Civil government
Introduction
We believe that there are three core truths that must shape our thinking about politics and government:
The role of government
The Bible teaches that civil government has been established by God to restrain evil and promote good (Rom 13:1-6; 1 Peter 2:13-14; Gen. 9:5-6). Not all civil government is demonic, corrupt or an exercise in human greed and the selfish acquisition of power at the expense of the most vulnerable.
The role of church and state
Jesus made a distinction between the things that belong to Caesar and the things that belong to God (Matt 22:10-21). In so doing Jesus shows that there are two different spheres of influence and signals a move away from the historically unique theocracy of the Old Testament. Jesus' comments seem to suggest a model of life where the two spheres ('secular' and 'religious') operate independently of each other.
The role of Christians
Christian involvement in civil government is demonstrated in the Bible (both Old Testament and New) and often leads to large-scale blessing:
i Daniel exercised authority in the secular (idolatrous) government of Babylon (Dan. 4:27).
ii Jeremiah encouraged Jewish exiles to seek the prosperity of Babylon (Jer. 29:7).
iii Joseph exercised authority in Egypt (Gen. 41:37-45; 42:6; 45:8-9, 26).
iv Moses challenged the authority of Pharaoh (Ex. 8:1).
v Nehemiah was cup-bearer to the king (Neh. 1:11).
vi Mordecai and Esther both influenced King Ahasuerus of Persia (Esther 10:3; 5:1-8 etc.). The prophets also address the sins of foreign nations (Isa. 12-13; Jer. 46-51; Ezek. 25-32; Amos 1-2; Jonah etc.). They could do this because God is the God of all peoples and nations (Psalm 47:9). The truth is that one day all people will be subjected to God’s judgement according to his moral standards.
vii John the Baptist confronted Herod Antipas governor of Galilee (Luke 3:18-20).
viii Paul spoke with the Roman governor Felix about the standards of his rule and his obligations to rule according to Godly standards (Acts 24:24-25).
A perspective on 'calling for Judaeo-Christian values'
We should be clear from the outset that Christian influence on government (or 'calling for Judaeo-Christian values') does not mean 'angry, belligerent, intolerant, judgemental, red-faced, and hate-filled influence' (Wayne Grudem, Politics According to the Bible, Zondervan 2010, p. 55). We seek influence because we are simultaneously committed to faithful witness and to seeking 'the prosperity of Babylon' (Jer. 29:7).
Obedience to the commands of God must be couched in the language of blessing as well as judgement. Did not Moses say to Israel 'Follow them [the decrees and laws] so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land' (Deut. 4:1). As we seek to expound the implications of the gospel for politics we must keep in mind that the gospel is the good news of the kingdom of God. Grudem refers to this type of witness as a...
'winsome, kind, thoughtful, loving, persuasive influence that is suitable to each circumstance and that always protects the other person's right to disagree, but that is also uncompromisingly about the truthfulness and moral goodness of the teachings of God's Word.' (Grudem, p. 55)
Involvement in local politics
Introduction
Our culture here in the UK has been shaped over centuries by Judaeo-Christian values; indeed, Christianity has been an influence in this country since around 80 AD. Over the centuries Christian ethics have been incorporated into our government and Christianity has been in a privileged position, but not so today. Parliament has become secular and Christianity is just one voice amongst many.
The challenges facing our nation today
In today’s environment the challenges for Christians are many. The issues include, amongst others, aggressive secular humanism, misplaced multiculturalism, the rapid rise of neo-paganism and ignorance of our Christian heritage. When Baroness Cox visited us at Immanuel she remarked that these have combined to create a situation in which Britain has lost its soul.
At a recent conference here, Bishop Nazir-Ali commented that the values of harmony and tolerance we say our society upholds can’t withstand the weight we put on them. He said 'we need values that are stronger or ‘thicker.’' These strong foundational values come from the Christian faith.
What are we to do?
Baroness Cox, who has dedicated her life to advocacy work for people who have no voice, is living proof that her motto is a good one: ‘I cannot do everything but I must not do nothing.' It’s up to us as Christians to affirm the good in our culture and history, to be good role models ourselves and support those with a voice in Parliament. All this has to be under-girded by prayer.
Getting involved
Here at Christian Spectrum we believe, along with many others, that we need to do what we can and be involved in calling our nation back to its Christian heritage before it is lost completely. We’re aware that in the current climate the tenets of Judaeo-Christian values, such as justice and mercy, freedom and loyalty need to be fought for. If we really want to make a difference, whether it be local, national or international, we must engage with those in authority who represent us and call them to account, when they deviate from Godly values.
Thankfully there are many Spirit-filled Christians in Parliament today – men and women who have the vision and the faith to see that God is very interested and involved in government and that he can and will make a difference. There are Christian groups and MPs in every party, who feel called to the task and who operate with integrity, just as Daniel did in Babylon.
It’s encouraging to know that Christians in Parliament hold a week of 24/7 prayer every year, and have done so for the best part of a decade. They also meet regularly for worship, Bible teaching and to pray together. They are committed to discerning what God is doing in our government and involving themselves in it. A number of us at Immanuel have joined the Christian Fellowship at Westminster in order to show our support and benefit from the fellowship.
Local government
At the local level, involvement in politics starts with seeing what is going on from God’s perspective. Once we catch his heart for our town or city, we can pray more fervently and effectively for his will to be done there. That includes being willing to get involved in local politics. We’re blessed here in Romford to have someone who truly loves and cares for our town as our local MP. Having been born and bred here, he works tirelessly for the good of the people in this area. Andrew Rosindell MP has supported prayer meetings for our town and borough hosted by local church congregations. We pray for him and the work he does, and one of our leaders has felt called to support him in practical ways by serving on various committees.
Romford often has a bad press in the media but we believe God loves this place and his desire is to turn her around so she fulfils her God-given destiny. For that to happen, powerful spiritual strongholds need to be broken down, and unless we stand together as God’s people and fight for the freedom of our city, the enemy will not flee.
In Jeremiah’s day, the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon. But he encouraged them to:
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 (Jer 29:7).
For Romford to prosper, we must play our part.
Salt and light
Bishop Nazir-Ali remarked that in this country Christians have been used to acting as salt, but now we need to be light. By definition, light is visible. We need to stand up and be counted for the values we hold dear and which we know will determine the good future of our nation. As we do so, and as we demonstrate more boldly what it is to be a Christian community defined by the Gospel, we’ll find that those with eyes to see will be attracted to the Lord.
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Link to blog: PM Cameron supports gay marriage
Link to blog: Courts biased against Christians
The Bible teaches that civil government has been established by God to restrain evil and promote good