Our Primary Concern
January 11th, 2008
(By John MacArthur)
With the nation focused on political primaries, we thought a post on politics might be appropriate – a reminder to all of us as to what our primary concern ought to be.
We can’t protect or expand the cause of Christ by human political and social activism, no matter how great or sincere the efforts. Ours is a spiritual battle waged against worldly ideologies and dogmas arrayed against God, and we achieve victory over them only with the weapon of Scripture. The apostle Paul writes: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3-5).
We must reject all that is ungodly and false and never compromise God’s standards of righteousness. We can do that in part by desiring the improvement of society’s moral standards and by approving of measures that would conform government more toward righteousness. We do grieve over the rampant indecency, vulgarity, lack of courtesy and respect for others, deceitfulness, self-indulgent materialism, and violence that is corroding society. But in our efforts to support what is good and wholesome, reject what is evil and corrupt, and make a profoundly positive impact on our culture, we must use God’s methods and maintain scriptural priorities.
God is not calling us to wage a culture war that would seek to transform our countries into “Christian nations.” To devote all, or even most, of our time, energy, money, and strategy to putting a façade of morality on the world or over our governmental and political institutions is to badly misunderstand our roles as Christians in a spiritually lost world.
God has above all else called the church to bring sinful people to salvation through Jesus Christ. Even as the apostle Paul described his mission to unbelievers, so it is the primary task of all Christians to reach out to the lost “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me [Christ]” (Acts 26:18; cf. Ex. 19:6; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9).
If we do not evangelize the lost and make disciples of new converts, nothing else we do for people—no matter how beneficial it seems—is of any eternal consequence. Whether a person is an atheist or a theist, a criminal or a model citizen, sexually promiscuous and perverse or strictly moral and virtuous, a greedy materialist or a gracious philanthropist—if he does not have a saving relationship to Christ, he is going to hell. It makes no difference if an unsaved person is for or against abortion, a political liberal or a conservative, a prostitute or a police officer, he will spend eternity apart from God unless he repents and believes the gospel.
When the church takes a stance that emphasizes political activism and social moralizing, it always diverts energy and resources away from evangelization. Such an antagonistic position toward the established secular culture invariably leads believers to feel hostile not only to unsaved government leaders with whom they disagree, but also antagonistic toward the unsaved residents of that culture—neighbors and fellow citizens they ought to love, pray for, and share the gospel with. To me it is unthinkable that we become enemies of the very people we seek to win to Christ, our potential brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Author John Seel pens words that apply in principle to Christians everywhere and summarize well the believer’s perspective on political involvement:
A politicized faith not only blurs our priorities, but weakens our loyalties. Our primary citizenship is not on earth but in heaven. … Though few evangelicals would deny this truth in theory, the language of our spiritual citizenship frequently gets wrapped in the red, white and blue. Rather than acting as resident aliens of a heavenly kingdom, too often we sound [and act] like resident apologists for a Christian America. … Unless we reject the false reliance on the illusion of Christian America, evangelicalism will continue to distort the gospel and thwart a genuine biblical identity…..
American evangelicalism is now covered by layers and layers of historically shaped attitudes that obscure our original biblical core. (The Evangelical Pulpit [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1993], 106-7)
By means of faithful preaching and godly living, believers are to be the conscience of whatever nation they reside in. You can confront the culture not with the political and social activism of man’s wisdom, but with the spiritual power of God’s Word. Using temporal methods to promote legislative and judicial change, and resorting to external efforts of lobbying and intimidation to achieve some sort of “Christian morality” in society is not our calling—and has no eternal value. Only the gospel rescues sinners from sin, death, and hell.
Amen.
Indeed, while we are blessed among many nations to have the democratic process in which to participate, it remains a fallen system and world in which we live. Yet it is not our role to fix this fallen system.
