Discipleship Series: Financial Discipleship

FINANCIAL DISCIPLESHIP:

WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FOLLOWER OF JESUS

 

Managing our money is challenging these days. Post-Covid, prices have risen on groceries and fuel, going out to a restaurant is not as fun as it used to be with smaller portions and higher prices, and then there’s high interest rates. Young adults find it particularly challenging to get ahead. Consciously or subconsciously, money is always on our minds. We need money to live; we can’t deny it.

            I witnessed an odd scene in downtown Chicago a few years ago. A man, whom I could only assume was homeless if not jobless, was begging money from passersby. One fellow took offense at being asked for money and shouted, “I have no money. I work a steady job and I’m broke. Why don’t you get a job?” To which the homeless man shouted back, “If I got a job, I would be broke like you, so what’s the point?” 

            For the follower of Jesus, money matters. It is as much a part of our discipleship as any other aspect of following Jesus. Money is such a major part of our lives we cannot ignore the need for financial discipleship. What is financial discipleship?

            Financial discipleship highlights the management of money and wealth as taught by Jesus and the Bible. Money is a tool of incredible usefulness in building the kingdom of God. But we know it can also be a real danger and distraction to being a committed follower of Jesus. Money is a great revealer of the condition of a person’s heart. How you use your money says a lot about where your commitments rest. 

            Financial discipleship means that we are willing to make God primary in managing our money. It involves surrendering ownership to God and welcoming him into each decision concerning our properties and wealth. It means taking God at his word and trusting him to provide while living according to his truth. 

            Let’s look at one teaching of Jesus regarding money.

What Do You Value? (19-21)

 

The Bible mentions money over two thousand times. Often it comes with a warning. Jesus addressed it several times as a potential hindrance to discipleship. When the Pharisees heard Jesus talk about these dangers they sneered because even though they appeared to pious, they secretly loved money.

            In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus took on the matter of money directly and pulled no punches. Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal…”(19). A literal translation is, “Stop storing up treasures…” 

            The reason is quickly evident why Jesus downplays earthly treasure: moth, rust, and thieves. Clothes were considered valuable commodities and signs of one’s station. But clothes wear out and moths love to leave holes. A person’s wealth could also be measured in how much grain he had stored away. Rust (lit. “eating away”) was not the effects of salt on the undercarriage of your Ford, but the eating away of your profits by worms, rats, mice, and other vermin. And in the absence of banks in those days, a person hid their money and valuables in their home. Houses were made of baked clay, and so a thief had simply to dig through the wall and steal. 

These ancient images translate easily to our present time: our cool things have a shelf-life; our toys grow old, our cars break down, and our mutual funds fluctuate. Jesus implies that if we highly value the things of this present life, they will disappoint.

Jesus reorients our priorities of what we should pursue and possess. He says, “…but lay for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” (20-21). 

            What is a treasure in heaven? It’s a euphemism that means “to seek your treasure in God.” It means to rethink what is valuable and worth pursuing. It means to pursue the things of God and desire those things more than anything else. Paul built on this theme when writing to Timothy and charging Timothy to instruct the wealthy, “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life,” (1 Tim. 6:18-19). 

            What is real life? Is it the pursuit of wealth and what money can buy? These valuables are temporary according to Jesus. What lasts is what we do for others in the name of Jesus. That’s what Timothy was told to convey to the wealthy: good works, generosity, willingness to share – this is the treasure. I want to clarify that doing good does not act like a points system with God, but it is acting like God that brings delight to God. So, the treasure is God’s favor and pleasure that you are sharing “his gifts” with others. 

            I was convicted by this text this week. I love Amazon, I confess. And I was receiving lots of packages at the mail when I suddenly realized how selfish I was acting, spending on myself. It stopped me in my tracks. I have to look beyond myself, I thought, and share with those in need. Because, I mused, where is my heart? That’s where your real treasure is found. And I want it to be found in Jesus.

 

How is Your Vision? (22-23)

 

This next verse appears to be a diversion from the theme of money. It’s not. It asks you to evaluate how you see life and what you prioritize, what you pursue.

            Jesus makes it a word-picture, “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (22-23). 

            The imagery of the eye as a lamp speaks a little more to the reorienting of our priorities. It’s a bit confusing what is meant by the lamp and eye connection. Jesus seems to be saying that the function of the eye is to provide light which shows the body which way to go. If your eye is healthy, you will see the path ahead and make good choices. If you have cataracts or are nearsighted (like me), the world is blurry and full of unseen obstacles. 

