(Christian) Civic Responsibility
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· 772 viewsAs citizens of Christ's kingdom, the Bible calls us to pray for our leaders, to be exemplary citizens, and to ultimately trust in God rather than governments.
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(Christian) Civic Responsibility - 1 Tim. 2:1-6 & Titus 3:1-2
(Christian) Civic Responsibility - 1 Tim. 2:1-6 & Titus 3:1-2
Intro: Did you know that in the 2000’s to date only about 55% of the national voting age population actually shows up to vote, even in a presidential election? That’s only a little more than half of us. (I’m guessing it might be higher this year; public policy has our attention.)
And did you know that from 1904 to 2004 Missouri voted for the winner in Presidential elections every - single - time, except for one exception in 1956. That political phenomenon became known as the Missouri bellwether. Since then, however, in 2008, 2012, and 2016, MO has voted for the Republican nominee (even if by a thin margin): John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Donald Trump.
Even though that has been the case, and we are not now known so much as one of the key battleground states, our state is yet in what some would call the purple zone, meaning that it still doesn’t tend to lean that strongly red (Republican) or blue (Democrat). Every vote counts.
While these are interesting facts, and might even encourage us to vote, nothing informs our lives so much as the principles from God’s word.
From the passages we just read in 1 Tim. 2 and Titus 3, we can derive two key points to address today (and a third underlying premise) in terms of what Christians should be about in regard to our earthly citizenship: Though our first allegiance is to God and his spiritual kingdom inaugurated in Christ, the Bible calls us (precisely because of our first allegiance) to pray for those who govern over us and to be exemplary citizens.
We’ll look at few additional references as well to add one more biblical thought, an overarching one that informs everything else, which specifically impacts our attitudes and demeanor (see point 2) under governing leaders with whom we disagree: The Bible tells us to trust in God, not in governments.
First then…
The Bible tells us to pray for governing leaders. (1 Tim. 2:1-6)
The Bible tells us to pray for governing leaders. (1 Tim. 2:1-6)
Note that the text tells us to pray for governing leaders as a specific example of praying for all people (...all sorts of prayers for all sorts of people) - We must be people of prayer. You know I love to tell you that prayer is both a demonstration of, and the very act of, dependence on God.
Here’s another point not to miss: Thanksgiving, expressing gratitude in prayer, is among the list of various expressions of prayer. - The believers during the time might not shout thanksgiving specifically for Nero, “a cruel and vicious blasphemer and persecutor of the faith” (MacArthur), but they could pray for the gospel to change even him... and could thank God for his sovereign power over Nero and his perfect wisdom to use Nero as he sees fit.
Note too that the reference is to pray for various leaders in high positions, including kings (also plural) - Because of our sin nature’s tendency toward self-centeredness, it is unfortunately quite natural for us to also become ethnocentric… and nationalistic to a fault, to the point where we have a selfish tunnel vision that thinks more of ourselves than of others.
Finally, note the centrality of the gospel as both the impetus and the goal of our prayers. (1 Tim. 2:3-6)
Practically speaking, then, here are some suggestions for how we might pray.
Pray for God to change hearts, drawing people to a saving knowledge of Jesus. - “[…] The gospel changes people, and changed people can change society.” (John Stott) - Pray for specific people by name.
Pray for God’s wisdom (biblical wisdom) to be the thought process that pervades decisions. (even if/when they don’t realize that God is the source for that wisdom)
I believe this is the way to understand Christianity’s pervasive impact on the founding of this nation. While many if not most of the founders may not have been true believers in Jesus, many of the principles that informed their decisions came from a biblical worldview. In other words, even if some or many did not know it was biblical wisdom, I believe that was still the case. - I mean, think about it, there are entire worldviews that either ignore or distort God and his purposes, and yet the very existence of government continues to be essentially for the purposes which God has stated: commending good, punishing evil, maintaining peace, and protecting the oppressed. - So pray for biblical wisdom to be the underlying thinking that pervades decisions, even when the decision-makers don’t know it.
Pray for justice. Pray for all who are marginalized and mistreated, who either have no power or little power over their plight. Pray for those who have the ability to do something about the plight of others. Pray for our governments to be wise in the way that they help or try to solve these issues. - Pray for churches to be on the front lines of mercy by helping those we know.
I cannot help but think of abortions, of the individuals being murdered in mass who are completely at the mercy of others. - When someone wants an abortion, Sometimes the reasons are extremely complicated; we don’t deny that. But it doesn’t ultimately change the fact that if there is even a sliver of a chance that this baby (even embryo if you like) being formed is a human soul (which we of course believe takes place at the moment of conception), then we cannot possibly take the chance that we are killing defenseless humans simply because they are an encumbrance to our own freedoms. Even secular humanistic society dictates that if we should use our so-called freedoms to the expense of someone else’s more basic freedoms, then we are doing what is wrong. (We ought not to do that.) - I digress in philosophical argument. Anyway, I’m so thankful for a robust presence in our community of a fight for the lives of these unborn children through Options Pregnancy Clinic. Such a broad and shared cause allows many churches from different backgrounds to be in support together, as we should be!
I know this is a lot of practical application. Here are some more prayer suggested prayers:
Pray for leaders around the world. Pray for believers around the world. Pray for the lost around the world. And pray for your neighbor.
Pray for Christians to be leaders, first of all in boldly proclaiming the gospel under any type of government, but also that God would lead some of us to be active in public policy.