Our love for the one and only living and mighty God should always be the focus of our daily life and practice, and the impetus with which we “go into all the world and preach to gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
Thank you for continuing to keep the focus on the word of God and the commands that God gives to us to fulfill.
Good points about the role of the Church. However, individual Christians should not be restricted or discouraged from participating in political activity. Conservative Christians should have every right and in fact be encouraged to participate in political activities including political activism if they desire.
The Christian liberals and emergents are already heavily involved. Their goal is to drive conservatives deep into the closet.
Two questions Jazzy Cat:
1. What happens to the conservatives that are “deep into the closet?”
2. What is the message of the “Conservative Christian?”
Jesus Christ is Lord of all, including politics. Therefore, as Christians we should strive to see the crown rights of King Jesus proclaimed in the public square and in the halls of our politicans. God is not only redeeming individual souls, He redeeming creation. May not our view of God’s glorious redemptive purposes fall too narrow.
Blessings in Christ,
David R. McCrory
“By means of faithful preaching and godly living, believers are to be the conscience of whatever nation they reside in. You can confront the culture not with the political and social activism of man’s wisdom, but with the spiritual power of God’s Word. Using temporal methods to promote legislative and judicial change, and resorting to external efforts of lobbying and intimidation to achieve some sort of “Christian morality” in society is not our calling—and has no eternal value. Only the gospel rescues sinners from sin, death, and hell.”
Amen Pastor John. Too many of us get caught up in thinking that we can “make” America a christian nation by electing a christian president. For those of you who are intrested read about what happened when Constantine brought the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D.
Those are good, timely words. Thank you for them. For more than a decade, as an extension of the local church, Capitol Ministies has been making disciples of Jesus Christ on the front lines of the political arena in America. From page 17 of the 2006-2007 Capitol Ministries Brochure (for a full copy see www.capmin.org/About/Reports.aspx):
“Christians are not called to moralize the lost, but to evangelize using the gospel. Political wars should not be mistaken by the church as biblical ministry efforts. Too often, Christians today treat their mission field as a cultural battlefield, and wound the very people to whom they should be rendering life-saving aid. At Captiol Ministries we seek to save souls, not culture; people, not political ideas. As the church makes disciples, and Christ reigns in the hearts of more people, the culture may very well be preserved. But if the church makes cultural preservation its highest goal, choosing to moralize the lost through political lobbying pursuits, the culture will most certainly be lost. Thirty years and perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars have been poured by Christians into the Religious Right political movement. Has it saved one soul? No. Has is changed culture? No. And it never will because politics does not save. As God’s people seek first His Kingdom–the salvation of the lost by the preaching of the gospel and evangelistic prayer–the culture might be preserved, if the Lord wills it.”
Thank you pastor John, politicians have souls, we are not to be partakers of their evil deeds but rather we are to reprove them. We are to be like Christ, the Chief Shepherd, the Head of the Church and warn them that if they do not repent they will surely perish. We sould be willing to even beg them to be reconciled to God through Christ Jesus our Lord. We should warn them to count the cost. We should communicate to them a sincere desire that we will hear our Lord say to them “Well done you good and faithful servant.” We are in need of much grace. His unworthy Servant, Douglas Grogg
Thank you for this post! interesting things to think about for the Christians!
Hmmm. I see the point, but still say if the men/women of faith who founded this country followed this, would we have the freedom to worship or evangelize the world? I would think not.
And, what about the next generation, who have to inherit whatever works or lack thereof previous generations have contributed to them? “Seek God while He may be found”, why? Because, He may not be found. Why? Probably due to the fact many evangelicals excuse themselves from political process errantly thinking it is not necessary to carry out missions in the first place.
Eventually, we see who wins:
“I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.”, Dan 12:7
but, somehow, telling Christ in the judgement, “hey, it wasn’t your kingdom, so I didn’t bother” is not what’s going to please Him.