            The point is obvious: with the corrective lenses of Christ, we see our world differently than when we see life through pleasure seeking or pursuing our own goals. 

            Consider the “eyes” of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21). In this parable, Jesus makes a profound statement that we should consider carefully. He says, “…one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions,” (15b). On the one hand, we read in this that the size of your bank statement does not make you a) happy, b) more significant in the kingdom, c) a better person than Joe. On the other hand, Jesus wants you to know that you are more than your bank statement, you are more than what you possess. You are precious to him (period). Your value is his blood, not your status or wealth. 

            The parable Jesus tells next pictures a rich man who had a great crop year. He decides to tear down the old barns and build bigger, newer barns. When that’s done, he thinks, he can retire, since he has stored up good things for many years. The only problem with this “vision” of his future is that he dies that very night. Who gets to enjoy the surplus? Not him. Jesus concludes, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God,” (21).

            A financial advisor told Sharon and I that we needed one million dollars each to retire at our current lifestyle. We both agreed that felt like an exaggeration. If like the Rich Man you take it seriously and live in fear of what retirement will look like, it will govern how you save and spend. I think what we felt is that if we live for that goal, we miss out on blessing others with our surplus. And like the Rich Man, we don’t know if we will live to spend those millions. 

Who are You Serving? (24)

 

We come to the pivotal question of this text. Who are you serving? We can argue that it’s possible to serve God and have material wealth. I wouldn’t say no to that, but I do recognize the difficulty that comes with trying to have the best in both worlds. Jesus states, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money,” (24). 

            There is no wiggle room. Jesus doesn’t leave any. To be clear, this is no indictment on owning possessions or wealth, but it is an indictment on being “owned” by your wealth. Does it serve you or do you serve it?     

            A rich young ruler comes to ask Jesus a question (Matt. 19:16-22). “How does one get eternal life?” Jesus answers that the man needs to obey the commandments. Which ones? Jesus responds, “You shall not murder…commit adultery …steal … bear false witness…etc.” The young man says that he has kept all these. What else does he lack? Then Jesus drops the bomb on him, “If you would be perfect, go sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me,” (21). 

            Jesus – the greatest treasure in the universe - is standing in front of this young man, and the young man can’t decide for Jesus? You can tell by this reaction that the young man was ruled by his possessions. He’s got a lot going for him in this life, but he is not willing to let go of it all to follow Jesus. Would you? Would I, if given the choice? 

            Jesus does not condemn the wealthy. I want you to know that. Though he does say that the rich person will enter the kingdom of heaven like a camel going through the eye of a needle (19:24). But at the basis of Jesus’ teaching are three important truths:

1) All things belong to God. The Bible makes this clear. As the psalmist wrote, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him,” (Ps 24:1). He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps 50:10). God owns all things and makes us stewards of these gifts. In reality, there is nothing in this world that I can say “This is mine.” Instead, I must say, “This is God’s, and I must use it in the manner that best honors him.”

2) People are more important than things. If possessions are acquired, if money is made, if wealth is accumulated at the expense of treating people as tools or a means to an end, then all wealth is wrong. 

3) Wealth is a tool. The Bible does not say that money is the root of all evil. It says that “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil,” (1 Tim. 610a). Money can be a person’s one desire, his security in facing life’s troubles, his only hope in battling mortality. That’s too bad. Money is not a sin, but it is a grave responsibility. If we have a lot of it, it is a matter for prayer, that we would use it as God would have us use it.    

            

Jesus does not say that wealth is the problem. The problem is your heart chasing after the good things of this life as if it were a drug to make you happy or make you forget. We need to examine our hearts and ask some questions to discern what we value, what are vision is like, and what masters us. 

            Ask yourself:

1) Am I regularly acknowledging God as owner and provider of all I have? A profession of this is a good place to start, but real worship (giving God the glory) is in giving God the first fruits of your earnings. You can call it a tithe (ten percent) but that limits you. When you have given ten percent, you may think you’re good. Because you know, Jesus gave ten percent of his blood for you, right? Just saying…Giving to others in need reveals a heart of gratitude that recognizes the true Giver.

