In his first inaugural speech on April 30, 1789, George Washington made it his first officical act as a politician to give honor to the Almighty: “In obedience to the public summons…it would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official act my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who presides in the councils of nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that His benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the people of the United States a Government instituted by themselves…No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States.”
HEAVEN AND EARTH
Can we be faithful citizens of God’s Kingdom AND of our Republic at the same time? Should Christians be involved in politics or not? Talk about it or not? What role does my spiritual life have in my political life? What about “separation of church and state?” Some of you may be convinced that to speak of God and government in the same sentence may cause spontaneous combustion - or at least cause a break the TVA timeline and create a new dimension in Loki’s multiverse. That’s how weird it feels.
How it is, thankfully, is more simple and satisfying. Here are five simple Biblical principles to ground and guide us responsibly and practically through election season and beyond.
FIVE TRUTHS ON GOD AND GOVERNMENT
God created and rules the universe.
Gen 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
He is the creator, owner and CEO of the entire universe. As Abraham Kuyper, a former University President and Prime Minister of the Netherlands reminded us, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’” And since government on earth is a part of the universe...
All governing authority belongs to God.
Ps 22:28: Dominion belongs to The LORD and He rules over the nations.
Daniel 4:34-5: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
Col 1:16-17: For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Seems obvious doesn’t it? God is not just the God of Christians or of people who believe in him, He is the self-existent King of all Kings, of all places and all times. And yet...
God delegates the governing of people to people.
Gen 9:5-6: Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.”
John 19:11: Jesus answered [Pilate], “You would have no authority over me if it were not given to you from above.”
John Adams references this divine responsibility in a letter to J B Varnum on December 26, 1808, "...we shall never be respected by foreign powers until they see that we are sensible of the great resources which the Almighty in his benevolent providence has put into our hands." God has delegated the maintaining of justice among men, to men. But God intends these civil servants to rule not in any way - but His way…
God’s purpose for civil government is to promote good and restrain evil.
Rom 13:3-4: For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant… to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
Government is to set laws that are just and promote good. Government should also enforce laws, punishing law-breakers - for the common good. When government abdicates this responsibility, we all suffer. George Washington said it this way in that same inaugural address: “The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.” Washington was paraphrasing the ancient wisdom of King Solomon: “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.” (Ecclesiastes 8:11)
In the name of compassion, some US cities are not only cancelling punishment for narcotic use, but in fact providing drug paraphernalia. Portland is now distributing tinfoil, straws and snorting kits for fentanyl, and glass pipes for smoking crack and meth, as part of a “Harm reduction program” attempting to move intravenous drug use to “safer” smoking methods. This is not compassion. This does not protect society from evil, but rather encourages it. And the poisonus fruit of this proves it. The removal of restraint is promoting and increasing drug use, therefore harming and enslaving many more people and destroying more families in Portland and Seattle. When civil government fails to maintain justice, it’s not compassion - it creates more suffering.
But thankfully, ultimately, all injustice will be judged. Not always on earth - but by God, the ultimate judge, in eternity. In the end, God is the great equalizer, and while people think they “got away with it” - there is a perfect judge who judges with perfect justice both lawmakers and lawbreakers…
God will hold civil leaders accountable for how they steward His authority.
Daniel 4:32: Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.
Psalm 2:8-10: Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Psalm 46:9-10: He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Pharaoh, David, Nebuchadnezzar, Pilate – all kings in Scripture judged by God. John Adams made this point in a Proclamation given March 6, 1799, "...no truth is more clearly taught in the volume of inspiration, nor any more fully demonstrated by the experience of all ages, than that a deep sense and a due acknowledgment of the governing providence of a Supreme Being, and of the accountableness of men to Him as the searcher of hearts and righteous distributor of rewards and punishments."
In our day – in modern America, we also have rulers in government, and God will hold them accountable too. BUT, unlike the Biblical examples – our government is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. So, in one sense yes the politicians lead, and in another sense we the people are the collective leaders, and God will hold us responsible for how we steward our authority.
THE CONTEXT OF SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
On January 1, 1802, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter answering the Baptist Association of Danbury, Connecticut. They were a marginal Christian group, and had written Jefferson to confirm that their right to freedom of religion was not a favor granted by the local Federalist-Congregationalist establishment, but would in fact be protected by law. Here’s what Jefferson said:
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.
And so the metaphor of a “wall of separation between Church & State” was the “thus” or explanation for the preceding phrase that their legislature should make no law respecting the establishment OR prohibition of free exercise of religion (which is the actual first amendment). In other words - the phrase was intended to protect religious freedom, not restrict it or worse banish it from public life. This is obvious from the way Jefferson closed his letter (not ironically but naturally) invoking God: “I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you, for yourselves, and your Religious Association, assurances of my high respect and esteem. Thomas Jefferson”
So clearly - the founders did not intend to separate church from state - rather they intended to protect the church from the state. Jefferson promised to oversee “the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights” which are not “in opposition to his social duties.” So the state would focus on maintaining order so the church could focus on blessing.
SO WHAT?
So God delegates governing of people to people. Let those people who care about it do it, right? No my brothers and sisters. We are ALL called by Jesus to be salt and light. Salt gives flavoring - and we are called to flavor our cities, business, education, science and the arts with godliness. But as a reaction to the social gospel which began to equate public work for the common good with salvation - the church veered into the other ditch of pulling back from all these areas into a christian ghetto and abandoning cultural posts to secular-minded people. As a result, culture now resembles the hearts of its leaders - the blind leading the blind, while the seeing remain huddled in safer, more comfortable havens. LIke Pilate, we “wash our hands” of accountability while the mocking of Jesus goes on.
