“A Christian Responsibility”
May 1, 2016
Isaiah 9:6-7
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
This morning I want to talk about a subject that affects us all, involves us all, often divides us and we often avoid it like the plague! Pastors don’t like to talk about it because it often causes trouble and division. People are often more passionate about their views of this subject than they are about their religion. By now you may have guessed that I am talking about government and politics.
A few weeks ago someone came to me and asked me to preach on this subject. After praying about it, I felt like the Lord wanted me to share it as well. I think the reason is that we have been convinced it is a taboo subject. That is contrary to what our country was founded on and what our forefathers thought. Do you know that all the signers of the Declaration of Independence were Christians? The two signers the world always uses to refute that is Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson who claimed to be Deists. Both were member of the Episcopalian Church and both spoke strongly for Christ and religion at times. They may have matured in their beliefs or been misrepresented. I don’t know. But I know Jefferson had a bill passed to send missionaries to the Native Americans. Imagine! Tax dollars used for religious purposes! Franklin called the political debaters to stop for prayer. Doesn’t sound like non-religious people to me!
Many of the signers of the Declaration were trained as ministers, but at the time of the signing of the Declaration, only a few were active in ministry. For example John Witherspoon was serving as a minister at that time; Robert Treat Paine served as a military chaplain during the Revolution. His father was a pastor; and Lyman Hall had served as a minister before the Revolution. There are many others who should also be recognized for their ministry work, including Francis Hopkinson, a church music director and choir leader who edited a famous American hymnbook; Roger Sherman, who wrote the doctrinal creed for his denomination in Connecticut; Benjamin Rush, who started Sunday School in America and founded the country’s first Bible Society; James Wilson, who had been trained as a clergyman in Scotland but became an attorney, teaching students the Biblical basis of civil law; and many others. In fact, at least 29 of the 53 signers had been trained in schools whose primary purpose was the preparation of ministers. Does that sound like separation of church and state? I don’t think so. In fact, the predominate feeling was that it was a Christians duty to be involved politically.
We have fallen a long ways from when our Country was founded. Now people want to convince Christians to stay out of politics. “Politics is dirty!” Well, yes it is. The world is a dirty and evil place – but we are called to go out into it and make a difference. C. S. Lewis described the Christian as a ‘good infection’ and we are to go into the dirtiest and most sinful places and infect them for good. We are to be the light that dispels the darkness. We are to be the salt that preserves and purifies. We need to do that with the government. When the good retreats – guess what takes over? Evil. And that is what has happened in politics in America.
Let me give you a brief history of my political involvement. Because my Dad was a staunch Democrat, when I reached voting age, I registered as one, too. I always voted in every election but I voted as best I could for the man and individual bills. Then in 1988 some friends wanted me to change to Republican so I could vote in the primaries for Pat Robertson. They got me to thinking and I researched what each party supported. What the party stands for is called the ‘platform’ and what each individual held belief is called a ‘plank’. I found the democrats’ platform was made up of many planks that I couldn’t support. Things like abortion, same sex marriage and big government (or socialism). I switched parties and before I knew it I was a delegate to the state convention. I went on to become a member of the County Central Committee – then chairman and then elected to another state convention. I learned a lot. Let me share a few things I learned.
First, no man is perfect. Never was one – except Jesus and they crucified Him. Don’t look for a perfect or flawless man. You won’t find one. Do look for a man of character. Look for an honest and good man. Especially look for a Christian man. He will believe he answers, not only to the people, but to God as well.
Secondly, Politian’s will say what they think you want to hear. You can watch videos of many of our present day Politian’s saying one thing to one group and another thing to another group. I have to ask myself, “Don’t they know they are being recorded?” They should know someone is taking video of it and their opponent will use it against them. I would rather support a candidate who I disagree with but who is consistent and honest than one who says what they think I want to hear and won’t really support it or know it can’t be achieved.
I think of some of the candidates who say they will give free college tuition, free health care and take money from the rich to give to the poor. How silly is that! First of all, the wealthy would move their money, their business and jobs to another country rather than let you take it from them. They have that busiess for one reason. To make money. When you take it from them -that is called stealing -whether an individual does it or the government does it. Secondly, even if there were enough money for the rich to support our country (which there isn’t) the price of goods would go up and affect every single one of us. Those of us on fixed incomes would be hurt hardest because everything would cost more and we wouldn’t have the money to pay for it. That is why socialism doesn’t work.
Another thing I have learned is that most candidates will slander the others. I don’t like it. The only one who refused to do it this election, quickly had to drop out of the race. In my opinion, he was the most qualified and best for the job. He was a strong and outspoken Christian. He was intellectually brilliant and spiritually strong and, I believe, led by the Holy Spirit. By the way, I trust him. I listen when he speaks about who he supports and doesn’t support. I hope you do, too.