2) Are my lifestyle choices, my house, my car, what I eat, and what I wear extravagant, just right, or less than what’s adequate for my family and me? Financial discipleship means making God primary in managing our finances. It means surrendering ownership to God and inviting him to be intimately involved in each decision. It also means taking God at his word and trusting him to provide for our needs. 

3) Would God be pleased with every spending decision if I took stock of my monthly spending? The late Larry Burkett used to say, “Show me your check book, and I’ll tell you what you care about most.” What we spend our money on is an indicator of what our hearts value in life. 

            The text following Matthew 6:19-24 is the “Do not worry” passage where Jesus tells us that God has promised to provide for all our needs in life. Can we trust that this text is true? 

            God has promised that we would have more than enough: “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need, and plenty left over to share with others,” (2 Cor. 9:8 NLT). 

 

 

                                                            AMEN

             

 

 

Discipleship Series: Following Jesus in a Violent World

FOLLOWING JESUS IN A VIOLENT WORLD

 

Nonviolence is not a “Mennonite thing,” it is a “Jesus thing.” “Nonviolence” best describes what Jesus lived out and modeled for his disciples.

            While we were in Tennessee recently visiting Sharon’s college roommate, we were informed that Tennessee was an “open carry” state (we didn't ask for this information; it was offered without inquiry). That means that people could walk around with guns on their hips. We asked if that meant in church too. Our friend said, “yes.” It was a shocking revelation. Not that people brought guns to church, I knew that, but that carrying a gun was so intensely married to faith in Christ. That was shocking! Evangelicals are the biggest gun proponents in the US. To me, that is incongruent with following Jesus. 

            Even more revealing is that evangelicals support military intervention in global crises. Military historian, Andrew Bacevich recently said, “Were it not for the support offered by several tens of millions of evangelicals, militarism (in the US) becomes inconceivable.” Some call this a problem. Others call it a virtue. The prophets called it idolatry (OT). (Quoted in Nonviolence by Preston Sprinkle)

            This may shock you as well. Did you know that the Early Church in the first three centuries could not agree on anything: The nature of Christ (was he God?); what books should be in the Bible; how to celebrate communion. But when it came to the question of killing, it didn’t matter where the church fathers came from or what their views were on other issues, they all agreed that Christians should not kill. When it came to the question of killing, for whatever reason, every church agreed – Christians do not kill. The John 3:16 verse of their day was “love your enemies.” 

            In a world drowning in violence, Jesus teaches his followers to respond to violent people with aggressive nonviolence. If you take the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:38-48 seriously, you will strive to live out the new kingdom ethics. You will be salt and light in a dark, flavorless world. You will be following a nonviolent Jesus in a violent world.

Living in a World of Violent Tit-For-Tat (38)

 

In the SOM, Jesus uses a phrase, “You have heard that it was said…” to introduce, not a new teaching, but a new interpretation of an old teaching. Here, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’” (38). 

            Make no mistake, this saying is found in scripture (Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21), but it is also found in ancient laws of other faiths as well. This law is known as the Lex Talionis. You could call it the law of tit for tat. It was not meant to be savage or to satisfy bloodlust. The intention was mercy. It was meant to limit vengeance, not encourage it.

            In those days blood feuds were a natural way of settling the score. If you hurt one of our guys, we’ll burn down your village. Then the survivors will be obligated to get you back. This law was meant to settle injuries in a court setting. You lose a tooth due to someone’s negligence, you go to the judge, and the judge prescribes exact retribution. It keeps the victim from knocking all the teeth out of his opponent’s face. 

            The problem that developed over the centuries was this misinterpretation of what a person was allowed to do. Rather than going to the judge, the saying became an excuse to get revenge. You hurt me; I hurt you back. It’s biblical, right? 

            Retaliation and revenge are natural responses to injury and insult in our world. We are not satisfied unless some kind of justice is exacted on the aggressor. Following 9/11 and the destruction of the Twin Towers, US planes bombed Afghanistan. At the time it was not clear to me what the connection was between 9/11 and this attack, but it made America feel better. Somebody paid for their injury.

            For many who suffer injustice in some form or another, violent retribution seems to be the cry of a broken heart. I believe that’s why we see so many inexplicable shootings today. Men and women are exacting revenge on strangers for a pain they cannot resolve.

