BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE OF CHRISTIANITY & POLITICS
KEY POINTS
- God is sovereign over politics.
- Politics matter because policy matters, we should support policies that align with Biblical values & truths.
Politics matter because people matter.
First, it’s important to note that God is sovereign over politics.
God “sets up kings and deposes them” (Daniel 2:21).
All authority comes from God, and “the authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1).
God is described as sovereign over the earthly kingdom, able to bring rulers “to naught” (Isaiah 40:22-24).
No matter what happens in elections, God is still sovereign and in control. But you may still wonder what that means for the believer and how we, as Christians, are to interact with government and politics.
Jesus taught to “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17).
Paul instructs believers to “be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1).
Christians are called to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
Christians are called to be good citizens in the country in which they reside and to pray for and honor those who have been placed in positions of authority. However, there are also many examples of early Christians justly defying their Roman rulers to obey God. The bottom line is that obedience to God always supersedes obedience to human rulers. In regards to engaging in politics, wisdom tells us that yes, we should vote and participate in politics, but always through the lens of scripture as being the higher authority.
Proverbs 13:34 - “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people”
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."
Exodus 18:21 - "Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens."
For those of us who live in America, which was constructed to be a constitutional republic, we have been given certain rights by our creator that cannot be taken away. One of those rights is to vote. We should see this right as a blessing to steward wisely as good citizens, not something to neglect, overlook, or diminish. Our government is said to be “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” meaning that ultimately, the governing authorities are subject to the people they govern – not the other way around – and in a sense, the government itself is something we as Christians need to steward and manage well.
Christians should engage in political discourse because it matters. When people get voted into office to serve, their role is to pass and implement policy that impacts everyday life. Politics matter because policy matters, and policy matters because people matter. As Christians, we are called to love people (Matthew 22:34-40), and we can love people by working to enact policy that helps to better society and individual lives. We can also vote to protect the innocent, sustain freedom, uphold family, and prevent or slow the decay of morality in our society.
The idea that Christians should not engage in politics is dishonest and deceptive. The only thing needed for evil to flourish is for good men and women to stand by and simply do nothing. Oftentimes, people will separate the Bible from politics because they hold personal views that conflict with what the Bible says about issues such as abortion, marriage, family, and sexuality. But, as Christians, our worldview and political perspective should always align with and be shaped by scripture, what we have been instructed to test everything against. If our views or politics don’t align with scripture, it is our view that should change, not the Bible.
First, it’s important to note that God is sovereign over politics.
God “sets up kings and deposes them” (Daniel 2:21).
All authority comes from God, and “the authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1).
God is described as sovereign over the earthly kingdom, able to bring rulers “to naught” (Isaiah 40:22-24).
No matter what happens in elections, God is still sovereign and in control. But you may still wonder what that means for the believer and how we, as Christians, are to interact with government and politics.
Jesus taught to “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17).
Paul instructs believers to “be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1).
Christians are called to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
Christians are called to be good citizens in the country in which they reside and to pray for and honor those who have been placed in positions of authority. However, there are also many examples of early Christians justly defying their Roman rulers to obey God. The bottom line is that obedience to God always supersedes obedience to human rulers. In regards to engaging in politics, wisdom tells us that yes, we should vote and participate in politics, but always through the lens of scripture as being the higher authority.
Proverbs 13:34 - “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people”
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."
Exodus 18:21 - "Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens."
For those of us who live in America, which was constructed to be a constitutional republic, we have been given certain rights by our creator that cannot be taken away. One of those rights is to vote. We should see this right as a blessing to steward wisely as good citizens, not something to neglect, overlook, or diminish. Our government is said to be “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” meaning that ultimately, the governing authorities are subject to the people they govern – not the other way around – and in a sense, the government itself is something we as Christians need to steward and manage well.
Christians should engage in political discourse because it matters. When people get voted into office to serve, their role is to pass and implement policy that impacts everyday life. Politics matter because policy matters, and policy matters because people matter. As Christians, we are called to love people (Matthew 22:34-40), and we can love people by working to enact policy that helps to better society and individual lives. We can also vote to protect the innocent, sustain freedom, uphold family, and prevent or slow the decay of morality in our society.
The idea that Christians should not engage in politics is dishonest and deceptive. The only thing needed for evil to flourish is for good men and women to stand by and simply do nothing. Oftentimes, people will separate the Bible from politics because they hold personal views that conflict with what the Bible says about issues such as abortion, marriage, family, and sexuality. But, as Christians, our worldview and political perspective should always align with and be shaped by scripture, what we have been instructed to test everything against. If our views or politics don’t align with scripture, it is our view that should change, not the Bible.
BIBLICAL REFERENCES
God “sets up kings and deposes them”. Daniel 2:21
All authority comes from God, and “the authorities that exist have been established by God”. Romans 13:1
God is described as sovereign over the earthly kingdom, able to bring rulers “to naught”. Isaiah 40:22-24
Jesus taught to “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s. Mark 12:17
Paul instructs believers to “be subject to the governing authorities”. Romans 13:1
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people”. Proverbs 13:34
"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." Jeremiah 29:7
"Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens." Exodus 18:21