Keep emphasizing these points! We (Bible believing Christians) are too often cheerleaders for one particular party or politician. We must instead align ourselves with Christ alone, fighting for His cause, by His means. Evangelical activists say that means we are “ignoring” the culture and political system. Ridiculous! Believers who hold the “make disciples first” position vote too. I might add that we often vote in the same ways. The difference? We do not believe that vote (or politician) can by its (or their) merit bring about Godly, social change. Only the redeeming work of Christ can change a culture; but it must happen one person at a time.
Ben, as you have recognized, John’s point is a valid one: our PRIMARY concern is an extension of the kingdom of God via proper evangelism. Sean’s points from Capitol Ministries are also powerful reminders from the experiential side of the equation — gobs of money and countless hours in political activism do not help us to achieve our PRIMARY goals. Prayer, spirit-anointed unabashed preaching of the rightly-cut Word, and our involvement in other means of evangelism are the “foolish things” that God has sovereignly chosen to save souls — and so, households, communities, states, and countries.
I don’t think its proper to assume that John remains apathetic to political issues and the political process just because he has chosen to focus on our PRIMARY concerns. (The post itself gives sufficient evidence of this.) Though I haven’t asked him directly, I’m pretty sure he votes — which is undoubtedly one of his SECONDARY or TERTIARY concerns.
In short, ‘Don’t let Satan blow it out,’ Ben. “Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine!” Just make sure that you’re letting it shine for all the right reasons. Keep your priorities straight, and work to be winsome — even in the red states. As I’m sure that you do.
Keep on keeping on!
Walter Heaton
I here and see Christians get so involved in politics. They love to talk about it, read about it, even debate about it. But I wonder why can’t we be just as passionate about our Lord. I wonder why can’t He be the One we are talking about? Why can’t He be the One we tell everyone about? We have been fooled into thinking that if we care about the well being of our country that makes us caring Christians, but if we really cared we would be concerned about telling others how to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ.
@Ben… If I am understanding you correctly, you are essentially saying that our freedom to evangelize is dependant on the state of the government. If it is God who says it is okay to evangelize, then who is going to say it isn’t? Also, consider the birth of the church under Roman suppression in contrast to the church here in America where we are “free”. The former flourished while the latter has lost its footing…
Let God be the Judge , however i am certain he is no respector of persons and my comment given in earnest to the one and only unbendable truth was and is as my former post refused publication. Well truely i am a staunch predestinarian and as such leave it all for it shall be examined on the final hour. Scripture is clear true followers of Christ rest from their labours knowing that they are eternally loved by God. our faith makes us soldiers of Christ and not of men. We believe all provisions have been decreed to be as according to gods word. Thus to be involved in civic activities promoting division in unscriptural based opinion is a far cry from the word of God. We are called not to be taken from the world but to be apart from it. The Love of God embraces truth not delete it from feeding the sheep. I pray for Gods names sake he gives me strength to remauin bold in adversity and in muddy waters Amen
I don’t agree with the following part of MacArthur’s post:”It makes no difference if an unsaved person is for or against abortion … he will spend eternity apart from God unless he repents and believes the gospel.
When the church takes a stance that emphasizes political activism and social moralizing, it always diverts energy and resources away from evangelization.”
This is a dangerous way to teach those who are part of the body of christ upon the earth. It most certainly DOES make a difference is an unsave person is for or against abortion. Who does it make a difference to? To her babies, to her neighbor’s babies, to her co-worker’s babies, that’s who. Would you also say; “It makes no difference if a person is a loving father or a rapes his own daughter? It certainly DOES make a difference TO THAT CHILD! Listen, we cannot control WHO becomes a genuine believer because, ’salvation is of the Lord’, but we can teach & preach that man’s duty is to OBEY God’s commandments … EVEN IF THEY NEVER ARE SAVINGLY WROUGHT UPON BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, the duty of man is to OBEY God. A person CAN control whether they rape a child. A person CAN control whether they murder a baby.