Pray for believers to be discerning in our support for candidates, platforms, and movements.
Pray for God to thwart the efforts of those who are promoting ends that are contrary to his character and contrary to what is ultimately best for people and society.
Pray for God to glorify himself in all these things, even and especially where what he is doing is contrary to what we understand. (…because we may be rightly convinced God doesn’t want certain things, that they are contrary to his character and desire for people. But we know God is doing bigger things than we can see and comprehend bc of our limited knowledge and perspective.)
So in 1 Tim. 2:1-2 the Bible tells us to pray for our governing leaders. Secondly…
The Bible tells us to be exemplary citizens. (Titus 3:1-2)
The Bible tells us to be exemplary citizens. (Titus 3:1-2)
Again, note the centrality of the gospel as both the impetus and the goal of our being exemplary citizens. - Titus 3:3-8)
Now back to vv. 1-2.
One very practical way, in our society, for us to be submissive, obedient, and ready for every good work is to participate in the process. It is the express goal of our constitutional republic that its citizens vote to select the leaders who will be making decisions concerning our governance (what is called a “representative democracy”).
As Christians, we believe that the Bible is God’s word, that it means what it says, and that it is the authority for all of life. Accordingly, we believe that God’s ways are the best ways for mankind’s own good, and we therefore aim to promote candidates who hold positions that are most closely aligned with what God says is best. - Moral positions matter to us (in fact, are paramount) because they either bolster or erode the very fabric of society. The officers who hold these offices are, during their term, incredibly influential. That means we need to be jumping at the opportunity to have a say in the process.
Again, under our system of government, being an active participant in the process is (hopefully) a clear application of being submissive, obedient, and ready for every good work.
It is not limited to that, however. In fact, as the passage continues, we see that submissive obedience that is ready for every good work impacts our attitudes and therefore our daily lives. Christians are to be exemplary citizens in the way that we make every effort to not be slanderous of leaders (or candidates, or anyone, for that matter) and to avoid being quarrelsome with anybody.
We are to be gentle and perfectly courteous toward all people. Wow, is this seriously lacking in any of our conversations! Notice I didn’t say in Congress. Yep, the childish bickering and political grandstanding we see among members of both parties in the Senate and the House of Representatives is indeed blatantly atrocious. But do we decry their lack of civility while we ourselves are pretty blunt about promoting our political perspective without any courtesy toward opposing viewpoints?
Phil Vischer has recently made a great video that takes a walk through our political history to show why most white Christians vote Republican while most black Christians vote Democrat. (Yes, he’s the creator of Veggie Tales who lost everything when Big Idea faced lawsuits and eventual bankruptcy. Phil learned a lot from that experience, not least of which is that God is still God and that God still cares for Phil and still wants Phil to display God’s glory.) Anyway, while the 15-minute video isn’t likely to sway the way you intend to vote, it is most definitely informative and certainly should cause us to have greater understanding of being in our brother’s shoes. It gives me greater respect for, and charity toward, people who don’t come to the same conclusions that I do about who to support and why. - I genuinely wish I had time to show it to you here. It is well worth 15 minutes... outside of me only having 30-35 minutes of your time today on this theme from God’s word. (ha ha)
Here’s another point about not being slanderous and quarrelsome but instead being gentle and perfectly courteous: Do we sound like a bunch of complainers, or are we a delight to lead? After all, we expect it from leaders, so why shouldn’t we expect it of ourselves? - What we should desire is for governing officials to look at us and see law-abiding tax payers, who mean it when we say that we are praying for them, and for God’s will, and for what is best for our community and country. They should believe that we have a heart of service, and that any disagreement is approached with kindness and respect, through proper channels.
Finally, if we are praying in dependence upon God, and submitting to leaders out of obedience to God, then certainly our trust is in God himself, not in these earthly leaders.
The Bible tells us to trust in God, not in governments. (Rom 13:1, Dan. 2:21, John 19:11)
The Bible tells us to trust in God, not in governments. (Rom 13:1, Dan. 2:21, John 19:11)
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”
Here’s a practical application of trusting in God and not in governments or any particular leader: When your candidate loses, don’t freak out. God is sovereignly in control. Let that sink in. - Don’t be flying off at the mouth about moving to some other country. Don’t be claiming that the world will now end. Don’t retaliate and don’t be party to any nonsense that threatens democracy (fighting over who actually won).
And if your candidate wins, don’t proclaim some great moral victory. God may just as well be using the elevation of a godless leader as much as he might be using one who aligns a little more closely to biblical morality. In other words, God knows a lot of things that we don’t. We ought to be a little more humble about that reality.
As we wrap up for today, I want to circle back to prayer. Use your prayers as an opportunity to trust in God.
PRAY LIKE YOU KNOW GOD IS IN CONTROL.
PRAY LIKE YOU KNOW GOD IS IN CONTROL.
Pray for wisdom and discernment as you vote. Pray the same for other believers. Pray that we will be the most kind and courteous of all people, displaying ourselves to be exemplary citizens through our submissive obedience in every good work.
Pray for those whom God is choosing by his sovereign will to be leaders in offices for two, four, six, … or many years. Pray that whatever God is doing, we will trust in him, both here in our own country and in the 195 other nations sharing this planet.
Pray like you know God is in control. Live like you know God is in control and that his ways are best.
LET’S PRAY.
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