Christians and Politics

Titus 3:1-3

INTRO: Good morning church! I was reviewing a lesson from a few weeks ago and it got me thinking. Scripture often warns God’s people about deception and evil influences. For example, in Luke 21:8, Jesus said, “Take heed that you not be deceived.” Also, in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3, the Bible says, “Let no one deceive you by any means…” In the Old Testament we read about the influence of the surrounding nations and in the New Testament we read where Paul had to warn Christians of outside influence, 1st Corinthians 6:9-11 for example. The congregation in Corinth, which consisted of Jews and Greeks, were constantly challenged by society in two ways: the first was that many of the Christians originated from a heathen background, and second, they were continually exposed to their evil surroundings.

I wondered what particular challenges that we face being a Christian in this culture, as a Christian at this time. I think it's an important question for us to ask ourselves, and it's kind of hard to see sometimes because the culture is what we're used to. That is a broad topic I know, and would take many lessons.

Since this is an election year, I thought we might look at one point. How much should we care about politics? What role does that have in our life? Often we use the term “apolitical”, which is defined as, “having no interest or involvement in political affairs”. When people hear that term some think that we don’t care about the problems people have. There are people in this country with needs, “I guess you just don't care about them because you don't want to help them”, right? No, that's not it. Christians should care about people in a deep and important way. There is a difference.

Christ teaches us to have a better perspective on this life, have a better perspective on the problems that we face. We are to see things like God sees them. God gives us better tools to help people than this world has to offer.

Need for Leadership. People throughout time tend to lean on politics. Our leaders, our officials, our police force, our military, you name it. We tend to lean on our country and those people in power when we have problems. We see there's a problem over here, and say we wish the government would fix that. We see some thing going on in our society, and say that's the government's job. The thinking is we need to encourage the government to do this or that, and that thinking feeds the idea of being political. After all they're the ones that are supposed to be “solving” everything.

Instead of thinking the government's going to solve everything, we need to realize that government may never solve those problems. The government’s action can't be where my hope lies. God gives me better tools than that to be able to help people. It's really a different way of thinking about how to help the people around us. Do we care about people? Absolutely!

Here are the three points we are going to look at this morning.
Number one: The New Testament tells us to submit to the government. That's a clear theme of the teachings of the New Testament.
Number two: An Old Testament emphasis is that God is in control over kings and over nations.
Number three: Americans care too much about the economy.

I. First let’s examine three key passages in the New Testament that speak about Christians’ relationship with the government, and our attitude toward the government. We will start in Titus 3, than look at 1st Peter 2 and finally Romans 13. What we will find is there are a lot of similarities in these passages.

A. Titus 3:1-3 – “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.” Paul speaks of government as “rulers and authorities”. Be submissive to rulers and authorities, and in that context, the need to be obedient.

1. In his letter to Titus, Paul admonishes Titus to be a pattern of good works, to the young men especially. Here he says “be ready for every good work”.

a. He reminds Titus that we were “once foolish”. We were disobedient, led astray, slaves to our lusts, slaves to just doing what the flesh wants, our pleasures. Hating people and being hated by people.
b. Do we see that in the political world today, hating people, being hated by people, passing our days in malice and envy?

2. We are to “speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing humility to all men.” People feel free to say things about politicians without a lot of evidence, just kind of throwing out things about them or what they suppose their motives are.

a. Speak evil of no one, not being slanderous. Avoid quarreling, bickering and fighting, even on social media.
b. We are to be gentle, kind, compassionate, meek, and humble. We are to show courtesy towards all people. Being respectful, polite, and gracious. How poorly people seem to do that today!

3. When we think about today, do we have politicians and media that sound like they are not being slanderous, not quarreling, not bickering and fighting but are being gentle and showing courtesy towards all people?

a. Does what we hear from them sound like religious people? People who are claiming to be followers of Jesus? People who are claiming to be disciples of Jesus and following God's word?
b. In those religious contexts, do we see people behaving this way on social media, news outlets, and blogs? Not from my observation.

