I observed? Judgmentalism, angry hostility, harshness, a lack of discernment, self-righteousness, even hatred. Personally, I am especially annoyed by smugness, which is merely arrogance in a slightly different expression.

I recall a discussion in our neighborhood association when our community policing officer tried to convince us that “politics” was a good thing. I among others was never convinced. Our founders warned against political parties, because they elevate party loyalty over loyalty to our nation, its citizens, and its shared values, i.e. our Constitution. We have been seeing that played out before our eyes. During the early years of Reagan's Presidency, I tried my hand as a Republican precinct delegate. I discovered, at my first meeting, the old line party hacks who hated Reagan and us! I think quite a bit happened at the local level, back then, but I soon realized we weren't likely to change much.

I recall when Dr. James Dobson began working to involve Christians in the political or electoral system, partly to address the horror of legalized abortion and partly to work to protect Christian people and heritage as opposition, verging at times on persecution, began to threaten our First Amendment freedom and protections. At the time, I tended to agree with him, but today I wonder. I believe doing God's work in God's ways will always work better than any political effort or solution. As a case in point, despite all the expense and effort, abortion remains the law of the land! (And, no, I am by no means a single issue voter). Furthermore, as a pro-life person, I am fully aware that more than legally stopping abortion is necessary. We need to change minds and hearts!

So the nation chose an outsider to be President. Many Christians apparently voted for him, and many are vocal supporters of his Presidency. Other Christians are vocal opponents, condemning him and those who support him. Still others keep their opinions to themselves, and I don't blame them. I have little patience for those who voice their certain judgments, despite the Lord's clear command not to do that!  Furthermore some just as plainly ignore that, regardless of the method of selection, once inaugurated, President Donald Trump became God'sappointed leader for the United States. Such is the nature of God's sovereign will.

I've long said that as a citizen of two kingdoms, my priority is God's kingdom, but I remain a citizen of this earthly realm. We have been blessed with an earthly domain where faith and freedom have enjoyed primacy, although not without some occasional distortion and abuse. American freedom was originally modeled after the Biblical concept of freedom. Until recently the two kingdoms were kept quite separate, indicated by the tax-free status of those serving in God's kingdom, on the one hand, and the prohibition against state churches, on the other. Sadly people have sought to change this separation from both sides, some to make some sort of Christian dominion of our Constitutional system, others to prevent any Christian from speaking, even of values broadly and historically shared.

“Seek first his kingdom” does not mean try to turn this earthly realm into his kingdom. They are separate, though we live in both. God's is a spiritual kingdom, visible in principle, while the ultimate reality awaits his consummation, the reign of Jesus in fact over all the earth. This will not be a slow process, as some have imagined, but a sudden assumption of power at His return; at least, that is how I see the Bible's teaching.

Jesus made the present separation clear when he said, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's.” The disciples thought not to pay taxes, but Caesar's right to levy taxes was a part of his earthly rule, as it is in every country on the earth. We believers benefit from such revenues in the form of roads, government services, police protection, and the security of an effective military, among other things. Does our government tax too much? I believe it does, but our objections are in the realm of Caesar, that is, earthly government. In our constitutional republic, we vote, communicate with our representatives and each other, and donate to candidates. Our giving is the support for God's spiritual kingdom and its responsibilities—our churches, missions, helps ministries, and much other work that Christians do. Our earthly government places certain obligations upon us; God's kingdom is a commitment of our very lives, of which money is only a small part.

Except when there is direct conflict with God's law, his command is to obeyour governments' laws—local, state, and federal. Each lays a foundation in a constitution which establishes fundamental principles. The United States Constitution is a unique and amazing document, which contains a strong thread of Christian influence. The Bible is the foundation of God's heavenly kingdom, likewise amazing, unique, and the basis for the one-of-a-kind law that is the Gospel. I avoid the word religion because it conjures up and encourages pious activities often regarded as the way to satisfy God and get to heaven. The Gospel “good news” is that we cannot do that, we are incapable of satisfying God's judgment and justice; fortunately we don't have to try, and instead he gives us salvationas a free gift, if we trust him. Obedience in the spiritual realm then becomes an act of grateful compliance, not always easy, but supported by God's Holy Spirit. Indeed our obedience to human law receives the same help.

One of my friends is a pastor who said it like this, “Live and obey the Great Commandment to fulfill the Great Commission.” The heavenly realm's laws have one clear priority, love, which is both an end in itself and a goal to an equally important end, the redemption of our fellow humans, any and all of them! “Loving People into God's Family” is his church's summary vision of this principle. It is not optional nor just a good idea; it is a mandate, that each believer should find growing within and challenging everything in his life! Everything includes his role as a citizen of the earthly realm where he or she lives.

