The Christian & Politics (Part 1)

We’re Going to Do a Study Series on Politics

At First, I Struggled with How I Wanted to Go About this Topic

But I Think I’ve Found the Best Way for Me to Go About Teaching it

First, Let’s Focus on What this Class is Not Going to Be About

This Class is Not Going to Be About:

Which Political Party/Side of the Political Aisle is Correct

If You Know Anything About My View of American Politics…

You Know that I Don’t Align with Any Party

They All have Agendas that are Anti-Christian

What Policies Christians should Be For or Against

But I Understand that May Come Up in Our Discussions…

And that’s Perfectly Fine

But, I’m Not Going to Make an Effort to Focus on Policies

Trying to Make Anyone Less Political

If Anything, I Hope this Series will Help Us All Be More Political in Our Thinking

My Goal for this Study is to Help Us as Disciples of Jesus…

To Think About Politics in Less of a Partisan Way…

And More of a Christian Way

I’m Terrible at Reading Books

But I Love the Thought of Reading Books

I Probably have Dozens of Books that I Intend to Read…

But I’ve Only Read Portions of

The Reason I’ve Only Read Portions of These Books…

Is Because, While I’m Reading a Book…

I Run Across Another One I Want to Read

And then the Cycle Continues

The Last Book I Allowed Myself to Buy is Called:

“Political Gospel” By Dr. Patrick Schreiner

I Started Reading it a Couple Months Ago…

But Fell Off, Like I Usually Do

But I Picked it Back Up in Preparation for this Class

It’s Really Good - Paradigm/World-View Shifting

The Primary Point that He Makes in this Book is:

Christianity is Extremely Political

But Not in the Way You Might Think

A Lot of the Words that We Find in the NT, Such as:

Gospel, Christ, Church, Kingdom, Believe, Salvation, Lord, Son of God, etc…

We Typically Think of as “Religious” Words/Phrases

But to the 1st Century Jewish, Greek, and Roman World…

They were Highly Political Words

Jesus was More Than Just a Religious Leader/Savior to Them

He Came Declaring a Political Message:

That He is King

That Meant More Than “Jesus is King/Lord of My Life”

Christianity is More Than Just a Personal Conviction

Christianity is Real Life and Applies to Everyone

It’s Political

Why Did King Herod Kill the Baby Boys in Bethlehem?

Because a Religious/Spiritual Teacher was Born?

Or Because a New King/Ruler had Arrived?

To Americans, Religion and Politics Don’t/Shouldn’t Mix/Overlap

But to the Biblical Writers, They Completely Overlapped

There was No Separation of Religion and Politics

And the Message of this Book and of this Class…

Is that Modern Christians should Share that Same Viewpoint

But, So You Don’t Misunderstand Me…

Overlapping Religion with Politics Doesn’t Mean:

Bringing the Present American Political Climate into the Church

Endorsing Certain Parties or Candidates

Patrick Schreiner Defined Politics in Several Ways:

“Political” simply means the activities associated with the organization and governance of people.

Politics is simply how we partner together for the flourishing of humanity and the world.

Politics answers the questions: How do we live together? How do we deal with money? How do we treat our enemies? What is authority? How should we love? Whom should we love? What does it mean to be human? How do we form communities? What is justice? Who is in charge? And how do we disagree?

The Church is a Community of People Who Belong to the Kingdom of God…

Which is Ruled By King Jesus…

Who Governs Us with Laws/Principles that We’re to Live By

Citizenship is Attained By Birth

(Repentance & Baptism = Death and Rebirth)

Citizenship is Revoked Upon Refusal to Obey the Laws/Principles

Why is it Important for Us to View Christianity Through a Political Lens?

Because the First Christians Did

And We will Better Understand Their Writings…

And Their Presentation of the Gospel

And I Believe it’s Important to have Our Worldview Shifted in this Way…

Because it will Bring the Gospel into a New and Life-Changing Light

Jesus isn’t Just Our Religious Guru that Others can Take or Leave

Jesus is King of Kings and He’s Coming Back to Rescue His People…

And Destroy Those Who Make Themselves an Enemy

If We Want the 21st Century World…

To Take Christianity as Seriously as the 1st Century World…

Then 21st Century Christians have to Take it as Seriously…

As the 1st Century Christians

Christianity isn’t Just a Religion, it’s a Reality

If We Want the World to Recognize it as a Reality…

Christians are Going to Need to Start Treating it…

Like it’s a Reality

There is One Important Truth that We Must Agree Upon:

Human/World Governments are Subordinate to God’s Rule

Though We are Under the Rulership of Our Government…

We Understand that Our Government is Under the Rulership of God

Therefore, His Rulership Takes Precedence Over Their Rulership

We Answer to Them, But We Answer to Him First

That Means There are 2 Ways in Which We Interact with Our Governing Authorities:

Submission

We are to Submit/Yield to Governing Authorities

Subversion

We are to Rebel Against Governing Authorities

The Gospel Message We Live By is Subversive

We Submit in All Ways to Our King…

Who is Higher Than All Other Authorities…

And Who is Going to Overthrow All Other Authorities

So, We as Christians are to Behave Submissively Toward Governing Authorities

But, at the Same Time…

Our True Allegiance/Loyalty Lies with a Greater Authority

Can We Think of Any Good Biblical Examples of that Way of Living?

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah

Subversion:

Daniel 1:8–10 (NASB95)

8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials, 10 and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.”

Submission:

Daniel 1:11–13 (NASB95)

11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 “Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

Subversion:

Unwilling to Obey By Bowing to the King Nebuchadnezzar's Statue

Submission:

Willing to Suffer the Legal Ramifications of Their Subversion

Subversion:

Praying to God When it’s Illegal to Do So

Submission:

Willing to Suffer the Legal Ramifications of His Subversion

In the Upcoming Weeks, We’ll Look at:

The Political Language Found in the NT

Examples of Submissive and Subversive Christianity

The Reality of the Gospel…

And How Viewing it Through a Political Lens…

Will Give Us a Firmer Grasp on its Truths…

And Will Help Us to Better Navigate the Political World We Live in