Wisdom in Politics

INTRO: Throughout history, rulers of nations have played important roles in the everyday life of citizens. In the bible, we see a the books of Judges, Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, and 1& 2 Chronicles which trace the history of Israel’s rulers. And really, every country has a historical account of their leaders.

You can go to Washington DC and see a whole exhibit on past presidents, there are presidential libraries and wax museums, not to mention all the history books which recount the significant events surrounding our nation’s leaders. If you turn on the TV (or go on social media), you will find pundits constantly yammering about political leaders. So, I guess my point is that we must acknowledge that the political arena is relevant in our lives, right?

As Christians, we must learn how to think about politics, leaders, and legislation. You see, God has given us, in His Word and through His Spirit, everything we need to be able to walk wisely in the world He created. So it stands to reason that we would find ourselves at this point where I am preaching a sermon with politics in the title.

Now, before you get nervous, let me state a few things clearly for you.

Christians must understand politics in light of our faith, not separate from it.

We must not buy into the lie that just because a topic has been categorized by the world as ‘political’ that it is off limits. In fact, many issues that our government is involved in were grounded in Scripture long before they made it to congress.

God is sovereign, but that does not negate our responsibility to live and order our lives privately and publicly.

IOW- How we engage in the well-being of our nation through the political process is important and I believe we will give an account for this.

This is not a soapbox sermon.

I am not here to preach a Republican or Democrat sermon.

I am not here to rail against any politician nor to endorse one. (I’m actually grateful that we are dealing with this now instead of election season. )

Now, you might be thinking, “the church just needs to stay out of politics.” If that’s you, I am going to ask you to hear my heart and God’s word here. I believe that for us to say that any area of life is off limits for input from the church or Scripture is to say that our Lord does not have authority in that area. And, I’ll go one step further, I believe that it is our duty, as citizens of God’s Kingdom and of America, to influence our communities, our law-makers, and even our economy in the way of the Lord.

Listen to:

Proverbs 11:10–11 NASB95

10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting. 11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

Politics and government are never neutral. So it is of great importance that the church of Christ rightly understands its role in this sphere.

Remember, the book of Proverbs was recorded in order that Solomon (and other kings) would be able to train up their children so that they may become godly rulers and leaders within their nation. And, while I don’t believe any of you in here is a future king, I do believe this will be helpful as we think about our own government. Understand that Proverbs gives us wisdom for leadership and society, not a direct political system—but these truths still shape how we evaluate leaders and policies.

Now, the bad news is that all men are sinners, so we will never find a mayor, congressman, or president that lives up to God’s standard. This has been true since Eden. But the good news is that Jesus is right now reigning perfectly on His throne in heaven. So we look to Him and we point to Him.

So in our time together this morning, we will examine several of the Proverbs in order to develop a biblical wisdom to guide our thinking in the civic arena. Yet, more than a practical lesson in politics, I pray that you will see how our first priority is to live unto the Lord. Because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, our engagement with politics or anything else is foolish without a proper understanding of God and response to Him.

And, just like in our history books, the public arena of life affords a wonderful opportunity for the church to influence our nation towards the most high God. We must be willing to hold our line of expectation and have honest conversations surrounding the issues as well as the leaders who are ruling on our behalf. So, grab your sermon guide that is located inside your bulletin, and let’s learn together;

If God cares about how a nation flourishes, then the question becomes: what should we look for in those who lead? Solomon answers that directly… Wisdom in Politics...

Demands Righteous & Just Leadership (16:10-12, 29:2;4, 14:34)

Proverbs 16:10–12 NASB95

10 A divine decision is in the lips of the king; His mouth should not err in judgment. 11 A just balance and scales belong to the Lord; All the weights of the bag are His concern. 12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, For a throne is established on righteousness.

Those who are in leadership positions, whether they realize it or not, are responsible to God for how they lead. Solomon declares here that a king should be fair and consistent. It is God’s standard, not man’s.

In the ancient days, scales were used in trading. If you were a crook, you might have unjust weights in your bag. A heavier weight when you were buying so that you would get more product, a lighter weight when selling, so you would give less product. Here, Solomon says that God owns the scale and the weights or measures that a leader uses to make judgments and decisions are under His scrutiny.

Therefore, when making a ruling- whether legally or in a decision regarding war or taxes, a king should be consistent, not making decisions based upon irrational thoughts or emotions. A king who is corrupt - perhaps having double standards or giving preference, is guilty of wicked acts, an abomination to the Lord. (11)

As Christians, we should demand righteous and just leadership not only because it is right, but because it is by righteousness that nations endure. Look with me to...

