INTRODUCTION:
• Many Christians consider politics as something which is not to be involved with or irrelevant to 'spiritual responsibilities' of a Christian.
• But, the fact is God will 'choose' persons to engage or involve in politics to whatever degree he wants from us to be done in order to serve the kingdom of God.
• Here I would like to enlighten the entire Christian community irrespective of any denomination to involve in politics upto the extend God want us to.
• Not everyone are chosen to be a State Leader, but it will add to God's advantage when a discipline or follower of God becomes a leader, whatever the hierarchy maybe.
SUMMARY:
• There are 3 main views from God's perspective to us to do related to politics either directly or indirectly. They are;
i). "God calls and uses political leaders"
ii). "God is calling us to participate in politics"
iii). "We must serve our highest authority (God)"
EXPLANATION:
i). "God calls and uses political leaders":
• God uses political leaders who understand the will of God and coordinate with God in all aspects of the rule.
• God gave the ability to interpret Pharoah's dream to Joseph who was exciled as slave
• God gave the ability to learn all literature, wisdom & understanding to decode a dream or vision in coordination with God. This is an unique ability of a promising political leader. Even now, it is relevant that, a political leader must be capable of analysing current situations based on past experiences and able to interpret or predict the future trend in any/one/all field of expertise especially politics.
• God also uses leaders to oppose him. In history whoever opposed Christians have finally realised it is wrong, and that the Christians keep on rising only when they are oppressed. Ex: Pharoah, Herod, Saul
ii). "God is calling us to participate in politics":
• God calls us to be 'Salt & Light in their culture' in our culture. That means we have to blend with our culture in order to progress it and cleanse it towards God's will.
• Ways To Participate: Vote, Engage, Serve & Intercede.
• Voting is the basic right & duty of a Christian, and is a beginning of our 'social responsibility' part of 'spiritual responsibility'. Pray to God to whom to vote
• Engage yourself into politics of your nation, for the glory of God. Engaging can be in any form of basic volunteering to leadership positions. But, at any point of time, remember the 'highest authority we serve is God alone'
• Serve the people through taking up tasks whichever maybe like Executive or Judicial or Legislative way. By doing so, we represent the people's hardships to the government and act as bridge to render solutions from government for the betterment of the society
• Intercede for the political leaders who rule the Nation. Intercede that they may rule directly or indirectly for the will of God and betterment of the society
• We Christians cannot be reluctant about politics especially, because God says this, "..seek the welfare of the city where I sent you into exile & pray to the Lord on it's behalf, for in it's welfare you will find your welfare", thereby advocating a 'welfare state' by interceding to God
iii). "We must serve our highest authority (God)":
• "Let every person be subjected to governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted but God" in Romans
• "For this is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their fulltime to governing" in Romans
• "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" in Romans
• "'Honor' the emperor, but 'fear' only God" by Peter
• "We must obey God rather than men" in Acts
• All these Bible verses tells us that, there is a clear distinction between responsibilities towards God & that towards emperor. Because, every emperor or a state leader is someone not alien to the world, but rather serve God's will alone, either for God or even against God, that God's will may prevail by their rule, whoever it maybe a Stalin or Hitler or Obama.
ROLES IN GOVERNMENT:
i). God's role in government:
• "When governments fear, follow, serve and obey the Lord, 'it will be well'. When governments disobey & rebel against God's good plans, the hand of Lord will be against you and your kings" in Samuel clears us that governments and leaders have to fear the Lord and rule according to his will, but when they go against his will, God would ruin them and wage war on behalf of the people, so people need not have to oppose the governments if they do wrong, since there is a living God who watches everything and judges the leaders.
ii). Politicians role in government:
• "For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad" tells us we don't need to fear the politicians rather make use of them precisely
• "..he is God's servant for your good" which means anyone who is in rule, he could have came through wrong means or anyway, he came to leadership only by God allowing him to do so. Nothing goes against God's calculation/his will. If he does good, he may sustain if he goes wrong he would fall for sure, because it is God who rules the people, not these leaders.
iii). Our role in government:
• "Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor" that we have to be socially concerned, not reluctant
• "Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all destitute" means we have to voice against injustice, inequality, evil deeds which affect the people and be a voice for the voiceless
• "..seek the welfare of the city where I sent you into exile & pray to the Lord on it's behalf, for in it's welfare you will find your welfare" tells us welfare the nation we live must be focused and worked towards it. It's our duty because it was God who have given us this nation to live upon.
CONCLUSION:
• Every Christian is destined to involve into politics, but the 'degree of involvement' may vary from God's will, our ability and environmental aspects. So, it is advisable that we engage ourselves to politics to whatever extend we could, the magnitude is not important.
• If God wants you to be authoritative, coordinate with God & rule for the welfare of people, then he will bless all necessary requirements like knowledge, wisdom, authoritative ability and guide us to fulfill his will.
• If God wants you to be active & volunteer for the will of God, similarly he would provide everything needed for it.
• If God wants us to be passive & do the very basic duty of 'voting' alone, is also a contribution and God would guide us, through prayers.
• 'Voting' is the minimum contribution every Christian compulsorily have to do, inorder that we recognise who God wants to rule us. But, that voting requires certain things we have to consider before.
- avoid decisions based on tradition, stereotypes, emotions & pride
- make decisions that value the kingdom of God more than the kingdom of man
- 'both 'moralizing the society' or 'politicizing the church' can never be a solution to world's issues
- the world does not change from outside, but from inside out, any change we need to see in the society has to be introduced from us. When we do it, our family do it, when family do, societies do it, when societies do, nation do it.
• "But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" tells us that, times may change, policies may change, politics may change, but first seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness and apply them accordingly.
No comments:
Post a Comment