Reprobate Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Does anyone know of any biblical basis for promoting christianity and it's values, through the political process? Like what is occurring currently in the US. The new testament in particular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornagainathiest Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Hi Reprobate! Imho, 1 Corinthians 12: 27 - 30 sounds like an excellent reason why politics and Christianity shouldn't mix. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? This is the clearly established hierarchy for the governance of the Church, that is, Christ's Body on Earth. This is not a human system, scripture says that God put these things in place. If that's so, then I'm prompted to ask the following questions. 1. Why would Christians need to be part of a rival, man-made system of governance, when the one God has established for them should be fit for the purpose of governing their lives? 2. If a Christian becomes a politician or seeks to use the political process to bring about Christian values in their society, don't they run the risk of divided loyalties? Who do they give their allegiance to? God or their Party? Doesn't scripture say that a house divided against itself cannot stand? 3. No political party has ever been formally sanctioned and sanctified by God in writing... in the Bible. The only NT system ever established by God for His people is His Body, the Church. Sure, many human beings have claimed that their party or their policies are God-centered or God-focused, but that's not the same thing. If they claim that any human organization is equal to or the rival of God's, isn't that blasphemy? And isn't going down the politcal road like saying that God's way isn't working or hasn't worked? 4. The above quote from 1 Corinthians makes it clear that God's system is for the governance of His Body, not anything else. Not nations or states or any other kind of human community - just the Church. Therefore, Christians should not involve themselves in the running of these things unless the established hierarchy of Apostles, Prophets and Teachers agree that this is what God wants. Has this ever happened? Or, more likely, have Christians become politicians as a matter of individual conscience, bypassing the system of authority God has set up for them? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If memory serves Reprobate, the idea that Christianity and the political process could work hand-in-hand didn't arise until the time of the Roman Emporer Constantine, about 325 A.D. He was the one who wedded the previously pagan Roman State apparatus to the Christian Church. Before that time they had been totally separate from each other. A marriage made in hell, if you ask me. So... No. I can see legitimate Biblical basis for mixing Christianity with politics. Thanks, BAA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsRoper Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 My first instinct was, "Do not put your light under bushel. or Be a light in the world." I googled: biblical basis for being involved in politics - and got a shit-ton of links. Check this one: http://www.mnvoter.com/documents/WhyshouldChristiansbePoliticallyInvolved.pdf is a cherry pickin' delight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanSoto Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Does anyone know of any biblical basis for promoting christianity and it's values, through the political process? Like what is occurring currently in the US. The new testament in particular. Not really. At least, I personally dont get the feeling from the New Testament that religion and politics were ever supposed to mix in the way that they have here in America, though that could just be my own bias talking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centauri Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Does anyone know of any biblical basis for promoting christianity and it's values, through the political process? Like what is occurring currently in the US. The new testament in particular. Usually, I've heard the following passage used to justify involving politics with Christianity. Acts 5:27-29 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Ironically, this goes against Rom 13:1-2, which states that the authorities were set in place by God and must be obeyed. Of course, Christian politicians often claim to be on a mission from God, so they can get involved whenever the urge hits them. They'll do just about anything and then claim God directs their actions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 There is little uncompromising biblical justification for just about anything xians tend to wear on their sleeves. If there is justification, it's cherry picked. Xianity is an evolving paradigm that is loosely tied to a book. E.g., the bible explicitly tells them True believers don't pray in public, yet there are widespread movements amongst the ranks for prayer in school. The bible condemns homosexuals, yet xians ignore the passage written on the same roll of papyrus that condemns those who eat crabs, lobsters and clams. Regarding politics, Paul explicitly told xians that governments were god appointed, strongly implying it's not up to them to criticize or involve themselves, but rather be good sheep and obey, yet xians today have lobbies, skirt IRS rules and campaign in churches and generally make asses of themselves pushing their own version of morality on the rest of us -- morality which evolves with each new generation btw. From this it can only be concluded they have reading comprehension issues and their faith does not have its foundation in a book, but in an ever-changing montage of beliefs that are molded much like PR firms mold public perception of an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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