I had been thinking about preaching a sermon on this topic, but decided to wait. Then I thought about putting together some political comments for the blog. But in God’s providence, I came across a quote that summarized what the Bible says about politics much better than I ever could.
The following is from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones:
“This is tremendously significant and is of great practical importance for the Christian. Let me put it in this form to call your attention to it: I would say, for example, that by definition Christians must never become too excited about politics, and for this reason, that they know perfectly well that there is no solution to the ultimate problem of mankind in politics. So people who believe that, as a result of a win for one party rather than another at an election everything is going to be fundamentally different—those people are either not Christians or else they are very ignorant ones. No; nothing that can happen at an election will touch this problem. The parties are all equally in sin; they are all under the domination of sin.
“Now, Christians should be concerned about these things’ they have a duty as citizens, and let them exercise it. But if they become excited, if they believe that one rather than the other is going to make the vital difference, they have never seen the truth about the world. Men and women who believe that Jesus is the Son of God; have seen through the world; they know that no Acts of Parliament can solve the problem of mankind. They look on, therefore, objectively. There is a detachment about them; they are looking at it from the outside.”
This came as a stinging rebuke for my own heart, and a good reminder that I can trust God, while remembering that the world is a dark place, and no Republican or Democrat will bring in true righteousness.
My prayer is for a heart that is detached—not in apathy, but in faith in God’s love in every circumstance.