How Jesus-Followers Respond to Violence (39-42)

 

For the would-be disciple, Jesus abolishes the old law of limited vengeance altogether and introduces the new ethic of nonretaliation. Using four examples of how this ethic works in life, Jesus introduced a no-resistance response to evil. He said, “But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil.” Note that he says, “the one who is evil”: he is an acknowledged “bad guy.” These are bad people who want to get the better of the disciple. Jesus says, do not resist them. 

            “But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” This covers both injury and insult. If you consider that most people are right-handed, slapping someone on the cheek with the right hand is awkward. That means you would have to give them a back-hand. To slap someone with the back of the hand in ancient Palestine was twice as offensive as being slapped on the cheek. 

            If someone hits you it is almost an involuntary response to hit them back. Jesus says "no." But more than that, Jesus says, "Let him hit you again." This is not normal. To respond to violence with violence breeds more violence. Where does the hitting stop?

            Even in the courts, Jesus counsels that the disciple not resist litigation. In the courts we expect justice to be done, yet Jesus counsels that we give up our right to justice. “And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” This is what I mean by aggressive nonviolence: not only does Jesus say to receive the violence done to you but respond with grace. Turn the other cheek; give more than is asked. The tunic was basically a shirt. But the cloak was a significant piece of clothing; it doubled as a coat in the day and a blanket at night. In Jewish law, if you wanted to take out a loan from a neighbor, you pledged this important garment as a trust or guarantee. But it was so critical to one’s sleep that it had to be given back for night. Jesus is thus saying that if someone wants to take your shirt, give them your more valuable piece as well. Rather than declare your rights, the Christian does not dispute his legal rights. 

            The next example is foreign to us as well. “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.”Living under Roman occupation, Jews could be pressed into service by a soldier who would put his pack and belongings on the back of a Jew. He could make them carry it one mile according to Roman law. This is an enemy, an oppressor, an invader of the Promised Land. Yet Jesus tells the disciple to not only go the mile, go an extra one as well. We may not relate to this picture, but we can relate to going the “extra mile” when someone imposes their will on us, especially a person who is obnoxious or mean. 

            Finally, “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” Is this a neighbor or a beggar? Is the asking justified or not? We don’t know. Our natural reaction to these requests is to reject the request for a loan. Jesus teaches the radical alternative of not giving a loan but giving a gift (no payback). This is remarkable generosity in a culture of stinginess, then and now. 

            What each of these examples implies is a violence done to us and the response expected of a Jesus-follower. To physical attack, social shame, legal injustice, political or personal oppression, and the assaults of the beggar, Jesus teaches a nonviolent and even gracious response. Nonviolence is Jesus’ response to a violent world. 

            Nonviolence response can have a powerful effect on your enemy. Martin Luther King Jr. said the world expects people to respond to violence with violence. They know what to do with violence; they don’t know how to respond to nonviolence.

            On one occasion, King was delivering a speech when a member of the American Nazi party walked up on stage and slugged him in the face. King was knocked back but regained his composure, stood up, and dropped his arms. The man continued to punch King in the face until the crowd intervened. Later, King visited the man in a room he was being held in and told him there would be no harm done to him, no charges laid, and that he forgave the man. King returned to finish his speech. 

            No one in the room had any doubt who won the fight. Nonviolence may more effectively defeat violence than violence itself (Sprinkle, Nonviolence, 147). I say “may” because it may not always work, but that’s not why we do it.

What it Means to Love Our Enemies (43-47)

 

The human response to injury or insult is retaliation, to get even. Jesus gives us four examples where that would be the human thing to do but says “do this instead.” The “instead” option is to show extravagant love to those who would harm us. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” 

            Love! You experience love in various ways. There is the love of a parent for their child (storgi). Spousal love is an intimate, passionate love between husband and wife (eros). One can even experience a deep and affectionate love of a friend who is closer than a brother or sister (philia). These "loves" are natural responses in the context of give-take relationships. 

            But Jesus is not talking about those experiences in this text; he is talking about a radical decision of the will. He is talking about unconquerable benevolence, invincible good will, it is where a person loves for loves’ sake and not because the person deserves it. This is agape love. 

            This is how God loves. Jesus says that the Father “makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust,” (45). The Father gives good gifts even to those who do not acknowledge him and whom we would say do not deserve such grace. Romans 5:10 tells us that we were all in that position and that while we were still enemies of God, Christ died for us. That’s the nature of our God. That is the very personality of Jesus.

