Maybe you’ve heard someone say it…
“I just stay out of politics.”
Many American Christians take this stance. They view political engagement as vain, meaningless, or too corrupt. For them, it’s better not to be involved in the first place.
In one sense, this is understandable. Political action can not only get contentious with people who oppose your views, but you’ll likely find disagreement even within the conservative camp. Some may be Christians–others more generic conservatives. Some may hold quite different views on secondary issues of the faith, and others may preach full-blown heresy.
In short, political action can get messy and awkward. Because of this, many believers just check out altogether.
But is this biblical? Does it truly honor the Lord to be politically ignorant or apathetic?
Here are two reasons why believers should be politically aware and take some sort of action for the glory of God.
- Christ is King over the political sphere. Jesus made this plain when he told the disciples that “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18 ESV). If He has all authority on earth, then He has all authority over the governments of men.
- We are stewards of the nation God has given us. Scripture is clear that “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required…” (Luke 12:48). Our nation was built on a Christian foundation, and we have a duty to continue that legacy for our children and children’s children. If we cut and run because political action is messy, the vacuum we create will just be filled with more godlessness and paganism.
Someone may object and say: “But this ultimately doesn’t matter. One day Jesus will return and we shouldn’t need to care about what happens politically.”
In response to this, consider the words of John Witherspoon–a Presbyterian Minister and signer of the Declaration of Independence:
“Shall we establish nothing good because we know it cannot be eternal? Shall we live without government because every constitution has its old age and its period? Because we know that we shall die, shall we take no pains to preserve or lengthen our life?”
It is true that governments come and go, but that fact doesn’t overturn our duty to be faithful stewards of the nation God has given us. We should still be involved to preserve the freedoms that allow us to worship the one true God and proclaim the gospel without persecution.