What all that says to me is “don’t believe everything you hear.” Each Politian will make himself look good and the others look bad. That is why it is so important to read and listen to opposing views. Study the candidates and what they stand for. Give very little credence to what they say or what their supporters say – look at their record. Did they say one thing and do another? If so, can’t trust them for anything. Most of the Politian’s on the hill, including our Commander in chief, were for the Biblical definition of marriage when they were running for office. Once they got in they changed their views of that and many other things. A man who changes his morals can’t be trusted. His mind? OK.
That brings up the question: Should Christians even vote? Should Christians, as citizens, engage in politics at all? It reminds of the jokester who defined politics as the venue of “poly-ticks”: many blood-sucking insects. I can see his point!
Aristotle defined the root word for politics, the polis, as a community defined by its common understanding of and commitment to the good life. Augustine tells us that we can identify the character of a people by determining what they love. Surely Christians have a conception of the good life. The Prophet said,
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
Scripture tells us our vision of the good life should be characterized by love for God and neighbor (Matt. 5:16, Matt. 22: 37-38, John 13:35). That infers that we need to be involved in community. The Christian needs to be active and involved.
Here’s another question for you: Does My Vote Even Matter?
No one vote, after all, will be the difference in any election or political decision. Why bother casting a vote that has no meaning?
The first thing to say about such an objection is that it’s an odd way to think about doing anything with a communal element. I may as well decide not to recycle because my individual effort alone will not clean the environment. Nor will my modest charitable gift solve poverty in my community, let alone my country or the world. Yet the combined efforts of Christians can have a staggering effect when taken together. When individuals do not think of their actions entirely through an individualistic lens we can accomplish tremendous things.
Secondly, how about duty? My country, my state, and my town ask for a relatively minor effort on my part to contribute to the common good by expressing my views in the voting booth. My daily OT Bible reading this week was in the book of Amos. He said, “Woe to you who are complacent…” Amos 6:1a
I believe we have a duty to try to make a difference - whether we can or not. Sometimes it feels like I am standing in front of a tsunami – trying to stop it. But the issue is not whether we accomplished our goal – but whether we tried or not.
I wrote a poem in 1982 about trying. I was pastoring in the middle of the desert in Nevada and I felt my efforts were useless. Out of my frustration and pain here’s what I wrote:
“I Tried” Written by Andy Grossman, June 27, 1982
There are better men than I who walk this land;
Men who finish and succeed the things they plan.
But when this body wears out and I have died,
I’d like to look back and say, “I tried.”
There are men who build and work and succeed;
Men that earn the glory and honor for their deeds.
But though I’ve worked and bled and died,
At least I want you to know - I tried.
Some, like Midas, turn all they touch to gold.
Some work will stand forever, I’ve been told.
But though I’m not much and my swath isn’t wide,
I can look back at my life and say, I tried.
Some men build Churches and find eternal fame.
Some do great work and all men know their name.
Your talents may be small next to that one at your side,
But when the dust has settled – be able to say, “I tried.”
It is important to me to keep trying – even when it seems not much is being accomplished.
Here is another reason for voting. Voting is one way we promote the common good in our particular community. It’s a small but tangible exercise that can lead to even greater involvement in cultivating a just and merciful society. Also, we are in good company when we carry our witness for the good into the public square. John Witte Jr., in his book From Sacrament to Contract says:
“Marriage, Religion and Law in the Western Tradition, describes how the early church fathers publicly spoke out in favor of marriage and against evils - like child abuse, polygamy, and abortion. These early leaders, who knew a thing or two about persecution and preaching the gospel, loved their neighbors enough to speak to political issues in a system that afforded them no formal power. How much more should we speak out, given our political tradition is predicated on the active commitment of an informed citizenry?
Our Nation is based on the assumption that people will be active and informed politically. That is one of the major reasons our country is decaying before our eyes. People are ignorant and don’t want to be involved. It was the Christians in Early America who were the activist. Most people just wanted to go about their business. Here is something you should know.
• During the Revolutionary War, only THREE percent of the people actually fought against Great Britain.
• Only TEN percent of the citizens actively supported that three percent.
• Approximately TWENTY percent considered themselves to be on the side of the Revolution, but they did not actively participate.
• Towards the climatic end of the war, approximately THIRTY percent actually fought on the side of the British.
• The rest of the citizens had no disposition either way. They didn’t care. They didn’t want anything to do with what they deemed to simply be a political issue.
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Finally, voting is a way of telling our neighbors—believers and nonbelievers alike—that we too are committed to a vision of the God life. It is a testimony. We care about their well-being, even on issues that are secondary to eternal matters. Politics concerns decisions that contribute to a free society in which people can worship, evangelize, provide food for the hungry and clothing to the naked, schools for learning, and justice for the poor. Our Father in heaven knows we need these things too, and he uses our action in the voting booth in part to provide them.
I believe every Christian has a duty before God to vote. My prayer is that you will take your faith – not just to the public square – but the voting booth as well.