            If we are going to love like our Heavenly Father loves, we need to get rid of the lens that makes us decide to love based on whether someone deserves it or not. Instead, we withhold our love because someone offends us, belittles us, or makes us feel stupid. Those things hurt – I will not deny it – but when we look at the life of Jesus and what he endured to win salvation for us, we see that is exactly what he did. He loved when loving was not easy. He even prayed for his enemies while he was hanging on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

            Pray for those who persecute you. Jesus did that! It is hard to hate those we pray for. It is incredibly oxymoronic to pray to the Father for our enemy and not begin to soften in our hearts for that person. 

 

WHY We Respond to Violence with Love (48)

 

What I am saying to you is hard to swallow. I have heard many arguments and hypotheses against this teaching of nonviolence in the face of violence. I have listened to evangelical Christians talk about the need for guns to defend the church against hostile persons. I have wavered myself on how far I would go in defending my family. I get it! This is not an easy teaching. 

            But let me say this…

            It’s not optional! Jesus taught us to respond to evil people with love and grace. Will you debate the King of kings? 

            Jesus also said this – and this is not going to sound easy – “You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect,” (48). Now you’re thinking this is impossible! There is no way we can be perfect like God. But what did Jesus mean by “be perfect”? 

            The reason we are to called upon to love like God loves is that we become nothing less than children of God when we love like he does. 

            The Greek word for “perfect” is a word that is used in a special way. It has nothing to do with perfection as we understand it. The Greek idea of perfect has to do with function. A thing is perfect if it fully acts in the way that it was designed to work. We could say that a car that drives for 5000 km without breaking down works perfectly. This was our experience even though I received a letter from Toyota informing me that there may be a leak in the fuel pump system. The vehicle "worked" perfectly even though the reality was the vehicle was in fact not perfect in its entirety. 

            You are perfect if you behave in the way that God intended and for the purpose that he created you. Though Satan has perverted the intention in the Garden, you were created to be like God. Satan tells us that to be like God is to rule over others and make them dance for us. Jesus demonstrated that to be like God is to act in extravagant and selfless love for the sake of others. 

            That’s why we respond to violence with love. That’s what Jesus does. And you can argue for a just war, for guns and self-defence, and a place for retribution, but I’m just telling you what Jesus said. 

 

Jesus taught in his Sermon on the Mount that we are the salt of the earth, and we are the light of the world. You could say that we are called to be “difference makers.” 

            But what influence might we have on society if we act just like everyone else? How are we change agents for the kingdom of God if we treat people roughly and with scorn when they upset us or act violently against us? How will they know the love of God if we retaliate. 

            The Jews expected Jesus the Messiah to come with a sword and conquer their oppressors. Instead, Jesus constructed an intentional paradigm shift that created new categories for how his followers would confront evil. And he demonstrated it. Jesus was accused of being drunk and carousing with prostitutes and sinners, he was threatened, spit upon, punched, slapped, hit with a stick, crowned with thorns, and nailed to a cross. Violence upon violence was exhausted upon him until humanity had done everything it could to Jesus. And then he was victorious.

            Peter who witnessed all of this challenged his readers (us too) to consider Christ’s nonviolence:

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God who always judges fairly,” (1 Peter 2:21-23 NLT). 

 

                                                            AMEN

Discipleship Series: The Politics of a Jesus Follower

THE POLITICS OF A JESUS FOLLOWER

 

            In a democracy, we have been trained to believe that when leaders make bad decisions that we have the right to resist or critique their choices. This is true, but does this conflict with our testimony as Christians? Paul wrote in Romans 13:1, “…be subject to the governing authorities…” 

            When Paul wrote these words, who was in power in Rome? Nero! A man who hated Christians. He had Christians rounded up, dipped in tallow, tied to stakes, and burned like candles in his garden. He set fire to Rome and blamed the Christians. This was a time when abortion was rampant, homosexuality was accepted as normal, and everyone worshiped emperors like gods. And Paul tells the believers to be subject to the governing authorities? 

            How do we as Christians engage with the political life of our nation? I do not propose to answer this question. Answers are focused on solving a problem. I want to give you biblical principles to help you answer this for yourself. I am not arguing for political non-involvement, but that we would make wise choices as followers of Jesus.

What are the politics of a Jesus follower?