Who do you hate the most? What person or persons make you angry, critical, and judgmental? Who would you rather avoid or destroy? Who are the subject of your gossip and worse? Do your political or religious views cause you to despise or belittle those who disagree? Are there people you find you cannot respect or engage kindly? These represent a failure or unwillingness to love them, and yet your love for them is far more needed and important. God commands us to love others because that is the best way to establish a path of meaningful interaction. Arguing that your truth is right, best, and superior mostly leads to disengagement. Factions, feuds, and political parties divide us, even in our churches. This is the enemy's most effective technique to render us powerless; his lies are always clever enough that many believe them. Sounds a little like fake news and Facebook posts doesn't it?

How about this? What is the difference between “tolerance” and “apathy” or “disinterest”? I have been appalled at those who “preach” tolerance intolerantly. Apparently their belief is that others should be tolerant of them and their views, but, if they fail to do so, those thus deemed “intolerant” will be rewarded with anger, rebuke, and even hatred. On the other hand, it is relatively easy to regard an uncaring attitude as tolerant. Frankly I don't see any of those attitudes as loving or compassionate. For example, I am not Muslim, Buddhist, Catholic, or Jewish. Two of those belief systems are historically connected to Christianity; one is a variation, the other has been superseded. Of the others, one has a tendency toward violence and often regards the others as worthy of destruction. The other tends to be pacifistic and harmless with ideas compatible with the Gospel, but it is not the Gospel. God doesn't suggest we “tolerate” or put up with any of them. He calls us to love our neighbors, which is, by far, more positive and constructive than tolerance, especially of the intolerant variety!

At this point you may wonder what happened to my discussion of Christians and government. I see many signs that Christians, at least in name, often stop being obedient Christian disciples when they involve themselves in government or in discussions about government. Even and perhaps especially when they claim to speak as Christians, they fail to act as God has commanded us. “Speak the truth in love” often seems to have become “Speak the truth loud and clear!” Often the implication seems to say, “Let my truth show my love” rather than “Let my love be so clear that the listener wants to hear the truth I share.”

DeadlyDetours: Six Noble Causes That Keep Christians from Changing theWorld by the late Bob Briner both illustrates how Christians lose sight of their primary purpose and provides examples of some of the cases in point, such as abortion. Briner rightly reminds us that, if we are so focused on making abortion illegal that we cannot respect or tolerate those who are pro-abortion, then we have taken a “deadly detour” from our mandate to love our neighbor, kindly and patiently strive to introduce them to Christ, and seek their salvation. Of course, this principle does not apply only to advocacy or political campaigns, it is the rule for all our dealings with and participation in government.

Again, regardless of how important we see a certain doctrine or policy issue, we need to remember that while we are citizens of heaven, many of our fellow earthly citizens are not. God has not called us to dominate them or convert the government; rather we are to be loving influencers who bring our neighbors to Christ. By our integrity and love, we make the case for the moral values we hold, because God has given them to us. Both by example and through reason, we show them to be worthy of following, even for those who do not necessarily accept the Bible's worth. With God's help we may influence our culture, neighborhood, and country for the superior values we hold and the true and the living God we serve, we just must be careful to do so without neglecting the greatest law we are called to follow, the one that defines us as true believers, the one that identifies us with and models the One we follow and trust.

Another area where we have failed in this is our so-called family values: no sex before marriage, fidelity in marriage, children born to and reared by a mother and father. I fear we have been unloving in our opposition to free love, gay sex, and other divergent moral views. Many have fallen into hypocrisy, loudly affirming values many secretly fail to follow. We have no place in a so-called “culture war,” as we are to be people of peace and love.

We also live in a culture increasingly dominated by notions of multiculturalism and diversity, where tolerance is affirmed regarding those ideas but not practiced with respect to ours. We need to live and speak as those who know God's mandate of “love your neighbor as yourself” is far superior to their diversity idea, anchored in pure hypocrisy. In other words, we are to love even our enemies; there is no place for hatred, prejudice, or bigotry. Their view affirms a superficial respect for differences, but respect is often only spoken but not practiced.

To help generalize my point, consider this list: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. They are the fruit of the spirit and are clearly contrasted to the acts of the flesh: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I especially highlight those six because they have become a virtual way of life in politics and government today (although sex, debauchery, and alcohol are hardly absent!). Whether the extent of our role in our democratic republic is discussing our concerns at the local coffee shop, active involvement in promoting an issue we regard as important, or service in some level of government itself, our character and manner should be under that influence of the fruit of the spirit and not acts of the flesh. Paul makes this clear when he concludes with “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Our behavior isn't just to be guided by the spirit as the key to achieving our ultimate purpose, but it should be the most natural thing for who we are, Jesus people! To state this in terms I addressed above, citizens of the kingdom involved in their earthly kingdom must maintain our Lord's kingdom virtues.

* Randy's request refers to conflict, which I have written much about at another cite.  Here's a post that is relevant to this discussion:  https://jrogerw.com/2008/10/18/a-peacemakers-view-of-politics-american-style/
** After the title, I refer to "God & Government" and "Why Not Trust the Government?"  Both are in process, and I will hopefully finish and post them soon and put the links here.