POLITICAL POWER

Jesus said: "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence" (Mt. 18:36).

This principle is exemplified throughout the book of Acts, and further detailed in the epistles. There is absolutely no example of the church engaging in political activity of any sort, nor the church using the government or politics for any of its purposes.

Many religious groups support political candidates and thereby bind their members to something that the bible has not. This is not the business of the church. The solution to mankind's problems is Christ, not any political leader or party.

On the other hand, Christians are free to engage in political activity provided it does not conflict with our other obligations to the Lord. We are to be in subjection to our government (Rom. 13: 1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-17) to the extent that it does not violate God's law (Acts 4:19-20, 5:29).

A system of representative government like ours just will not work if citizens with integrity do not participate. It is understood within our society that we have an obligation to vote and to exercise our right to influence others to do so as well. A general failure to do so will result in the unbridled exercise of power by self-serving politicians.

This might extend to passive resistance, an example of which is given in Acts 16:35-40. Read this example and meditate upon it; don't take it too far, but recognize that this was written for our example (1 Cor. 11:1).

Christians also have the right, even the obligation, to avail themselves of the protection provided by their citizenship. The apostle Paul appealed to Caesar when his rights as a Roman citizen were being violated (Acts 25:11).

The relationship of Christians with their government is one of the clearest areas of differentiation between individual and church responsibilities. It is very clear that Christians are not only authorized to participate, but would be required to do so when it produces benefits to their neighbors in the world (Gal. 6:10, James 4:17).

However, nothing is clearer in the New Testament than that the power used by the church was pure truth, never political (Rom. 1:16, Jn. 8:32). And, in those cases where attempts were made to use the church for causes for which it had not been created, sure and certain judgment followed (Acts 5:1-11, 8:9-24, 12:1-5, 20-22, 15:1-29 [ref. Gal. 5:2-12], 19:11-20).