4. I suspect there is a reason. There are Christians and there are Bible believers all over this world that do behave the way Paul tells Titus to. You don't see it though because that doesn't get the “clicks”. It’s not exciting. Who wants to read a humble blog about politics?

a. What gets the “clicks” gets the views, the attention? It's the snarky comments. It's the sarcasm. It's the rudeness. You know, the shove it back at them attitude. That's what's… “newsworthy”. That's not following what God has said, that's disobedient to the gospel call.
b. What if every person who claimed to be a Christian avoided quarreling, bickering and fighting, was gentle, kind, compassionate, meek, and humble? What if they showed courtesy towards all people, were respectful, polite, and gracious in the political scene? Wouldn't things be different?

5. I fear our world is the opposite. We write and say things to slam others because we “know” that they are slamming people. It should not be that way. The world would be so much better if we always behaved the way Christ calls us to.

B. Another principle that we see, is that it's our job to work with the authorities, those rulers, those people who are over us. And working with them, (not against them), speaks of being submissive. Submit yourself to those rulers and authorities; be obedient, following the laws of the land, and doing what we should.

1. In the book of Titus we see that the way we live, the way we conduct ourselves, shows the goodness of the gospel. It demonstrates what the gospel is really all about, and that we're not about being hateful.
2. There were false things being said about Christians 2000 years ago, just like there are false things being said about Christians today.
3. Today Christians are accused of being bigots, unloving, etc., fill in the blank. 2000 years ago they said followers of Christ were atheists, rejecting the wisdom of their forefathers. They said all kinds of crazy things about Christians. That's going to happen today and we are to counter that by the lives we live.
4. Paul tells Titus in Titus 2:9-10 – “Exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.” “adorn the doctrine of God” What a great phrase. Adorning the doctrine of God, adorning the gospel. We do that by the lives we live, our lives make it look beautiful. To adorn something is to show the beauty of it. When we say make it look good it does not mean its bad so wrap it up in something fake. It means show the goodness of it. Show the goodness of the gospel. Live it out and show what God is really all about.

C. Now let’s consider something from our current Bible study in 1st Peter 2:13-17. “13. Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14. or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 16. as free, yet not using your liberty as a cloak for vice, but as servants of God. 17. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”

1. This should sound familiar, not just because of our study but in comparison to what we see in Titus. The lesson is obedience, submission and not just to the highest figure but to every human institution set up by God.
2. Again, we see this idea of submission coupled with living lives that show the goodness of the gospel. Peter says, “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men…” They may say things about Christians, but the Christians they know individually should show that that stereotype isn't true, because they really do live out the love of God towards people.
3. We show respectful behavior and that shows the goodness of the gospel. Honor all. This is the idea of showing courtesy towards all people. I’m sure we have all heard jokes and slanderous things said about people on the other side of the political aisle. That's not honoring everyone. That's not honoring the emperor, the king, the president, the representative, the mayor, the police chief… you name it.

D. Turn to Romans 13:1-7 – “1. Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority?” Would anyone want to live their life always looking over their shoulder, about to get arrested, about to get in trouble? I certainly don’t want to live that way. “Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4. For he is God's minister to you for good.” Live a righteous life and you'll receive that governor's approval, for he is God's servant. “But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain;” That is a real threat, that has real potential. “for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. 6. For because of this you also pay taxes,” We don't like paying taxes. They didn't like paying taxes 2000 years ago when this was written. We pay them because “they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” Respect. Respect to who respect is owed. Honor to who honor is owed.
E. Here are the three things we keep seeing in these passages. Submit to the government. We are to obey them, do what they say, are to be respectful to them, showing honor to whom honor is due. Showing courtesy towards all people and living lives that are doing good, to show them the goodness of the gospel.