Choose Kingdom over Nation

 

Paul counseled the believers in Rome, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities…” (1a). Remember that Paul was speaking of authorities that were hostile to Christianity. 

Considering that his was a less than ideal situation of a Christian, the principle of what Paul is saying is universal. This means that the principle can be applied to any form of government be it a democracy, aristocracy, oligarchy, monarchy, socialist, communist, or dictatorship. 

            Look at the text: first we see that it is a command (imperative tense). “Let every person…” Each person is commanded to subject himself or herself to the authorities. Be subject! What Paul is exhorting the church to do is to voluntarily follow the direction of those who were in authority over them. That’s what “subject” means. It is used over fifty times in the NT and is sometimes translated “submit.” Remarkable considering the context!

            If we isolated this verse and read it by itself, we may conclude that Paul is throwing us to the wolves. What’s the motivation for submitting to rulers that don’t like us? Taken with other writings of Paul we see a bigger picture. Paul also said, “But our citizenship is in heaven…” (Phil 3:20). He was not speaking of a far off and future hope; Paul was talking about a present and transformative reality. You live in the nation of Canada, but as a follower of Jesus, you really belong to the kingdom of heaven. We are a not-of-this-world kind of people and our engagement with politics ought to reflect who we are in Christ. 

            What does that look like? The reality that we are citizens of heaven means that, as Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:11, that we are like exiles, strangers, and foreigners in a strange land. Think of it this way: You take a trip to Mexico for a vacation. You are Canadian, not Mexican. So, the laws of Mexico don’t apply to you right? Wrong. As someone traveling through, you obey the laws of the land even if you are not from Mexico. I live then as a tourist in this world; I live as someone passing through in Canada.

    When we choose kingdom over nation, we are putting ourselves under the Lordship of Jesus Christ (King Jesus). I am a Christian first - a Canadian second.

Choose Theology Over Ideology

 

Paul gave the Roman church a strong motivation for subjecting themselves to the governing authorities. He said, “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment,” (1b-2). 

            God gives rulers their authority. Government is a gift from God. Government provides order instead of chaos. Even bad governments provide order. When Jesus was being questioned by Pilate, Jesus remained silent. Pilate responded to this silence saying, “Don’t you know I have the authority to release you or crucify you?” Finally, Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me unless it had been given you from above,” (John 19:10-11). 

            I admit that this picture is confusing. Jesus is the Son of God. But as a man, he submits himself to the authority of a man who uses his authority badly. Pilate abuses his power, but Jesus submits to it because, as he testifies, God has given Pilate the authority even if he misuses it. The ideology of Rome is that might makes right. The strong rule the weak. But Jesus submitted to Pilate's authority anyways.

            An ideology is a system of ideals and values that form the basis of a political platform. We live in a country where the ideology is one of democracy – a government of the people, for the people (to borrow US lingo). We have a multiple-party system each with a unique ideology under that main ideology. 

            As followers of Jesus, we choose the ideology that we think will solve our nation’s problems. Typically, evangelicals vote conservative because they seem to share most of our values. However, if you give yourself to a particular ideology, that party’s platform may begin to shape your worldview more than the Bible does. It may even change how you view the Bible. 

            God gives rulers their authority so that there will be order in the world. But we must be a people who value the theology (that is, what we believe; what scripture says about God and life) over and above the ideology of a party.

Choose Christian Witness Over Political Power

 

A second motivation is given for submitting to governing authorities: “For rulers are not a terror to good conduct but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer,” (3-4).

            Note the words in this text: terror, fear, afraid, sword, avenger, and wrath. Now consider the mission that Jesus has given us: to make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. What did Jesus command us? To love our enemies; to love our neighbors; to love each other. Two different missions are pictured here. There is a conflict then between politics of this world and the politics of Jesus. 

            In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul states that “…we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us…”The appeal is to be reconciled to God through Christ. In all I do, as a follower of Jesus, I am called to be a representative of God’s truth in this world. Your mission as a Christian is to reconcile people to God. Can you do that while being partisan? 

            The church today has swallowed the fallacy that to change the world, we need to elect Christians to positions of power. Yes, that helps. But we ignore the scriptural mandate that God has given us the church as a change agent in the world. God has chosen the church to change the world. As agents of God’s transforming power and wisdom, we may find ourselves at odds with the political party that we follow. Whom do we identify with? Do we choose God or party?

