Christians and “politics” ?

 

If you were a Christian living in North Korea, a cruel totalitarian regime, wouldn’t you be praying for democracy, that the cries of the common people could be heard? Wouldn’t you rather live in a democracy than under a tyrannical dictator who thinks he is God, who believes he alone has the authority to decide who lives and who dies? And wouldn’t you see the chance of having democracy as a gift from God?

 

It’s easy to forget what the alternatives to democracy are, or what happens when democracy fails.

 

The early Christians had no such freedom or responsibility to choose the government. Such issues would never come up, it would be futile.

 

So, if democracy is indeed a gift from God, and Christians don’t appreciate it, maybe God will take it away, because we don’t deserve it?

 

But how much influence can one Christian have in their society?

 

Next to none.

 

But the economy of God is never about one Christian, it is about a mighty spiritual army in every tribe and nation.

 

Of course politics is not the power of the Gospel, and yet the Gospel touches on the realities and issues of life.

 

For example, is murdering babies a political issue or a God issue?

 

Which issues should Christians be silent on because it’s “political”?

 

Should the whole Christian community keep a blanket of silence over the evils of society?

 

Of course not. For then they would be complicit.

 

So, I’m suggesting there is a balance in the Christian life: In the world, but not of it, but salt and light in the world, not detached from the realities of life.

 

Out of the 24 hours God has given us today, I’m sure it’s quite balanced to spend 10 minutes thinking about the state of your nation and the world, and praying for those in authority, and speaking out when it seems right to do so.