Proverbs 29:4 NASB95

4 The king gives stability to the land by justice, But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.

Here is another way of saying this: If a leader can be bought, then he sells out his own people for personal gain. This isn’t always about money. Sometimes, this is about appeasing a group of influential people. But God’s Word is clear here: His righteous standard is not for sale. Look here at

Proverbs 14:34 NASB95

34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.

Solomon’s sons needed to know that their responsibility was to lead the nation in a way that honors the Lord. They were to uphold God’s Word; His justice. To follow after false gods, like many kings would do after Solomon, is a disgrace and invites God’s judgment upon them.

And, though we are not the same kind of nation as Israel, folks, as God’s people, we have to address the elephant in the room. It’s not hard to see that many of the laws and values shaping our nation today are out of step with God’s design. Laws that celebrate and enshrine that which God calls sinful. And God’s church has been told in many cases, to sit down and shut up- sadly we’ve done just that.

At times, if we are honest, we’ve all been tempted to settle for less that God’s standards, perhaps even falling for some of the arguments that have driven moral decay for decades. The result is that our society has been deceived into believing the lies of Satan.

You see, when we look at the whole counsel of God’s Word, we see that many things our culture celebrates stand in direct opposition to His design... things like abortion, same-sex marriage, pornography, gambling, illicit drug use, etc. And yet these are legal and in many cases thrust upon us as basic human rights.… This is a disgrace for our nation, and even worse it is a snare and pitfall that has entangled so many.

So the question becomes, what difference does this actually make for us today? What would righteous and just leadership even look like in our context?

Still, righteous character alone is not enough. A leader may mean well—but if they lack direction, the people still suffer. That’s why Solomon not only speaks about who a leader is, but what a leader does…

Demands Purposeful Governing (27:23-24, 29:18)

Every leader has a goal or some might even call it an agenda. Sometimes we say that as a negative thing, but having an agenda is not a bad thing in itself. In fact, Solomon speaks directly to this point. Look at Prov 29:18

Proverbs 29:18 NASB95

18 Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.

Allow me to say it another way: If you do not have a goal that you are leading people to accomplish, it’s chaos among the people; you are not leading them anywhere! And this is not a mystical vision that Solomon is talking about, but rather a revelation of what God would have for the people. That’s why the end of the proverb references the law, which was given by God and thus one who is surrendered to God pleases Him.

ILL: In our day, politicians go on the campaign trail and make all kinds of promises to try and get votes. They share their agenda on how they will govern, but the problem is that they don’t do what they say and if we are honest, we really don’t expect them to do what they say. Their vision tends to end with getting elected.

However, as God’s people we should demand more. But we need some help from God’s Word here. Look with me at Prov 27:23-24

Proverbs 27:23–24 NASB95

23 Know well the condition of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds; 24 For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

Solomon, teaching his sons, tells them that their purpose is to know their people and to recognize that their time of leadership is just a season. Therefore, their agenda or purposeful governing ought to reflect the interest of the people as they live wisely in the world God created.

Leaders must understand the physical and spiritual condition of the people they lead so they can charter a path toward God’s revealed purpose. Let me give you an example using the church:

We are called to be on mission and that mission is simply the Great Commission that Christ charged to the church before he ascended into heaven. As your pastor, it is necessary that I know where you are physically and spiritually so that I can put forth a path to help us get on that mission effectively. That’s why I designed the Discipleship Trail so that we could see where we are in our obedience and take the next step toward growth and maturity in order to please the Lord in our faithfulness.

Now, here’s the thing: I am here only until I am not. Just like any other leader, God knows the duration of my tenure here. Therefore, the purpose or agenda a leader promotes should be God’s purpose, not a self-serving purpose. You, as God’s people should demand that kind of purpose, in the church and in civic and public leadership.

In the public sphere, Christians should hold our elected leaders to think beyond their term and beyond their personal benefit. It should not be that every new president has to undo a whole bunch of stuff and set out a completely new agenda. No, instead, we should be working to point them to the revelation of God for righteousness, justice, and all around wise living in the world God created.

So, let me ask you to reflect: What is the purpose and role of government?

These are big questions that God has called us engage. And so as we ponder them, let us look to one final admonition that we find in Solomon’s writings; an admonition that I believe covers both leaders and those they lead. Wisdom in politics...

Demands Courageous Conviction (29:12-14, 29:19, 20:8)

Here’s what I mean: we cannot waffle back and forth nor can we be bullied out of our Christian convictions. Vision without conviction collapses under pressure. Remember, politics are not neutral, but this isn’t a Red or Blue issue. In fact, it’s often within one’s own political party that their convictions are most challenged.