1. Are we going to do this? Are we going to submit to the government, even if things don't go our way? We have this idea in our world, I should say, in this country; it's like, well, because it's a democracy and I didn't vote for that guy therefore he's not my president. I'm not going to do what he says. If things don't go my way, I’m going to fight against the government in that.
2. What if they start taking away our “rights”? What if they start persecuting Christians? We put “rights” in quotations because it's only a “right” if the government actually gives it to us. Take freedom of speech for example in the First Amendment “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech…” They say I have a right to free speech but what if they take that away? -- That’s my right! No, it's not if the government says it's not. The government used to allow it, now they don't. It's not your “right”.
3. We submit to the laws of the land, and however the current politicians are going to interpret the constitution, we submit to that. By the way the courts have already modified what Freedom of speech includes and what it does not include 12 times since 1943. Then in the disclaimer about the list of modification it says; “this is created by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for use in educational activities only. It may not reflect the current state of the law.”

F. What does the Bible say? Peter says in 1st Peter 2:18f, "18. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer for it, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:”

1. When we talk about submitting to the government, even when they hurt us, or take away our “rights” or push us around—that is not some side issue, some peripheral discussion of Christianity, something that the theologians talk about in dark rooms.
2. Peter says this is what you're called to as a Christian, because that's what Christ did. Christ suffered unjustly. We also may have to suffer unjustly; to this we've been called.
3. It's pretty straightforward. We are to show the glory of God instead of fighting against the government. We will submit as best we can without sinning. Of course, we can't sin if they tell us to sin.
4. We will submit and we will suffer unjustly because we're called to that. In this is the “… strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age…” in Hebrews 5:14. Some don't like to hear this but that's what Christianity is. That's what we've been called to do, follow in the footsteps of Christ.
5. Some think they are smarter than God, they think they know better. “No, here's how I’ll fix it. I'll be really sarcastic and I’ll push the buttons of the authorities.” No, you're not smarter than God. We need to do things God's way.

G. Philippians 2:14f “Do all things without murmuring and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”. We don't grumble. We're not constantly bashing people. We are thankful. We're appreciative. That will shine as a light in this dark place.

II. Second: we will look at the Old Testament but segue back through Romans 13:1f in so doing – “1. Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves."

A. Government exists as put there by God. He says it over and over again. There's no authority except from God. Those governments that exist have been instituted by God. Paul was not the first person to say that.
B. The Old Testament emphasized that God is in control over kings and nations.

1. There is no better place to show this than in Daniel. Daniel 4:17b – “to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.” [ESV] God is ruling over the kings of men. He puts in authority those whom He wants to rule.
2. Daniel is explaining to Nebuchadnezzar his dream in Daniel 4:25bf – “… seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules.” [ESV]
3. In Daniel 4:32b – “… They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.''”

C. If God's in control, then we have nothing to do with it, right? Does that mean Christians shouldn't vote? No, that's not what that means.

1. Think about it. In every area of our life we work with God, trusting in Him, but also doing our part.

a. Does God give us our food? Yes. Does that mean we don't have to plant crops and harvest them? Does it mean God's going to provide for my family, so I can just sit around?
b. Here is a good one, God takes care on things so if I become ill I don’t need to go to the doctor, just leave it to God, right? No, that's not how any of this works
c. How about this—God is the one in control of the souls of this world, and so I don't need to evangelize. No, that's not how it works. God is in control, but we need to do our part, whatever that part might be.

2. We live in a democracy and we're blessed to have a voice. You have a vote and you should use it as your conscience leads you. I'm certainly glad when Bible-thinking people go out and vote because I believe that is going to bless our country.
3. Even though we vote, don't think for a second that God is not involved. God's will is going to be accomplished. Trust in God.
4. When it is in our control to do something that is fine. When we do act we will behave differently if we trust in God's guiding hand. We won't have anxiety about it. We won’t feel the need to stay up till three in the morning to find out who won.
5. We trust in God and we do our part. We pray and we trust God with the rest. Most of all we pray for God's will to be done and pray for God's blessing. That is where the power is.