MAINTAINING THE SOCIAL FABRIC
Question: If the healthy maintaining of our social fabric is primarily given to individuals and families, then why do they disappear from public life and then marvel when society disintegrates? As stewards of God’s kingdom and human political opportunities, we reject passivity and take responsibility to engage, to influence and maintain the social fabric, rather than relying on government to make this happen. How?
Answer: Two public ways: 1) We weave our values into socieity and 2) we vote our values into office. Two private ways: 3) We pray for our leaders and 4) We hope ultimately in God.
1) Weave our values (into society): We partner with government by applying discipleship priorities (truth, relationship, opportunity, accountability) in normal life environments in business, education, sports, the arts, etc. As Jeremiah reminded us even in exile (Jer 29:7): “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
My wife Heather grew up in a family that valued and invested in public education. Heather is now the librarian at Williams Middle School, and tries to use her position to influence our city for the better. When legislation recently came out that affected school libraries, she read the drafts and wrote our legislators with her concerns. Heather tries to be salt and light - crossing a racial barrier to fight for educational resources for the underserved, and shining plenty of light for our kids to explore horizons of knowledge aligning with the educational curriculum, while partnering with the district to provide students with age-appropriate material. She is a vigilant leader, partnering with the school district to produce healthy, literate, thinking, motivated and responsible young adults.
Derrick Owens is a contractor who doesn’t just build - he’s thinking about Florence - what types of communities and housing would be best for the common good. Which is why he has been working on a neighborhood with smaller homes for young families mixed with tiny homes for seniors to offer affordable housing and intergenerational communities. That’s applying the discipleship priority of opportunity to his normal life environment.
The Sandhurst good news club team is salt and light at Savannah Grove Elementary on Thursday afternoons to speak truth and show love to students who are largely disconnected from God and faith. The Rutts and the Markles were salt nd light in the normal life environment of Florence County rec league soccer, reminding the players that they are made in God's image and loved by God. We weave our values into society - one strand at a time.
2) Vote our values (into office). As stewards of human political captial, we faithfully vote for leaders who most resemble our King: wise, righteous, just, prudent. The question is not “who” to vote for, but “how” to vote: select the candidate who will protect good, restrain evil, exercise wisdom, promote peace and exercise courage, reward ingenuity, demand integrity, and practice accountability. These are all attributes of God, and when rulers rule in His image - society reaps the fruit of security and peace.
What about voting for parties? You may lean left or lean right, but in the end, as citizens of God’s heavenly kingdom, our ultimate party allegiance is Kingdom Independent: God is for no side but His own, and His kingdom rules over all (Joshua 5:13-15). Jesus did not come to take sides, he came to take over. As Tony Evans reminds us (HCSV, p.25), “Every voting choice you exercise ought to be for the candidate, platform, party or policy that will best represent the values of the kingdom of God…As a Christian, your responsibility when you cast your vote will be to understand the principles of God’s kingdom and His values, and then compare these with the content and the character of whatever person, party, platform or policy for which you will cast your vote.”
3) Pray for civil leaders I Timothy 2:1-2: I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
4) Remember the King. Hope in God. No doubt our lives are better under better rulers, but under any government, our hope remains in God. Be accountable ultimately to Him as a good and faithful steward not only of spiritual and financial resources, but political resources. And therefore, with our actions, let us live our faith when we pray, Thy kingdom come, by partnering with civil government, voting your Christian concscience, praying for leaders - as leaders ourselves - entrusted with political resources by God and therefore accountable to God. Because humanity will best prosper under civil governments that reflect God’s rule. Ps 33:12 – Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.
THE FINAL WORD - LIFE
Some of you are afraid of what will happen if one candidate is elected. Some are afraid of what will happen if the other candidate is elected! My brothers and sisters – join me, and be of good cheer. Whoever wins – yes stuff will happen. Yes elections have consequences. And yes, God Almighty, YHWH – the self-existent One, Adonai Elohim – The Lord of all, will still be the King of Kings!
When trials come, we have hope - not crossed fingers for a silver lining, but sure hope in Him. As Hebrews reminds us, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
And when the worst happened. When a country did the worst thing it could possibly do – when a country killed the Son of God – it happened according to God’s will, and the worst thing that ever happened brought the greatest good that ever came. The central event of all human history is God bringing life from death. Dr Martin Luther King reminded us, in a speech in Black Mountain, NC on 25 of April 1957 that this event “comes as an eternal reminder to us that Good Friday may occupy the throne for a day, but ultimately it must give way to the triumphant beat of the drums of Easter. Evil may so shape events that Caesar will occupy a palace and Christ a cross, but one day that same Christ will rise up and split history into A.D. and B.C., so that even the life of Caesar must be dated by his name. This is our hope. One day, by the grace of God, we will… sing with the host of heaven from Revlation, “the kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever.” Amen!
Bibliography
Augustine, City of God, books 17-19
Evans, Tony, Book: How Christians Should Vote
Evans, Tony, Sermon: “How Christians Shold Vote”
Evans, Tony, Kingdom Politics
Keller, Tim, Gospel in Life series, “City: The World that Is”
Longman III, Tremper, The Bible and the Ballot (Eerdmans), 2020
Schiess, Kaitlyn, The Ballot and the Bible (Brazos Press), 2023
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