Political Expediency or Holiness

Why do church leaders excuse lying, adultery, extortion, and even worse acts when they are committed by their political allies?

Early in my Christian life, I was taught to pursue holiness in every area of life, and as a disciple of Jesus, I must separate myself from the ways and ideologies of this sinful world. Not physically, but spiritually and morally. Holiness before God and conformity to the life and teachings of Jesus are not optional:

• “Follow after peace with all men, and the holiness, without which no man will see the Lord” - (Hebrews 12:14).

• “Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and lawlessness? Or what communion has light with darkness?  And what agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has a temple of God with idols? For we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Wherefore, Come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, And touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you” - (2 Corinthians 6:14-17. Citations from 2 Samuel 7:14, Leviticus 27:12, Isaiah 52:11).

[Dirty Hands - Photo by jesse orrico on Unsplash]

Jesus warned that anyone who loves his father, mother, or child more than him is unworthy of his Kingdom. His followers are called to “deny themselves, take up his cross, and follow after him,” to live righteous but humble lives of service to others, especially the poor and the marginalized. The way of the Cross is inherently incompatible with the political systems of the existing world order:

• “You know that they who presume to rule the nations subjugate them, and their great men dominate them. But it must not be so among you! But whoever would become great among you, he will be your servant. And whoever would be first among you, he will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” – (Mark 10:42-45. Citation from Isaiah 53:12).

The idea of committing evil to achieve some greater good is contrary to the life and teachings of Christ. As the Prophet Isaiah wrote, “Woe to those men who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness!” How much more does this admonition apply today to members of Christ’s Kingdom and Church? – (Isaiah 5:20).

Most church leaders will agree with these principles. However, implementing them becomes flexible, even optional, when applying such biblical mandates to the political arena. At the critical moment, the Great Political Exception raises its ugly head, and again we hear the argument in one form or another that the end justifies the means. Political expediency before holiness at the decisive moment always seems to prevail.

In the world of politics, pragmatism overturns principle. This becomes especially so when politically active “Christians” turn to the political systems of this age to advance their social and political agendas.

Paul warns us not to be deceived. Men and women who practice unrighteousness and lawlessness will not participate in God’s Kingdom.

• “Or know you not that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived! Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God!” – (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

• “The fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderer, the fornicator, the sorcerer, the idolater, and all liars will have their part in the Lake that Burns with Fire and Brimstone, which is the Second Death” – (Revelation 21:8).

Accommodating wickedness and making alliances with Satan’s kingdom come with deadly and perhaps everlasting consequences. All of us must one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Transgressions have consequences. As the Book of Proverbs challenges us, “Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?” As the old saying goes, ‘Lie down with dogs, rise up with fleas’– (Proverbs 6:27).

• “Be not deceived! God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he that sows to his own flesh, will of the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit, will reap everlasting life of the Spirit” – (Galatians 6:7-8).

• “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you! Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” – (Matthew 7:21-23. Citation from Psalm 6:8).

• “Not so, the lawless man, but he is as chaff driven by the wind. For this cause, the lawless man will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For Yahweh acknowledges the way of the righteous, but the way of the lawless will vanish” – (Psalm 1:4-6).

If lying and adultery alienate men from God, why is it that in our political system, prodigious liars and serial adulterers get a free pass by so many pastors, “prophets” and “apostles,” that is, as long as they support “Christian” goals? We gouge out our eyes, if necessary, so we will not see with whom and what we have climbed into bed.

I am not protesting the sins of politicians and their political parties. They belong to the fallen world order and act accordingly. The leopard cannot change its spots! My disagreement is with “Christians,” supposedly followers of Jesus, who make common cause with sin and sinners. If we think we can change the system from within and make it more Christ-like, we deceive ourselves.

Today’s political ideologies belong to the evil age that even now is “passing away.” Like the other institutions of this world, they are under the dominion of sin and Satan. Investing our time and efforts in them amounts to “working for the meat that perishes”– (John 6:27, 1 Corinthians 7:31).

THE INEXCUSABLE HYPOCRISY

It is not the politician’s sin that is so troubling, but the excuses made for his offenses by his “Christian” cheerleaders. If he promotes programs approved by church leaders, his supporters will ignore, rationalize, and even justify his sinful and even criminal actions if they help achieve “Christian” goals. Anything for the Cause!

What is inexplicable is not the sin of the politician, but the “Christian” apologist who heaps praise on his preferred political leader as if he is God’s anointed vessel. When we do this, we sprint across serious red lines. What has Jesus to do with Belial? Must we, indeed, do evil that good might come?

Compromise and hypocrisy are the inevitable fruit of participation in an unholy system. Jesus called us to something far higher, which includes holiness, and the essence of biblical holiness is separation to the service of God.

Hypocrisy is the defining characteristic of church leaders who replace the mission of proclaiming “the word of the Cross” with agendas of social reformation and political action. If resorting to partisan politics necessitates compromise and sin, our question has been answered - Should disciples of Jesus be involved in politics?

Human society is in trouble because of sin, not because the wrong sinners are running the government. Sooner or later, politically active Christians will find themselves trapped in a system that was judged already on the Cross of Christ, the existing world order that is doomed to destruction.

What humanity needs is Jesus, his Gospel, and his Kingdom. What we do not need are more sinful politicians and anti-biblical political ideologies, and we certainly do not need more hypocrites occupying the pulpits of our churches.

[NOTE: Text printed in small capital letters represents quotations and allusions of Old Testament passages]

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SEE ALSO:

• Christ Crucified - (The power of God is revealed in the proclamation of a Messiah who was crucified by the world on the Roman Cross)

• The Recurring Empire - (Babylon is both a historical kingdom and the symbol of the repeated rise of the World Empire)

• Calvary or Rome? - (When offered by Satan, Jesus refused the political power of Rome. So, why do we continue to seek what he rejected?)

• Nécessité Politique ou Sainteté - (Pourquoi les dirigeants de l'Église excusent-ils le mensonge, l'adultère, l'extorsion et des actes encore pires lorsqu'ils sont commis par leurs alliés politiques?)