Politics and Government

A. The Role of Christians in Political Life.

1. Obedience to Governmental Authorities.

·      Romans 13: 1-2: “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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”

·      1 Peter 2: 13-15: “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.”

·      Titus 3: 1: “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.”

·      Matthew 22: 21: “Then he said to them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’”

2. Advocate for Justice and Righteousness

·      Micah 6: 8: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

·      Proverbs 31: 8-9: “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

·      Isaiah 1: 17: “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”

·      Jeremiah 29: 7: “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”

3. Live Christian Values in Public Life

·      Matthew 5: 13-16: “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 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.”

·      Philippians 2: 14-15: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

·      2 Corinthians 5: 20: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

4. Pray for Leaders and Nations.

·      1 Timothy 2: 1-2: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

·      Psalm 72: 1-2: “Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!”

5. Engage in Politics for Godly Purposes.

·      Proverbs 14: 34: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”

·      Esther 4: 14: “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

·      Daniel 2: 21: “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.”

·      Amos 5: 24: “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

6. Be Good Citizens and Witnesses

·      Matthew 22: 37-39: “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

·      Galatians 6: 9-10: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

·      Colossians 3: 23-24: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

B.  Biblical Principles for Governance and Justice.

1. God’s Sovereignty in Governance

·      Romans 13: 1-2: “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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”

·      Daniel 2: 21: “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.”

·      Proverbs 21: 1: “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

2. Justice as the Foundation of Governance

·      Psalm 89: 14: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.”

·      Proverbs 16: 12: “It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness.”

·      Isaiah 9: 7: “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.”

·      Micah 6: 8:  “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

3. Fairness and Impartiality in Justice

·      Leviticus 19: 15: “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.”

·      Deuteronomy 16: 18-20: “You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

·      Proverbs 31: 8-9: “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

·      Exodus 23: 2-3: “You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.”

4. Accountability of Leaders

·      2 Samuel 23: 3-4: “The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.”

·      Ecclesiastes 8: 11: “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.”

·      Proverbs 29: 4: “By justice a king builds up the land, but he who exacts gifts tears it down.”

·      Isaiah 1: 23: “Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow’s cause does not come to them.”

5. Justice for the Oppressed

·      Isaiah 58: 6-7: “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?”

·      Zechariah 7: 9-10: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”

·      Psalm 82: 3-4: “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

6. Upholding God’s Law

·      Deuteronomy 17: 18-20: “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.”

·      Joshua 1: 8: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”