“Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Luke 20:25 The Proper Intersection of Politics and Faith Jesus is clear, the Church is the Church and the government is the government. And you and I live in both. But never for a moment believe that Jesus is placing the government on par with the Church. They are not two equal forces. The government is given by God to serve His Church. When the government does anything that is against the Church (i.e., against God’s Law), we are commanded to disobey. Praise God, that we, as citizens of the U.S., have never been placed into that precarious situation, but many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world have and are. Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees is really a non-answer. “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” He will not become entangled in their petty arguments that are not interested in discovering the truth but in defending their previously defended positions and opinions. People have not changed. Still today, we, as Christians, are attacked for our beliefs and made to feel small and stupid. The answer is in the Bible. Literally, the answer to every conundrum that matters is in the Bible. If you have a different opinion, that is a sin. Our society tells us that every opinion is valid and so it is. Your opinion is every bit as valid as my opinion but when we bring God’s Word into the equation, we are no longer talking about opinions. The Pharisees wanted to counter Jesus with opinion and he would have no part in it. You give whatever is rightly Caesar’s to Caesar, but, and here’s the weight of the argument, give God what is God’s. What is God’s? EVERYTHING IS GOD’S! He owns it all so anything you give to Caesar is God’s too. Having said that, as good stewards of God’s creation and all that he has given us to manage it, we strive for our community and society to use His gifts wisely, whether they are gifts of time, money, or abilities. That is where politics and faith intersect. We walk by faith, and that does not only mean that we believe in that which we cannot yet see, it also means that we make every choice, every decision, and every opinion in the context of God’s Word. If God’s Word is opposed to a choice, decision, or opinion, that choice, decision, and opinion is wrong. We make a million choices a week and many are insignificant: what to eat for lunch, when to exercise, and what time to get up. Some, however, should be informed by our faith. Anything that is a moral choice should be informed by faith, not public opinion, the court system, or any judicial authority. The 10 Commandments make our moral choices exceptionally clear and the rest of God’s Word expands and explicates the Commandments. We become confused when we allow our feelings and our compassion for others to impinge on God’s Law. Remember that is not loving to allow a person to continue in sin without warning them. That does not mean that we do not love that person. It means that we are as honest with them about their sin as we are about our love for them. Some think that Christians should never talk about politics, but a Christian must not be apolitical because politics is the covenant we create to order our society in which we live and rear our children. Politics is not a dirty word for the Christian. It comes from the Greek which means “civil matters.” In order to mold our society as closely as possible to our faith, we have to be political beings, that is people who are concerned about civil matters. I understand that it is uncomfortable standing up in the public square and announcing that you believe things that the Bible says are true regardless of what the popular ideas in society are. I believe that God created the earth fully and completely. I believe that life begins at conception. I believe that God intends for us to either be celibate or to be married to someone of the opposite sex. I believe that God intends for me to worship Him every Sabbath and to abstain from anything that draws me away from such worship. We all know that we fail again and again. We believe it but we fail to do it. We know that the Gospel offers us forgiveness for all of our failures. But at no time are we allowed to change God’s Law to minimize our failures. God’s Law is God’s Law. It makes us uncomfortable because we are incapable of keeping it. This discomfort does one of two things: either we arrogantly and self-righteously decide that we don’t like this or that part of the Law and we re-interpret it to our liking, or we fall on our knees before the cross and beg forgiveness for our sin. This is Grace. We are forgiven again and again and there is no limit to God’s love for us regardless of how far we have strayed. Does it sound like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth? I am. On the one hand, our faith must be defended against heathen society, and on the other hand, everybody is forgiven. Well, that is the crux of Law and Gospel. On the one hand, we are poor miserable sinners without hope before the judgment seat and on the other hand, our debt has been paid by Christ when he died on the cross. On the one hand, we are saints and already dwellers in paradise, and on the other hand we are sinners continually fighting against the devil and our sinful flesh. On the one hand, we live in a sin-fallen world but on the other hand, we are the children of God and just the people to make that world a better place by our words and our witness. |