D. 1st Timothy 2:1f – “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Pray for our leaders, for government officials, for the people in this land and for other countries as well.
E. Pray that we are living in a world where people can have Bible studies, where people can have a regular job, where they live their life and can grow spiritually and not in chaos and tumult which are not helpful for people to hear and obey the gospel.

1. Pray that we can lead these quiet lives where we do our work. Pray that we will be a blessing to others around us.
2. Paul says this is good and pleasing in the sight of God.

III. Third: Here I’ll pose a question. Do we, as Americans, care too much about the economy?

A. I was looking at a Gallop poll chart about the percent of Americans who believe economic issues are the nation’s most important problems. The poll covered from 2001 through March of this year.

1. There was a spike in 2008, 2009 where 86% of people answering the poll said the economy was the biggest issue.
2. This was in the worst economic downturn in the U.S. since the Great Depression. Domestic product declined 4.3%, the unemployment rate doubled to more than 10%, home prices fell roughly 30% and at its worst point, the S&P 500 was down 57% from its highs.

B. Let me say that a different way. Of all the problems around us, the biggest one was we didn’t have enough money. It was not education, the things they're teaching in schools, the moral decline we see in areas of our world, and the acceptance of immorality around us. No, those were not the biggest problems facing us. The biggest problem was we didn’t have enough money.

1. I wondered if we were thinking money could solve all the other problems. I suspect that thinking was involved.
2. During the pandemic the percent of people thinking the economy was the most important thing dropped to 10% at the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, a dramatic change. Suddenly there was something more important.
3. Much more recently, this year, those saying that economy issues are the most important problems, hovers around 30-34%. Literally a third of the poll respondents say the biggest problem in our country is that our economy isn't good enough or the direction of our economy is wrong. As Christians, do we see how ridiculous that is?

C. As rich as we are, people still think the top problem is we don't have enough money. There are people in this room who have seen the growth of our nation in the years since the great depression and many of us had parents who lived through that time. We know how rich a people we are. It seems to me a little ridiculous to think that the biggest problem in our country is that our economy isn't strong enough.

1. Christians should not be thinking that our biggest problem is the economy. Do we see how worldly that is? How rich do we need to be as a nation before we stop making money our priority?
2. Remember what Ecclesiastes 5:10 said? “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.” It seems that it doesn't matter how much money we have, we just want more of it.

D. When it comes to voting we have likely all heard the phrase “it’s the economy stupid”. I think that phrase is what is stupid. Why do we still care so much about it? Elijah prayed it would not rain so that the people would turn back to God. It didn't rain in Israel for three and a half years. Would we be willing to say those kinds of prayers instead of praying for the economy?
E. We pray that God's will be done. Christians should not grasp and cling to our economic situation; so much that we're not willing to let it go for the sake of people's souls.

CONCLUSION:
What are we going to do in this election year? Care more about souls. Care less about politics, and the headlines, he/she said that and he/she responded this way. Care less about “this or that” person winning and pray for God's blessings. Pray for God's will to be done in this country, and then trust in Him. Be content with the life that God has given to us. Be content with what we have.

We understand there may be people in this room who are having a hard time paying their bills. We understand there may be people in this room that have a hard time getting the food they need. Of course not every person in America is sitting fat and sassy. There may be ways we need to help others financially, even people here, but we can also be content with what we have and look to God to provide for us those needful things. When we do this we'll be a light in a dark world and we'll just be different. God will be glorified.

Psalm 146:3 – “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.”[para] That's not who we're going to trust. That's not who we're going to look to. We're going to look to God and do His will. Pray for God's Will to be done, and look to Him. Care about souls, care about the kingdom, care about the things that are to come when Christ returns.

The lesson is yours. Perhaps there is someone in the assembly today with the need to be buried with Christ in baptism. If anyone has this need or desires the prayers of faithful Christians on their behalf, we encourage them to come forward while we stand and sing.

# ??? Reference Sermon by: Jady Copeland, Lakeview church of Christ