Think about it: Most people are prepared for their opposition to press them. But when someone claims to be on your side or claims to hold your beliefs and then they start to chip away at our position, this is downright deadly. Look at Prov 29:12-14

Proverbs 29:12–14 NASB95

12 If a ruler pays attention to falsehood, All his ministers become wicked. 13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives light to the eyes of both. 14 If a king judges the poor with truth, His throne will be established forever.

Here’s what Solomon is saying: when we start paying attention to lies, we find that we become surrounded with liars. When we start to waiver or make concession on our conviction, then we stop listening to the voice of the righteous, maybe reasoning that this is nuanced situation or whatnot. Eventually, what we have done is made a foothold for the enemy and our convictions just become suggestions that are slowly moved farther and farther away.

However, God gives eyes to all men; He does not withhold His truth from either the poor nor the wicked. Yet only the truth will remain. Every other negotiated position will fall because it was built not upon conviction of truth, but upon lies. And can anyone follow a leader who is that corrupt? Not if that person sees the truth. Look at Prov 29:19

Proverbs 29:19 NASB95

19 A slave will not be instructed by words alone; For though he understands, there will be no response.

Now, for a future king, this instruction means that they must hold fast to their convictions and be willing to lead with integrity. You see, a leader cannot lead to a place he has never been. But a leader that leads according to God’s wisdom, Solomon says in Prov 20:8

Proverbs 20:8 NASB95

8 A king who sits on the throne of justice Disperses all evil with his eyes.

There comes a time when people will not just do as they are told, but instead they follow where true leadership leads. People need courageous convictional leadership.

ILL: I believe America is the greatest country in the world. But that does not mean there is not rampant corruption in our government. I don’t want to get into the weeds of all that, but what I see and you probably see is that we are more and more aware of that corruption. And, according to Solomon’s proverb, people will at one point stop allowing themselves to be governed by the words of hypocrites.

This is true in all arenas of leadership, but it also is instructional for those who are not in leadership. You see, you have to make a choice regarding who you are following. Will you be courageous when the leader is leading righteously? Or will you follow corrupt leadership even though you know it is wicked?

So, here’s where this lands for us this morning:

If wisdom begins with a proper fear of the Lord, then church, we must surrender our politics to Christ, trusting that even as we act in accordance with that wisdom, God is sovereign in all things. Prov 21:1

Proverbs 21:1 NASB95

1 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.

Christian, we must understand politics in light of our faith, not separate from it. If your political engagement is making you more anxious than prayerful, more angry than compassionate, or more focused on winning arguments than winning people, that’s a sign something is out of alignment. Our call is to be courageously convictional; speaking truth in love, and bringing the world to know the glory of our true King.

Here’s how you can do this practically:

PRAY for our leaders. Paul instructs, in 1 Tim 2:1-2 that we should pray for all those in authority so that we may live a peaceful life.

BTW- the kings and leaders in Paul’s day were not exactly angels. Guard your heart from being bitter or cynical and pray sincerely that they would hear God’s voice and govern accordingly.

ENGAGE in the process. Romans 13 tells us that we should be willing supporters and participants in government. You ought to vote thoughtfully and prayerfully. Maybe you need to even consider being a candidate and voice in our government.

REMEMBER THE GOSPEL - Don’t elevate politics above the Great Commission. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and in every sphere of life we are a witness for HIM! Remember Christ is King eternal- no political movement rises to that standard.

Church, here’s the reality: no political system, no party, no leader will ever fully reflect the righteousness we long for. That’s not new; that’s the story of Scripture. Every king in Israel ultimately failed.

But there is one King who has not failed. Jesus Christ reigns perfectly—righteously, justly, and eternally. And if you’ve never trusted that King, today is the day to bow your life to Him, because He is not just a better ruler… He is your only hope.

So yes, we engage. Yes, we think. Yes, we act. But we do not place our hope in politics—we place our hope in a King whose throne is not up for election.

And when our hearts are anchored there, we are finally free—free to speak truth with love, free to act with conviction, and free to live wisely in a world that desperately needs to see the difference Christ makes.

[PRAY]

DISCUSS: Why do you think politics can feel so tense or divisive, even among Christians?

DISCUSS: How can you tell when your political views are being shaped more by culture than by God’s Word?

DISCUSS: Have you ever felt pressure to compromise your convictions because of cultural, social, or political influence? What did that look like?