Revelations 3:15-16 “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
Romans 13: 1 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
If you serve in law enforcement, sooner or later you will find yourself providing “security” at a city council meeting or other governing board. At every one of these meetings, there is a time for public comment. Anyone can address the members of these boards to say whatever they want. To clarify, this means a member of the public (anyone) can talk about anything!!! I have suffered through litanies about the existence of UFO’s, the health threats of radio frequencies, demands to legalize all drugs and the list goes on. The point is that the majority of people who show up for public comment spout opinions that are irrelevant to the governing process. The microphone is open to all and yet only people with extreme views show up. Irrelevant or not, it is these views that influence and shape public policy.
Political parties can operate in a similar way. They are driven by extremes when reasonable people don’t participate. They are neither hot or cold because their views are either scalding or immovable in political permafrost. It seems like that is the current state of politics. Politicians appear more like characters in a graphic comic book than elected representatives of the people. How did we arrive at a place where extremes drive government at all levels?
This happened, in part, because our culture holds to the oft spoken social norm that you DO NOT talk about religion or politics...ever. We also interpret the First Amendment of our Constitution specific to the separation of church and state as an absolute stop sign that prohibits any dialogue, action or idea where the two might intersect. The result is that people do not know what they believe when it comes faith and politics because we talk about neither. We leave it to journalists, bloggers and “influencers” who interpret, for example, a religious freedom court case in a three minute video, or a panel of “experts” yelling at each other over what a politician meant in a Tweet or headlines watered down to “facts” that are more often than not preferences masquerading as principles. We search for truth through experts driven by their own biases and agendas.
It is hard work to know the truth of the Gospel and hold that truth against the planks of any political party or campaign slogan. We get fed up that politics is so convoluted and steeped in relativism that it is easier to be lukewarm about our political responsibility.
What does it mean to be a responsible Christian specific to our duty as a citizen of the Untied States? First, we must pray for our government leaders, elected or in full time service. Pray for them to have wisdom guided by the Holy Spirit, that they will be prudent when spending tax dollars and that they will act ethically and morally in all things. It is not enough to just be registered to vote. If the extent of your participation in government is to show up twice a year and vote a party line, you abdicate your responsibility like “Christians” who show up for church twice a year. We call them “Christers”. If you are not registered to vote, you fail in the most basic obligation to Romans 13 that calls you to submit to the governing authority.
A common understanding of Romans 13 is that it is a peace officer’s call to service. I think this is a limited view of this passage. Romans 13:1-7 covers all of the elements of government. This includes our responsibility to be part of the governance process: to understand the core beliefs of people running for office and the politicians who write and establish laws, to know the planks of the political party you are registered with and to speak up as a member of the public when government runs contrary to the doctrines of our Christian faith. If you are lukewarm because you check out of the political process, you risk being subjected to governing authorities that are entirely separated from what we hold to be true.
Let us stand firm in our faith. Let us be informed when we vote. Do not lose heart when extreme views take over politics and we lose hope that our vote does not matter. Christians must be part of the political process. My charge to you in 2020 is to register to vote, be informed before you cast your ballot and pray for the governing authorities.
Matthew 5: 14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
If you serve in law enforcement, sooner or later you will find yourself providing “security” at a city council meeting or other governing board. At every one of these meetings, there is a time for public comment. Anyone can address the members of these boards to say whatever they want. To clarify, this means a member of the public (anyone) can talk about anything!!! I have suffered through litanies about the existence of UFO’s, the health threats of radio frequencies, demands to legalize all drugs and the list goes on. The point is that the majority of people who show up for public comment spout opinions that are irrelevant to the governing process. The microphone is open to all and yet only people with extreme views show up. Irrelevant or not, it is these views that influence and shape public policy.
Political parties can operate in a similar way. They are driven by extremes when reasonable people don’t participate. They are neither hot or cold because their views are either scalding or immovable in political permafrost. It seems like that is the current state of politics. Politicians appear more like characters in a graphic comic book than elected representatives of the people. How did we arrive at a place where extremes drive government at all levels?
This happened, in part, because our culture holds to the oft spoken social norm that you DO NOT talk about religion or politics...ever. We also interpret the First Amendment of our Constitution specific to the separation of church and state as an absolute stop sign that prohibits any dialogue, action or idea where the two might intersect. The result is that people do not know what they believe when it comes faith and politics because we talk about neither. We leave it to journalists, bloggers and “influencers” who interpret, for example, a religious freedom court case in a three minute video, or a panel of “experts” yelling at each other over what a politician meant in a Tweet or headlines watered down to “facts” that are more often than not preferences masquerading as principles. We search for truth through experts driven by their own biases and agendas.
It is hard work to know the truth of the Gospel and hold that truth against the planks of any political party or campaign slogan. We get fed up that politics is so convoluted and steeped in relativism that it is easier to be lukewarm about our political responsibility.
What does it mean to be a responsible Christian specific to our duty as a citizen of the Untied States? First, we must pray for our government leaders, elected or in full time service. Pray for them to have wisdom guided by the Holy Spirit, that they will be prudent when spending tax dollars and that they will act ethically and morally in all things. It is not enough to just be registered to vote. If the extent of your participation in government is to show up twice a year and vote a party line, you abdicate your responsibility like “Christians” who show up for church twice a year. We call them “Christers”. If you are not registered to vote, you fail in the most basic obligation to Romans 13 that calls you to submit to the governing authority.
A common understanding of Romans 13 is that it is a peace officer’s call to service. I think this is a limited view of this passage. Romans 13:1-7 covers all of the elements of government. This includes our responsibility to be part of the governance process: to understand the core beliefs of people running for office and the politicians who write and establish laws, to know the planks of the political party you are registered with and to speak up as a member of the public when government runs contrary to the doctrines of our Christian faith. If you are lukewarm because you check out of the political process, you risk being subjected to governing authorities that are entirely separated from what we hold to be true.
Let us stand firm in our faith. Let us be informed when we vote. Do not lose heart when extreme views take over politics and we lose hope that our vote does not matter. Christians must be part of the political process. My charge to you in 2020 is to register to vote, be informed before you cast your ballot and pray for the governing authorities.
Matthew 5: 14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
