7 Empowering Truths for Politically Active Christians

1. All power in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus…right now. The living Lord of creation was not at all vague when He tasked His people with the Great Commission before flying into the clouds: “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20 ~ emphasis added.) This is not an allegory given by Jesus to His people. It’s not an illustration. It’s not a parable.

It is a crystal clear, detailed command.

2. God’s Word and Law are unbreakable; they are completely authoritative right here and now. There is no other truly “ruling” law over any part of His creation. His Word and Law are perfect expressions of His nature (which is itself unchanging and unchangeable; see: Hebrews 13:8). His unchanging nature is the source and sustaining force of all things in His creation (Colossians 1:16-17). It is only by the grace of God and for His greater purposes that rebels against His nature are temporarily allowed to express their rebellion – an expression that ultimately validates the very Word and Law that they rebel against. Put another way: People (and civilizations) cannot truly break God’s law; they can only break themselves upon it.

3. God’s Word is sufficient. God’s Word is sufficient for guiding us in the pursuit of every good work in any realm of His creation. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ~ emphasis added.)

4. God doesn’t need anyone – you, me, the Republican Party, and America included. (Acts 17:24-25) Neither Christ nor His Bride, the Church, are “in need” of assistance through secular (man-centered) pragmatism or marketing/promotion ideas aimed at appealing to the world by obscuring the central truths of the Gospel (man is evil, God is holy, judgment is coming, etc.). Values, principles, and even actions, be they conservative or otherwise, are only as good as they are in harmony with Christ’s nature as revealed in His Word. Even cherished contemporary gems like “conservative values”, “conservative principles” and what some call “Christian values/principles” are nothing put pure poison and a ticket to death when separated from explicit reliance upon and harmony with the nature of Christ. God does not need anyone or anything. Everyone and everything needs Him.

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5. God doesn’t need anything – including knowledge of the future – which itself is His creation. Since God is unchanging (see again: Hebrews 13:8) and all-knowing (Psalm 147:5), He is inherently unlearning as well. He knows all that can be known about anything at any point in space or time in His creation, and He never acquires this knowledge by observation or any other means external to Him. He knows all things because all things have been made and are sustained by Him for His purposes, including time itself (Colossians 1:16-17). The Creator (God) is in no way bound by His creation (time).

6. God will judge all conduct – including all political conduct – by His perfect (and perfectly clear) standards. His nature as revealed sufficiently in His Word (see: #3 above) is the measuring stick against which all of our actions will be tested and judged (2 Corinthians 5:10; Ecclesiastes 12:14). As every realm of life is impacted by the Gospel and Great Commission, we can be certain that, however much professing believers in this rebellious cultural context may protest, the Word of God is the authoritative standard by which we are to test, understand, and pursue all things political and governmental. As such, individuals and nations who attempt to “break” this truth can only ultimately succeed in breaking themselves upon it (see: #2 above). Knowing and believing this, we of all people should be boldly and lovingly calling people to submit to the one and only life-preserving standard by which families, cultures and civilizations can truly flourish anywhere in His creation.

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7. The Gospel is all that we have…and all that we need. Faithful proclamation of the whole, undiluted Gospel of Jesus Christ is the one and only tool that we have with the power to supernaturally transform “slaves to sin” who hate holiness and are blind to truth into “slaves of Christ” who then hate the sin they once loved and pursue the holiness that they once hated. This Gospel holds the power of salvation (Romans 1:16-17) given to God’s people by His grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-10) so that they might then be empowered to love and do all that He has commanded (John 14:15), including faithfully proclaiming the whole, undiluted Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout a rebellious world so that others might also be supernaturally saved and inspired to obey Him in all things. This is the Great Commission given by Jesus to His people…which appropriately brings us full circle to Matthew 28:18-20.

The Christian worldview in action (aka “life”) is completely defined, from top to bottom and beginning to end, by the Gospel-fueled Great Commission.

So put on your armor and take up your sword, Christian (Ephesians 6:10-18). This is not a suggestion. It is a command (and not from me but from your King).

There is a war to win and a Kingdom to advance…all by God’s grace and for His glory.