Secondly, I think MacArthur is under-estimating the power of proclaiming the gospel in the midst of & in the context of loving our neighbor who is the victim of a social evil. After all, would MacArthur say that Jesus’ example of loving our neighbor like the Good Samaritan (which is glaringly devoid of ’spiritual words & religiousity, in fact, Jesus makes it obvious that the ‘religious men’ wouldn’t stoop in the dirt to love his neighbor, probably having more ’spiritual’ things to attend to) didn’t make a DIFFERENCE for that neighbor?
In fact, correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think that I have ever heard MacArthur give specific directions or lead others on how to love our neighbor like Jesus did. Our Savior was the whole package of loving perfection & truth. He gathered the children unto Himself & made sure that everyone knew that ‘of such is the kingdom of heaven’. But they are just little monsters of inquity, right? Well, our Savior was ever discerning that what men dismiss as unnecessary can, in fact, be the very good works that He requires.
We had all better be careful. It is easy to spiritualize life & fail to love our perishing neighbors (like the 50 million babies, many who were carried by church-goers who profess to belong to Jesus Christ) as ourselves. I am ALL for keeping the gospel the center of everything we do. It is the most important message of all. But, if we are to teach people all that Jesus commanded, then we MUST teach them to obey God’s Law & warn them to repent of sin. It is exactly sins like murder that we ARE to be faithful to address in order that lost mothers & fathers are afforded the opportunity to turn from their sin as God requires.
Amen, Patte. I interpret MacArthur’s point to be that one’s position on abortion has no bearing on his or her salvation if the person has not repented and trusted Christ. He calls for loving, praying for and sharing the gospel with people, without antagonizing them. However, loving them means telling them when necessary — as when they’re lined up outside an abortion clinic waiting for someone to kill their child — that they are breaking God’s laws, that they will face God’s wrath and that they should turn from their sin, particularly including the sin of murdering their child. More often than not, this message antagonizes them. And they rationalize, justify, defend, curse and kill the child anyway. So if this is antagonism, so be it. Children’s lives are at stake.
Yes, Dale. I have given this a great deal of thought &, as you know, have put the commandments of God into practice. Commands like;
Proverbs 24:10-12
If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength! Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He who guards your life know it? Will He not repay each person according to what he has done?
Psalm 82:3
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Ephesians 5:11
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
I cannot help but wonder if John MacArthur advocates that the people in his church & at the Master’s college stay in the boat & wait for the fish to jump in? Addressing a social evil such as abortion allows for Christians to reach more than a million lost mothers & babies with a biblical gospel. Does he think these mothers & fathers & abortionists are going to stop by Grace Community church to hear him preach any time soon? Is it likely that abortionists are going to attend the Master’s college?
I am enamored with the Savior who went OUT to fish for men & showed His disciples how to do it by inviting them to come along with Him as He engaged His lost neighbors right where they were.
This past Saturday morning we engaged over 60 people waiting in line at the abortuary with the gospel of life & eternity. We also loved them like the Good Samaritan & stooped down where they lay to offer them help through their pregnancies. Jason’s & Jessica’s baby is alive today. Jason thanked me this morning & said; “I thank God that He sent you to us. We know that this baby is a blessing.” Now we have many months & years to share the gospel & disciple this couple & welcome their dear infant. If they NEVER come to be regenerated, their little darling boy or girl will have benefitted from our ’social activism’ which we bring the gospel into every time we go out to the field of souls at the abortuary. Just think, too, of all of the babies who can be born from the one that was delivered from death? One of my friends is an anointed evangelist. His mother was approached outside the clinic where she had gone to kill him … & now Chris ever liveth to bring Christ praise & do good to his neighbor. Being involved with real-life causes like justice for the orphans IS obeying God’s commands & the mandate ofthe great commission. It saddens me very much that such a well-respected man like MacArthur belittles what the Lord has commanded ~ I hope he comes to realize how this kind of teaching causes many in the church to do the exact opposite of what Jesus modeled for us. His article will keep many men & women sitting in the pews & feeling very spiritual about it.
