The Bible, Politics, and the Gospel

We have a fair amount of discussion in my church over what the Bible teaches when it comes to government and how to apply God’s Word to particular areas of public policy.

During one of those discussions, a friend recently commented, “I reject the notion that someone needs to be a small government conservative to be in a reformed church.”

With that I am in 100% agreement. In fact, you don’t even have to be reformed to be in a reformed church, at least in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).

When I came to my reformed PCA church, I was an avid history buff yet was basically ignorant about Luther, Calvin, and the Reformation. I was also an Armenian who believed that the earth was billions of years old and had some vague notion that the world was heading to hell in a hand basket, having been fed dispensationalist dogma throughout my years in Baptist school; I had no clue what post (or even pre) millennialism was.

But shortly after my arrival I attended a Sunday school class called Calvinism 101. Then I asked a friend why he believed in six literal days of creation; he suggested you can’t properly account for death under the old earth scenario. And I also sat under some amazing teaching that showed me how God’s Word points to Jesus’ ongoing and effectual victory over Satan and sin and the world in history–imagine that! And here I am today; a reformed, eschatologically optimistic, young earther.

I will admit, though, that I did bring my small government conservatism with me to my church. But that wasn’t what got me or the rest of us in. We just have to confess Christ as our Lord, be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and answer a few questions in the affirmative–including submitting to the discipline of and studying the peace and purity of the church.

I do believe, though, we need to talk through my friend’s other comment, “I think that associating small government conservatism and the reformed church publicly risks driving people away over issues that don’t relate to the Gospel.”

My first response to this would be to say that EVERYTHING relates to the Gospel. The “whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” and there is nothing or no one or no activity that is not in need of the redemption and renewal that the Gospel brings. Grocery stores, public schools, the military, physics, law–everything, all need the redemption and renewal proclaimed in the Gospel. So it is a good thing that the Gospel–and all of God’s Word–provides all that we need for this:

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 – ESV)

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence … (2 Peter 1:3 – ESV)

With some things, like science, observation is needed to make sense of the world. But you are much better off if you are grounded in Scripture when you get started. For instance, did you know that recent secular linguists estimate that the oldest language in India is only 4,500 years old? And that secular scientists are now suggesting all humans descended from two people thousands (not millions) of years ago? They miss the time frame a bit–they suggest one hundred thousand years, but just think of all the time and money–mostly ours–scientists could have saved coming to these conclusions if they had just started with Scripture instead of Darwin.

For other areas, like psychology, you can find everything there is to know about them from the gospel. Though observation and application can help one understand the teachings of the Bible better. Which is also the case for the understanding of government and economics.

Everything we need to know about the principles and laws of government and economics are in the Bible. Yes, we can study them and explain them, just like we do for Soteriology, etc., and write long commentaries on them. And work really hard to apply and observe them. And people are endued with some understanding of them through common grace. But if folks don’t look back to Scripture for what God tells us about these things, then they are going to get it wrong. And more wrong than just the wrongness that comes from being a creature rather than the Creator.

Thus, everything else being equal, Christians–because we have had our hearts and minds opened to God’s Word by the Holy Spirit–will have a better understanding of these things than atheists. Again, common grace allows atheists to understand a lot about these things. But their knowledge will be lacking wisdom that only Christians can find in Scripture.

So if we don’t mine Scripture for an understanding of government, we are not being obedient to God. And if we don’t share that understanding with others, including those who are non-reformed or atheists, then we are also not being obedient to God. Because we are commanded to take all of His Word to the world around us. Just as we are commanded by Him to steep ourselves in His Word by meditating on it day and night. And why wouldn’t we?

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. (Psalm 19:7–9 – ESV)

Of course, none of this makes the case for “small government conservatism.” But if  small government conservatism is what Scripture points us to, we have NO choice except to tell the world about it. Despite the fact that people are offended by it: “So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’ They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do” (1 Peter 2:7-8). And “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Of course, the world stumbles over the “word of the cross;” but so do we believers. It still offends our sinful fleshly sensibilities. Now, by God’s grace, our stumbling and offense are not to eternal damnation. But they are still stumbling and offense. Yet this does not mean that we can “shrink from declaring to [everyone] the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Yes, we have to do it with kindness and patience and wisdom. But we still have to do it.

So if I understand the Word of God to teach that the welfare state and big government is oppressive–which I do, it is my duty to patiently, kindly, and with wisdom share that understanding with others. Will I fail in that at times? Yes, I will. Not only will I not always be patient and kind, but wisdom will also fail me–at times I will be wrong. But I do my best to stand on the shoulders of others who came before me–and there are a lot of great men of faith who share my understanding of Scripture on this.

No one will snatch one of Jesus’ sheep out of His hand–even if they support oppressive government and are offended by the Bible’s teaching on this. While this is ultimately in the hands of God, faithful preaching and teaching of the whole counsel of God plays a major role in bringing Jesus’ sheep into the fold and keeping them (us) there. So let’s proclaim His Word fully and faithfully now, together, for one day all of us together will see what faithful fools we have been.