Gospel E-Word:

Faith And Politics

I hope that this article will provide clear guidance regarding this issue that so many of God's people have been confused by, concerning whether or not there is a relationship between politics and having faith in God. First I would like to start us in the right direction with a passage from the Psalms: "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes." (Psm. 118:8,9) For even clearer direction let's go to another Psalm: "Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man." (Psm. 60:12) Just to nail down this mindset of faith really tight, let's look  at one more passage from the Psalms: "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved...Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity...God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God." (Psm. 62:5,6,9,11)

Praise God! What power and truth is conveyed by these scriptural passages when they are mixed with faith. In short order, what we have seen emphatically confirmed to us by the Bible so far is that faith in God does not mix with faith in men, and that nobody has any power to bring anything to pass except for God, because "power belongeth unto God!" Note in Psm. 62:9 where it says that "men of high degree are a lie." What this means is that those who seem to be powerful are not really what they appear to be. This doesn't mean that they are necessarily bad, but rather that they are not really the ones who are bringing things to pass; but rather God is. Proverbs 21:1 brings this out perfectly: "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will." And Daniel 4:32 shows to the mind of faith that it really isn't people who even decide who will be in governing offices, with or without elections: "...the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."

I hope that you're beginning to see, that according to the Scriptures the heart that has faith is continually looking to and seeking to keep up with what God is doing, rather than what man claims to be doing. Isaiah said "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee" (Isa. 26:3). We can't keep our minds on the bigger picture of what God is doing in the earth if we are busying ourselves trying to figure out the little picture of what man is doing, which really is insignificant anyway, seeing that God is the one Who is in control of all things. The true believer is confident that "all things work together for good to them that love God" because the true believer knows that "God is love," and that God has all power over all things at all times! Glory to God! The mind of Christ knows that God truly is "the Judge of all the earth," and that it is "His judgments (that) are in all the earth" (Psm. 105:7).

True followers of Jesus are called to give all of their faith to Him and not to be "entangled with the affairs of this life" (II Tim. 2:4). And friend, politics and social issues are very much "the affairs of this life." So then what is our proper place in regard to these issues, seeing that we do live and interact in this world? Romans 13:1-7 instructs us to submit to the authorities and laws that govern the land that we live in, as unto the Lord, because He is the one Who has given them the power to rule. We are to gladly pay our taxes, giving thanks to God for the nation that we live in, and for being benefactors of the goodness that God has shown it. We also should have due regard to those in office, again, as unto the Lord. I Tim. 2:1-3 shows us that we should give thanks for those who rule and to pray always for them, that God would move their hearts in the best direction for the people's sake, so that we can live quietly and peaceably before God and men. The truth is, if we stay focused on God, and exercise our faith in Him for all of these matters' sake, we will indeed have more influence on the direction and outcome of worldly affairs than anyone else anywhere, regardless of their position; because God is moved by the prayers of people who care for others after a godly manner.

As believers in Christ we have been called to live our lives in simplicity and to be content with having our most basic needs met (I Tim. 6:6-8). And Jesus has promised us this care from God, if we set our priorities and affections on the things that pertain to the kingdom of God (righteousness, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost - Rom. 14:17). And in the same breath He commanded us not to seek after the things of this life, as the rest of the world does (Lk. 12:29-31) . In other words, our "whole duty" in life is to "fear God, and keep His commandments" (Eccl. 12:13).

Ministers who would have us believe that it is in our calling to be involved in things like politics and social issues, were referred to by the apostle Paul as "enemies of the cross of Christ...who mind earthly things" Philip. 3:18,19). And it is very interesting what he had to say immediately after this: "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philip. 3:20). The word "conversation" that is used here is taken from a Greek word that is only used one time in the entire new testament writings, and does not have the same definition as the Greek word that is usually used in relation to the word "conversation;" which means "lifestyle or manner of living." But this word "conversation" is taken from a Greek word that means "having to do with civil affairs, or the governing of the citizens of a commonwealth." So the significance here is that as citizens of the kingdom of God (If we have been baptized with the holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues - the new birth experience - I Cor. 12:13), our calling is to be involved with the civil affairs and commonwealth of the body of Christ, God's only true Congregation. Anyone who is teaching those who are in Christ to be involved with the politics and social issues of this world is promoting carnal mindedness, which we are told by the Scriptures, is death (spiritually - Rom. 8:5,6). They also are influencing God's people to have a "divided heart," (Hos. 10:2) by steering their focus and faith, in part toward the issues and seeming power of men.

When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, one of his ploys was to try to get Jesus to desire being ruler over the nations of the world (Mat. 4:8-10). Jesus knew that He was going to be ruler over the nations, but that it wasn't time for that yet. That is going to take place after His second coming, at which time the saints who have been faithful to Him will reign with Him (Rev. 20:4). He did not come the first time to establish an earthly kingdom, but rather to make a way for us to be part of His heavenly kingdom, through the experience of being baptized with the holy Ghost with the witness of speaking with other tongues (Mk. 1:4-8; Jn. 3: 3-6; Acts 1:4,5; Rom. 14:17,18). Jesus further confirmed that He was not establishing an earthly kingdom when He stood before Pilate (Jn. 18:33-36). This is what He was referring to in Jn. 15:19 when He stated that His true followers are "not of the world." We are in the world, but our calling is to have a mind for godly issues, not the issues of men.

In Jeremiah God issued a very sobering warning to all who would look to men for their hopes and expectations: "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD" (Jer. 17:5). There really is no way that you can become involved in the political and social issues of this life without putting at least some of your hopes in that arena, thus the warning about the heart departing from the Lord. A heart that trusts in God does not depart from that trust overnight. It happens subtly and gradually. And one of Satan's favorite tools is to tempt us with the illusion of trying to "make a difference" through the arena of politics and social issues. It's really the same temptation that He used on Jesus, just scaled down more to our size.