Monday, June 22, 2009

The Church and Politics

Often during my lunch break I will go out to my vehicle and listen to John Macarthur's Grace to You radio broadcast. The particular radio station I listen to this on seems to repeat a lot of series, and they will preview new series before airing them to check for too much Calvinism, and sometimes they won't air particular sermons they deem too Calvinistic.

Fortunately, they have a poor understanding of Calvinism so, for example, in a series by John Macarthur about the doctrines of grace, they balked at the sermons on limited atonement and irresistible grace at first, interrupting the series and airing two sermons from a previous series in their stead. They didn't seem to realize that Dr. Macarthur's excellent messages on total depravity, unconditional election and perseverance of the saints were completely incompatible with their own semi-pelagianism and once-saved-always-saved beliefs. They did finally air the two missing messages at a later date, to my surprise, perhaps they got some angry calls.

Anywho...

Usually I hear a message I've heard before as this has been a lunchtime tradition of mine for some years now, but today I heard a new one to me that just flies right in the face of so much of modern American Christian belief.

How many times do we hear of "America the Christian Nation", "America was founded on Christian principles" and the like. Prominent Christian leaders will equate an attack on the pledge of allegiance to an attack on Christianity, and pretend that our Democratic Republic system of government is God's favorite and that spreading Democracy militarily or by other means is a righteous cause of Christians.

Now, I believe that in this world of fallen people with sinful agendas, which is all of us, that the system of checks and balances with which our country was founded is the best form of government I can imagine. I believe in religious freedom and equality among men. I believe our American constitution has done a good job of ensuring our individual freedoms and I am thankful for and enjoy them. I believe that the United States exists because God ordained that this nation exist.

I also believe that God has ordained that every nation on earth exist, and that every leader, no matter how evil, is in their position of power because God put them there according to the council of his own will and for his own purpose. I believe these things because the bible clearly teaches them.

Moreover, spreading Democracy and pursuing regime changes and fighting social injustice and not paying your taxes are not Christian activities! Where is the biblical mandate for such pursuits? These things are not in themselves bad things (except for not paying your taxes), but tying them together with Christianity is a very bad thing.

Now, this is a dangerous belief to convey to your fellow Christians, and as many Christians have relatives or children in military service, it could get you a sock in the mouth. American Christians are convinced of American righteousness and superiority. And I am certainly no eloquent opiner, and so I remain quiet and cringe only slightly as I am berated with "evidences" of "righteous America".

I encourage you to read or listen to this message by John Macarthur expositing Romans 13 that really hits the nail on the head with exactly what I'm trying to say. Here are a few provocative quotes:

[Romans 13:1-7] The truth of the matter is, and you need to think about this - the truth of the matter is that our own nation was borne out of a violation of this biblical text. Now that may throw you for a loss, but that's the fact. Our nation was borne out of a violation of this text. In the name of Christian freedom.


It amazes me that you have a list of true believers, charlatans, frauds, false prophets - all jumbled together for the sake of "religious freedom" to do the political lobbying that people think is going to preserve the kingdom of God in America.


So Jesus came into a world dominated by slavery and by one man rule. The absolute antithesis of democracy, which we believe to be so dear. All the power of the state was in one man's hands.


He [Jesus] did not come with power and force to overthrow the Roman tyranny. He did not seek social change. He did not attempt to eliminate slavery. He did not come with political or economic issues at stake. They were not the concern of his life and Ministry. He did not come to bring new government, to bring democracy, to wave the flag of Judaism, even. His appeal was ever and always to the hearts of individual men and women. Not their political freedoms. Not their rights under government.


To read the whole meassage, click here.

To listen on GTY's pop-up audio player thingamajig, click here.

To download high quality audio, click here.




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