The Government is Not Your Savior

Dear Christian Sister,

A few days ago in the US, we celebrated Independence Day. So I thought this would be an appropriate time to talk briefly about government.

What does the Bible say about government? We know from Scripture that God is the one who puts people in power. The Psalms tell us that God is sovereign over governments (Psalm 22:28) and Paul tells us that God has given authority to those in power (Romans 13:1). This is why the book of Titus expects us to be obedient to governing authorities (Titus 3:1).

The political climate in the US has been tense, to say the least. No matter what your political party or affiliation, as a Christian, there are some important things to remember.

First and foremost, our hope is in Christ. Not in a political party, not in any elected official. Jesus Christ is your Savior. He is the one who died for our sins. He is the one who has saved you. He is the one who will return one day and establish the new heavens and a new earth. He will rule, perfectly & righteously.

Second, we must remember that we are living in a fallen world and all of us have sinned. Being in a position of power may mean you are held to a higher standard in some respects: it does not mean that someone is to be perfect. Presidents, prime ministers, kings: all are sinful humans. Why are we surprised when politicians, elected officials, or rulers fail to meet our expectations? When they lie, cheat, manipulate? Why are we surprised when government systems fail?

We cannot expect our government or politicians to be our saviors. We cannot expect them to be perfect. We cannot expect the government to right all the wrongs in the world.

We already have a perfect Savior, in the person of Jesus Christ, who will one day return and establish a new heavens and a new earth. He will right all the wrongs of this fallen world.

But we can call our elected officials to repentance. We can call on them to uphold Christian values and morality. In the US, this also means we can hold our elected officials to the standards laid out in the Constitution by our founding fathers.

We can expect our government to provide justice & restrain evil. We can use our votes to choose candidates who we think will uphold our Christian values and our civil & religious liberties. Morality & character definitely matter as well but remember that when we vote, we are not electing a savior. We already have a Savior.

So, until Jesus returns and establishes His Kingdom, what are our responsibilities?

-PRAY: In his first letter to Timothy, Paul urges us to pray for all people, for kings, and all who are in high positions” (1 Timothy 2:1-2) because God has placed them in these positions for His purposes. We should spend time praying for the authorities in our lives, in our nations, in other nations. Pray for wisdom, pray for good counsel, but above all else, pray that they might come to know the Lord. Salvation is eternally more significant than any earthly policy.

-HOPE & TRUST: Place your hope in Christ, in the sovereignty of God. Do not be discouraged when human authorities fail. There is a perfect, just, righteous Ruler who is above ALL things. He has already saved you. He has paid the ultimate price to save mankind and He will return one day to rule on earth.

-SHARE: The only thing in this world that can truly bring lasting change is the Gospel. Salvation only comes through Christ. And you, Christian sister, have been commissioned by Jesus Christ, Himself, to share the Gospel with the world. Christians do not need to separate themselves from politics. All government authorities, all humans need the light of Christ; don’t be afraid to get involved, speak up, and share the truth that God has revealed to us.

This has been a very brief overview of government, politics, and the Bible. For further study & information about Christianity & politics, check out a few of my favorites:

-Allie Stuckey, The Conservative Millennial Blog & Relatable podcast

-Wayne Grudem’s “Politics According to the Bible”

-Albert Mohler, The Briefing podcast