There has been a fair amount of press coverage over the years about pastors preaching politics from the pulpit. I know that I have been both amazed and saddened by the pure ignorance and vitriol that has spilled over from pulpits over the years from both liberal and conservative pastors. I understand the temptation to “change the world” that comes when you have a “captive audience” before you, “great wisdom” floating around your head, and a deep and abiding passion in your heart. However, it doesn’t take too much searching to find clergy who have led people astray because they have been ill equipped to adequately analyze the issues and because they have made idols or false gods out of laws, policies, procedures, and politicians. When I’m tempted to speak about political solutions to the problem of sin I have found it useful to not only bow down before God’s holy word, but also to pay attention to the ways in which “the law of unintended consequences” manifests itself in our fallen world (if you don’t know what that means just click HERE and HERE). We always need to hear the Gospel of how God was at work in the death and resurrection Christ to reconcile us to Himself. The kind of selfless service that Christ demands (Matthew 25:31-46 [show]Matthew 25:31-46
[31]"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. [32]Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. [33]And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. [34]Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. [35]For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, [36]I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' [37]Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? [38]And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? [39]And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' [40]And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,(1) you did it to me.'
[41]"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. [42]For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, [43]I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' [44]Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' [45]Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' [46]And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [25:40] Or 'brothers and sisters'
) comes only when hearts have been set free from the power of sin and death, and the Holy Spirit works gratitude within us that spills over into the lives of the least and the lost.
Phil Johnson from Pyromaniacs Blog gave a lecture entitled Politically Incorrect? (How to shepherd your congregation in an election year) at a recent pastors’ conference. Addressed to a group of very conservative Evangelical pastors, Johnson challenges them to stop trying to change American culture through political activism, and exhorts them to return their focus to proclaiming the Gospel. You can download an MP3 version of this lecture HERE. If you want to read the lecture instead, just click on each point below and you will be taken to the relevant article on Johnson’s blog.
Here were four Biblical insights that Johnson argued should guide pastoral practice in political matters.
- Preaching, not lobbying, is how the church makes Truth known. (1 Corinthians 1:21-2 [show]1 Corinthians 1:21-2:16
[21]For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. [22]For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, [23]but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, [24]but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. [25]For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
[26]For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,(1) not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. [27]But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; [28]God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, [29]so that no human being(2) might boast in the presence of God. [30]And because of him(3) you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, [31]so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
[2:1]And I, when I came to you, brothers,(4) did not come proclaiming to you the testimony(5) of God with lofty speech or wisdom. [2]For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3]And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, [4]and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [5]that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
[6]Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. [7]But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. [8]None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. [9]But, as it is written,
"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him"--
[10]these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. [11]For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. [12]Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. [13]And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.(6)
[14]The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. [15]The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. [16]"For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [1:26] Greek 'according to the flesh'
2. [1:29] Greek 'no flesh'
3. [1:30] Greek 'And from him'
4. [2:1] Or 'brothers and sisters'
5. [2:1] Some manuscripts 'mystery' (or 'secret')
6. [2:13] Or 'interpreting spiritual truths in spiritual language', or 'comparing spiritual things with spiritual'
:8)
- Gospel, not law, is what changes sinful hearts. (Galatians 2:21 [show]Galatians 2:21
[21]I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness(1) were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [2:21] Or 'justification'
, Galatians 3:2 [show]Galatians 3:2
[2]Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? (ESV))
- Service, not dominion, is the most effective way to win people in any culture. (Matthew 20:25-28 [show]Matthew 20:25-28
[25]But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. [26]It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,(1) [27]and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,(2) [28]even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [20:26] Greek 'diakonos'
2. [20:27] Greek 'bondservant' ('doulos')
)
- Christ, not moralism, should be the primary substance of our preaching. (1 Corinthians 2:2 [show]1 Corinthians 2:2
[2]For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (ESV))
It’s important to remember that this message is addressed to pastors and focuses on their unique call to publicly preach the Gospel. People as citizens are called to be active participants in the political process.
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