Years ago, John MacArthur wrote a great book "Why Government Can't Save You" This book is a call to Christians to consider their citizenship.
In years past, I remember seeing this as a cop-out for people that did not vote. I believed, as many people do, that being involved in Politics was something that we all needed to do as followers of Christ. I even volunteered in two presidential elections because I believed that this was a way to help/encourage other Christians.
All of it changed after a conversation with a friend of mine with very different views. He challenged me to think about my citizenship. Even as I was talking to people overseas, I realized of my wasted opportunities and that the way to impact our culture is from the Gospel.
This summer I was challenged to read the gospels and to be serious in becoming a follower of Jesus' teachings. If we are Christians "little Christs," then we need to be those that love people, share the gospel to them, and are not entangled by the everyday things of this world.
The government can't save you, but Jesus CAN!
gap
ps. A HUGE DISCLAIMER-- PLEASE, PLEASE, Do not misunderstand. I have never said that we should NOT vote, I have never said that we should not be involved in one way or another. What I did say is NOT to be entangled by the world and its pursuits; this means not letting anything take your focus away from Christ Jesus.
I totally agree. It's a shame when Christians place Politics over the Gospel, as though that were God's chosen instrument to change the world--social reform is not the goal, Changed hearts is the goal. God desires a broken and contrite heart, not outward conformity to a morally upright system of laws. Politics have so much baggage that they create an unneeded barrier between the Christian and the lost. Politics will never save anyone. No matter how pure your political ideas are, it is still Fallen Men who are carrying them out, and they will never ultimately accomplish what needs to be done. And besides Politics adress the issues at the wrong end. It does not adress the heart. Even if we did have a "Christian Nation" Politically, and we neglected the Lost hearts and souls of the people the whole time, we would not end up with a Christian Nation. We would have the label without having earned it. We would be a White-Washed-Tomb of a Nation, which is sort of what we were for a century and a half. Now the nation is just being honest with itself.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right, the Christian should not be apathetic, but he should not place Politics over the priority of the Gospel.