Patte,
I appreciate your views as I’m sure John does as well. However I think you are missing the point of the post.
John did not say that it doesn’t matter at all that a non-believer agrees with or does not agree with abortion. In the context that abortion specifically is wrong and that believer and non-believer both should be encouraged away from such a horrible act, I believe John would completely agree. But I believe the point of the message was that opposing political viewpoints, pro-abortion vs. anti-abortion, prostitute (ie lawlessness) vs. police officer (ie the rule of law), conservative vs. liberal, all represent worldly considerations that we as Christians must lay aside when considering the ultimate calling we are trusted with. That of taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
It is a tragedy that the children murdered by abortion are killed before ever having the chance to live. Its also a tragedy that sin blinds those who perform and have abortions to believe that such an act is morally acceptable. But we must understand that God is the one in control, that unsaved sinners cannot control their depravity and thus do commit evil (rape, murder, etc) and that they desire to do so as a result of their sin nature.
Social activism does nothing to change the sin nature in someones heart that leads them to social evil. Only conversion by the saving power of God through the Holy Spirit can produce such fundamental change and thus effect society to more closely reflect God’s will.
We are all destined for an eternal life. The question that we as Christians must address is ultimately not what happens in this world that we can change via our money, time, or activism but what are we called to do while on this side of heaven as believers? We are to share the gospel of Christ to an unsaved world. Period.
For the church to concentrate on anything other than helping to bring about the true conversions of people’s hearts for Christ is a waste of our God ordained mandate.
This is what I believe John was trying to say.
If you know John’s ministry or heart at all, you know he does believe that Christians can strongly influence the world, but that this is a consequence of living a strong Christ honoring, God glorifying life.
Social activism against the tide of a world ruled by Satan is not our primary goal. Freeing people from that world to a knowledge of God is.
Although I fully understand and appreciate the rationale behind these arguments, allow me to present a more balanced approach. After reading these, I’m at a total loss to understand why each of them presumes a precise, distinctive line must always exist between evangelism and political activism. Are there no evangelists who engage in politics? Are there no politicians who attempt to witness to their neighbors? God’s gifts are as diverse as are the opportunities He affords us to use them.
Why would exercising one’s gifts to promote or fuel a national Christian revival through the election of Christian leaders be deemed as social moralizing? Do we simply surrender every time a far left activist wants to further corrupt our children, or further thwart our freedom to worship and engage in such evangelism? If there were no Christians in politics, the entire Church would soon be forced underground.
What if a ballot initiative were secured in which the issue was the reintroduction of prayer into schools? If I can witness to 3 people in one hour, but in that same hour I may cast the deciding vote to bring prayer back into public schools that would enable thousands (millions…?) of kids to pray to almighty God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, what am I to do? Should we become involved in local school politics wherein the issue may be, say, teaching (promoting) contraception rather than abstinence, or do we refuse to vote because such would diminish our time spent evangelizing? MacArthur states: “When the church takes a stance that emphasizes political activism and social moralizing, it always diverts energy and resources away from evangelization. Such an antagonistic position…leads believers to feel hostile…also antagonistic toward…neighbors and fellow citizens…they ought to…share the gospel with.” Is the promotion of teaching abstinence in our schools an “antagonistic position”? Are we to turn a blind eye to the corruption of our own children? What is my unsaved neighbor, who happens to believe as I do on the above school matters, saying about my Christian faith after witnessing my refusal to become involved because I’m not a “political activist”? Is this pious attitude also an evangelical one? By taking this position, have I successfully “evangelized” my neighbor? I say quite the opposite! Again, where is the line to be drawn, and why should it always be the same for everyone? I submit that each Christian is to exercise to the fullest, in conjunction with and through much prayer effort, the gifts with which God has blessed them, all for the growth and strengthening of the Christian Church Body and thus the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.