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| These Men Are Not our Hope |
This is the fourth in a series of blog posts on civil government. We have made the point so far that the Fall in Genesis three made civil government necessary. In the world to come there will be no civil government as we know it.
The results of the presidential elections have distressed and disappointed many of us. All of this begs the question. How should we relate to civil government today? The answer to that question is fraught with many ambiguities.
Our relationship with civil government is always an
oxymoron. Since God created civil government to restrain evil we should be
thankful and submissive, but since those that run civil government are themselves
sinners the State ends up perpetuating as much (sometimes more) evil than it
restrains. Therefore our application is gratitude salted with a deep and
profound pessimism.
Six applications…
1. Christians rightly related
to Civil Government are thankful
In a fallen world civil government is a necessary blessing.
Life would be hell without it. Even the worst civil government is better than
no civil government. The book of Judges tells us what that looked like, anarchy. There was no king in Israel. Everyman did what
was right in his own eyes.
2. Christians rightly related
to Civil Government are submissive.
I will let scripture do the heavy lifting. (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." (1 Peter
2:13–14) "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."
3. Christians rightly related
to Civil Government are clear about Sin
It is the conclusion of most observant historians that the
less a people believe that men are sinful the more sin they will in fact actually
perpetuate. By contrast, the more a people believe that man is sinful, the more
virtuous they will in fact actually become. Therefore, when discussing the
Believers relationship to civil government the first thing you must be clear about
is human nature. (See Thomas Sowell, A Conflict of Vision). This has huge implications.
For example, Christians that understand sin reject all
forms of utopianism. Utopianism is the belief that man collectively, i.e. civil government, can create a utopia on this earth. Hitler, Pol Pot, Lenin,
Stalin, and Mao were all utopians. They believed that they could usher in a
“workers paradise” through civil government. Twentieth century “utopianism” has caused the brutal deaths of at least 200 million people. These deaths were the byproduct of social engineering. Here
are some examples in contemporary society…progressive tax codes to redistribute
wealth, eugenics (selective breeding of people), China’s one child policy,
racial quotas in hiring or admission to
schools, etc..
Belief in man’s goodness leads to “Utopianism” which in turn
leads to social engineering.
Note: Because of its confidence in humanity, the Democratic
platform is fundamentally utopian. It tends to see Civil Government as a social
savior. By contrast belief in God’s Word gives us a clear understanding of man
in sin, which transfers our trust from the State to God, which in turn leads to
limited government. Christianity motivates dependence upon God not civil government.
“Only God’s love," notes Robert Culver, "is strong enough to perfect
man, and then only by divine redemption. Our hope for the future, however much
we may approve of good government, does not lie in man at all. Our hope is in God.
‘Behold, you God will come."
“Put not your trust in Princes, in men in whom there is
no salvation” (Ps 146).
For example, Christians clear about sin support the need for
a strong police force. Because liberals tend to be unclear about sin, they are
soft on the need for Police and other forms of social coercion.
Christians clear about sin reject all forms of political “idealism.”
From Republicans to Libertarians to the Tea Party, there are no ideal
candidates or parties. There is no perfect political system. All are blighted
by sin. Engagement with all involve significant compromises.
Christians clear about sin support a strong civil defense.
Because they believe in sin they believe that other nations will attack and seek to dominate. Therefore they place limited value on
negotiation.
Christians clear about sin also support social structures that encourage
personal responsibility. For
example, they reject the concept that “fairness” means an equal distribution of
wealth. Instead, they tend to support capitalism. Why? Capitalism best
restrains the lusts of fallen man and best directs human avarice to the
advantage of the culture at large. Capitalism rewards family, hard work, and
thrift. It also punishes laziness and the inability to defer gratification.
For example, Christianity motivates the support of social structures
that encourage sowing and reaping. Christianity discourage social structures that
obstruct this process, i.e. socialism and its fruits––welfare, tax structures
that penalize prosperity, etc.
Christians clear about sin reject environmentalism.
Environmentalism is the conviction that my problem is something outside of me––patriarchy,
racism, sexism, colonialism, socialism, communism, ethnocentrism, Specie-ism,
industrialism, homophobia, etc.. By contrast Believers are clear about the
problem. Our fundamental problem is indwelling sin. In the words of Jesus––(Matthew 15:19–20) "For out of the heart come
evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness,
slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does
not defile anyone.”"
Christians clear about sin don’t give ultimate trust to Civil Government,
including Democracy. They never put their final trust in men or human
institutions. (Jeremiah 17:5–8) "Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts
in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.”
4. Christians Rightly Related
to Civil Government Prioritize Political issues with God’s priorities.
The sanctity of human life is of first importance to God.
The Democratic and Republican platforms are polar opposites on this issue. This appears in their respective positions on issues such as abortion, euthanasia, etc.
Sexual Morality is also of first importance to God. Marriage
and Family depend upon commonly accepted biblical standards of sexual morality.
The Democratic and Republican platforms are opposites in this regard also. The issues are same sex marriage, the normalization of homosexuality, sex education in
public schools, etc. For example, The Republican Platform reads, “Marriage, the union of one man and one woman, must be upheld as the national
standard, a goal to stand for, encourage, and promote through laws governing
marriage.”
Religious freedom also matters greatly to God and to God's people. Every nation needs churches free to preach the gospel. The church is a prophetic presence, light and salt, in secular culture. When civil government muzzles the church, secular culture suffers.
There are other issues, (Size and scope of Government,
Foreign Affairs, Care for the poor, etc.), but Christians carefully triage all of these issues with God’s priorities.
5. Christians rightly related
to Civil Government work to improve Civil Government.
Past Christians have engaged the political process. Our Political
and religious freedoms are the direct result of Christianity. In fact, we owe a
debt to John Calvin and the Puritans for the whole concept of modern political
freedom.
We need Christians who share these convictions in every
level of Civil Government.
We are duty bound to become informed about political issues.
We are then duty bound to vote our conscience.
We are duty bound to pray for Civil Government. We should
pray for spiritual revival. A sinful people cannot remain a free people.
6. Christians rightly related to
Civil Government always keep the main thing the main thing.
Improving Civil Government is never the main thing for us.
The gospel is the main thing.
That was the New Testament priority. Chemical abortion was rampant in the first century. Slavery was rampant in the first century. Homosexuality was rampant in the first century. Many men had Catamites, and it was accepted
practice. There were almost no civil liberties. There was no guarantee
of a speedy trial, or for that matter a trial of any kind. Poverty was rampant.
Yet, the authors of the New Testament showed little interest
in any of these social issues. The apostles were not social crusaders or
political reformers. They were interested in one thing––the proclamation and
dissemination of the gospel. Why? Because the Government that concerned them
was the reign of Christ that had begun and which would find fulfillment in the
world to come.
Ultimately, that should be our concern also.
