Politics, Activism, and the Gospel
October 19th, 2008
(By John MacArthur)
With the nation focused on the November elections, we thought a post on politics might be appropriate. The point of this article is not that we should abstain from any participation in the political process, but rather that we must keep our priorities straight as Christians. After all, the gospel, not politics, is the only true solution to our nation’s moral crisis.
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.
Bravo. I always try to comment on articles like this one to say thank you. I appreciate you taking this particular stand at a critical moment.
While I agree with much of what you write here, I would like your understanding of Romans 13:1-7 as it applies to American Christians. The passage is written to people who have rulers, yet in our day “we the people” are, to a large degree, the rulers. Do we not then have a biblical obligation to rule well?
Secondly, to what extent does the Church, or individual members thereof, have a prophetic ministry in our culture of speaking “Thus saith the Lord…” to the evils of our day while seeking change? The OT prophets seem to have called people who were lost, back to the Lord and to demonstrate that return by changing their ways.
Thanks for your service to the Lord!
Very timely for me to read, in consideration of a personal and recent political confrontation that caused me to step back and repent.
Thank you.
To unaware observers, this sounds surprisingly similar to The Evangelical Manifesto.
“God is not calling us to wage a culture war that would seek to transform our countries into ‘Christian nations.’ ”
You’re right. The Great Commission tells us that “discipleship” is how all countries will become Christian nations.
But, I do think that the political process can be of some help to us in that we can use it to eliminate politics. God forbids adding to his Word, so we can use democracy to elect candidates that will refuse to pass extra-biblical legislation and will work to repeal all existing extra-biblical legislation. But judging from how a good number of conservative evangelicals operate within politics, it is evident that they believe in salvation by law. We, who pride ourselves on being keepers of the gospel, seem to be the ones who need it most. Clean the inside of the cup first, and take the beam out of our own eye.
Excellent article and while it is particularly timely and relevant to the US it is also applicable to many other parts of the world. Sometimes in our zeal for certain issues we forget the priority of evangelism.
Personally I get concerned about the obsession some believers have with the creation/evolution. I firmly believe in the Genesis account of creation but I think its a mistake to push this issue as if its the very heart and substance of the gospel.
The fact that God created the heavens and the earth is truth , precious truth , important truth but its not the gospel. The gospel is Jesus Christ, the one who lived , died , rose again, ascended into heaven, and shall return again - he is the sum and substance of the gospel.
When the church takes a stance that emphasizes political activism and social moralizing, it always diverts energy and resources away from evangelization.
Great article. I think that this point in particular sums up the greatest problem that occurs when the Church becomes enraptured in politics. Politics is not evil, but it is also not the Gospel.
Thanks you for this post. It is tempting to think that spiritual change for the better can be brought about by social change, but in fact it is just the opposite……true spiritual change starts in the hearts of individuals led by the Holy Spirit. Looking to a human leader and social policy to save us is misguided. There is power only in the Gospel.
Great article…I pray that the Word (Scriptures) are never to be compromised for the sake of politics.
I voted against Obama Tuesday and think he is a very wicked man who desires nothing but the spread of unbiblical immorality and positions(abortion, homosexuality, etc), however, I think it may be God’s will that he win. Of course, you could argue that of course it is God’s will for whoever wins to win, but I mean in this sense…
I think Christians should to some degree rejoice if Obama wins because it will indicate that God is going to judge America. There is no doubt that Obama will promote a radical homosexual agenda, abortionist agenda, and through “hate crimes” laws similar to those used in other countries, the persecution of pastors.
However, we knew this was coming. Historically, it seems to be only when there is a revival or persecution that Christians start behaving as Christians, as in persecution, those who do not truly believe won’t tolerate the persecution. This may very well be that time.
Biscuits McGee, you scare me. You *want* the United States to fall into ruin? If that’s the case, shouldn’t you be in favor of more policies like the ones that have laid low our country these last eight years?
“I voted against Obama Tuesday and think he is a very wicked man who desires nothing but the spread of unbiblical immorality and positions”
what? really? you think he is a very wicked man? how do you get to that conclusion? have you been watching tons of foxnews?
I was really appreciating this article and it’s various post until I came across biscuit. Like an uninformed attack dog you lash out about one candidate, yet you and others are silent while we fight a war that was launched on lies. You celebrate at a convention by cheering on a former candidate who not only was an adulterer, but had the audacity to dislay his mistress in the mayors mansion. You celebrate a group who would parade a pregnant teenager on her stage with her boyfriend, because they are “going to” get married. It is obvious that your view of God is so twisted. I please urge you to support the party of your choosing, but leave God out of it because, now I’m seeing that with a lot of evangelicals..it has never been about God!
the only thing we can do for ourselves is to change our heart and help our children and families have a love and respect for God and teach them to be godly. I believe that if you do not have biblical truth set in your heart, you will not be able to positively impact people around you. it is difficult for me to see who I am going to vote for, because I do not like that they throw comments like lipstick on pigs,but on the other side, support a war. I don’t like all of the slandering on both parties, and that makes me not to want to vote at all.