Implication 8: OT Israel is a corollary to the Church, not any nation (including the USA).
Implication 9: There IS a Christian nation but America is not it.
(It is not, was not, will not be, cannot be, and ought not be.)
Wisdom:“I am American (French, Chinese, Ethiopian, etc) second. Though I appreciate my country, my first allegiance and citizenship resides with a different kingdom.”
…will eventually renew all of creation. (key concept: Kingdom)
Implication 10: We must understand where we are in history – between the “already” and “not yet.”
Implication 11: Participation in public office is a great way to love our neighbor. Christians should participate fully…up to the point of being required to actively support something God forbids.
Implication 12: Jesus is King. His power is absolute. The people of God do not “need” the power of the state. Historically, the church has thrived most as a life-giving minority rather than a vocal majority.
Implication 13: Government is meant to be a gift from God for the good of people.
Wisdom: “Jesus is King and his people have always thrived more as a life-giving minority than a vocal majority.”
For Reflection and Group Discussion
- Which of the above implications is most helpful to you? Most challenging? Why?
- How do Christians run the risk of giving a wrong picture of God through misuse of public power and communication about political issues?
- What ought gospel-centered disagreement look like with in the church? With those outside the faith?
Jesus Politics: Tension
Note: We are taking a brief break from our normal approach of Bible exposition and addressing the topic of Jesus and Politics and implications for following Jesus in America, 2015. Though not exposition, per se, we still strive to be rooted in Scripture.
John 18 36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”37Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” …(John 19) 9[Pilate] entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.10So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?”11Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.
John 6 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
Psalm 2
1Why do the nations rageand the peoples plot in vain?
2The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3“Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
4He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
I Peter 2 13Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
1 Timothy 2 First of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,2for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.3This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,4who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Acts 17 24The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,25nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.26And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,27that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.
The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ has entered the world and achieved for us a salvation we could not achieve. This salvation renews individuals, creates a new community, and will eventually renew all of creation.
The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ has entered the world and achieved a salvation we could not achieve.
Implication 1: There is no “ANSWER” to the human problem from the human side.
Implication 2:The power of Jesus’ kingdom is the Spirit, not the sword or the gavel.
Wisdom: “I find myself sympathetic to the ______position. However, I realize there are deep flaws here as well.”
This salvation renews individuals (key concept: grace)
Implication 3: The law of God is a gift given to the people of God for human flourishing.
Implication 4: There is no biblical requirement for the people of God to legislate human flourishing in detail.
Implication 5: Christians are free to pursue their best understood vision of flourishing…even if it includes legislation.
Wisdom: “I am free to promote my best understanding of human flourishing as I understand it from the Scripture. But, at all costs, I am obligated to love my neighbor well!”
…creates a new community (key concept: church)
Implication 6: The church should be more political, not less.
Implication 7: As a renewed community, we now have a first citizenship in God’s Kingdom and first commitment to God’s covenant document (Scripture). While not commanded to legislate what he commands, we must not support something God forbids.