Our Participation in Politics – A Follow-up – Pt.2
November 15, 2010
Dear Friends,
Just as a reminder, I received several interesting and engaging responses from my comments about brethren becoming more engaged in secular politics. Here are my thoughts on some of these issues.
Q: I wonder what “Christadelphians” would have done if they had been German citizens during the Nazi regime? Would they have “honor[ed] the king” and watched in silence as Jews were hauled off to concentration? I know the Holocaust was what led to the establishment of a Jewish state (God’s plan)… but would Yahweh have wanted us to stand silently by while atrocities were occurring?
I think it is a false dichotomy to suggest that honoring the king means you must acquiesce to sinful behavior on the part of the government. As ambassadors of Christ, we are committed to furthering the Kingdom of God. We should do this with as much passion, courage and commitment as the brave men and women who harbored Jews during the Holocaust.
We all know and understand that God wants us to submit to the laws of the countries in which we reside as long as they don’t conflict with the principles of the Kingdom of God. German brethren in WWII should have “honored the king” as much as their consciences would allow and disobeyed the king as much as their consciences demanded. I would like to think that true brethren in Christ would not have cowered in the face of the brutality of the Nazis and would have aided the Jews despite the laws in place at that time. The believer’s dissidence has limitations imposed on it by the character of the King they serve. Their behavior in revolting against their government must be done in the fruit of the Spirit, not the works of the flesh. It should be noted that for the sake of an honest debate, few of us live in countries that can be reasonably compared with Nazi Germany.
We don’t have to speculate too much on what the brethren in Germany did in WWII as much of it is documented. Brother Albert Merz was a brother in Christ in Nazi Germany who did stand up for what was right. I presented his letters in the May 2002 TFTW.
Putting aside what happened 70 years ago, here is what I see in the brotherhood today. Brethren are taking sides in secular politics and painting their side as righteous and the other side as evil. From where I am sitting, there is seldom a side of pure right and wrong in secular politics. In other words, no worldly political party truly represents the Kingdom of God’s position, but always some shade or variation of the Kingdom of Men.
Let’s use US politics as a prime example. Very seldom in the United States do you vote directly on issues. You typically vote for people who in turn represent you. The Republican Party typically takes the side of the rich versus the poor and promotes a bigger, more aggressive military. The Democratic Party typically promotes the homosexual agenda and abortion. Which side represents God’s perspective? Which side is God’s side: bombing babies or aborting them? Can you vote a person in office who is anti-abortion but then votes to attack another country and claim no personal responsibility for their decision? It reminds me of the US Civil War in which both sides wrapped themselves in the flag and claimed to have God’s blessing while slaughtering one another. The true choice before men is not Democrat or Republican; it is the Kingdom of God versus the Kingdom of Men. We are losing that vital distinction.
Jesus said “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.” (John 18:36) If there was ever a cause of social injustice worth fighting for, it would have been the execution of the Son of God. Yet, Jesus says that this secular decision was not their battle. Their kingdom is not of this world yet. One of these days we will be very involved in secular politics when our choices are not shades of gray, but clear distinctions between good and evil. In the meantime, all of our present battles must have a proper context which is shining forth the light, love, peace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Frankly, nothing I see in secular politics today seems to come close to accurately represent this position.
Have a great week,
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