            Imagine that you are a magistrate in 1526 in Switzerland. You love Jesus, but you are a middling official in the local government. Some upstarts have just baptized some adults in a nearby river. This is illegal. As an official you are tasked with arresting and prosecuting these rebels. Maybe you will even have to execute them. 

            Imagine that you are an RCMP officer who loves Jesus during the late pandemic and a church is not obeying the rules.

            Imagine that as a politician who loves Jesus you are involved in creating a law that conflicts with biblical values....

Choose Influence Over Susceptibility 

 

Verse 5 repeats verse 1 and summarizes the two motivations we just talked about. “Therefore, one must be in subjection not only to avoid God’s wrath, but also for the sake of conscience,” (5). The word that stands out is “conscience.” 

            The principle is this: we should be subject to the government not only because it is for our good, but also because it is right. You know the illustration of the boy told to stand in a corner but mumbles that he is sitting in his heart? Paul uses the word “subjection” again and it has to do with the heart attitude. It focuses on the attitude of the individual which leads to obedience. It recognizes authority; it includes respect; and it implies a spirit that seeks to understand the perspective and purpose of the one who is over me. There’s no “sitting” allowed in the heart with this principle. 

            We submit for the sake of conscience. A pastor was asked to speak in another church, and he was running late. He was driving about 20 clicks over the speed limit, when suddenly he remembered he had a Christian bumper sticker on his car. The pastor’s conscience lit up. What would the people I pass think as I whip past them going over the speed limit? he thought. So, he pulled off the road, ripped off the bumper sticker, and kept speeding. 

            As a follower of Jesus, do I influence others as a good citizen, or do I compromise for the sake of a goal? Christian political engagement will ask you to consider who you partner with in reaching those goals. Paul said, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers…” (2 Cor. 6:14). When we are “yoked” (image of two oxen pulling a plow) with a party or a political group, we can become susceptible to ungodly influence. We may be asked to compromise our faith for a cause that others deem to be good for the community. 

            Choose influence over susceptibility. What greater influence is there in our political climate than that of prayer? (read 1Timothy 2:1-2).

Choose Trust Over Panic

 

Paul’s final counsel to the church in Rome may strike you as odd. It seems that there must have been some question as to whether Christians ought to pay taxes to support a regime that was not only anti-Christian but bent on world domination. If there was any question, Paul puts it to rest saying, “For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes…revenue…respect…honor,” (6-7). 

            You may have heard discussions about whether we as nonviolent believers ought to pay taxes that support the military. Or if you don’t agree with the provincial curriculum for school, can you withhold the school tax? Paul would say, “pay it!” How can Paul advocate paying taxes? 

            What’s the rationale for paying taxes? This attitude requires of us a certain degree of trust that God is sovereign over the people in charge and that God will make it right when those people misuse their authority. Ultimately, whoever is in office, we must remember that God is on his throne. Can we trust God when the politics of our province or nation deviate from God’s good purposes? We must! This is our testimony: we believe that God is sovereign even when people govern badly. 

            Panic was the response when Peter took his eyes off Jesus as he walked on water. When he saw the waves, it through him off. We see the waves of ungodliness in government and in society and we panic. Panic is how we respond when the government proposes to spend money on programs that the church opposes. From Peter’s experience, it is better that we keep our eyes on Jesus, the King who is coming to set all things right.

 

What are the politics of a Jesus follower? Is it even proper to talk about Christianity and politics in the same sentence? 

            Christianity is political because Jesus was a political figure. But his politic was a higher standard than the world’s politic. And he called his followers to live by this higher standard of politic.

            Lee Camp said that the primary task of the Christian community is not to be a so-called religious gathering concerned with souls floating off into the afterlife, nor is it to be a sort of spiritualized yoga class helping individuals find existential peace with themselves. The primary task of the church is to embody and bear witness to the end of history, an all-encompassing reality that has already broken into the world (the coming kingdom of God). The primary task of the church is to be an alternative politic. (In Jesus Creed blog by Scot McKnight commenting on Lee Camp’s book Scandalous Witness).

            At the same time, be subject to the governing authorities, Paul said. Peter echoed Paul’s command and affirmed that being good citizens of the nation you live in is a witness to others. Peter said, “For this is the will of God that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people,” (1 Peter 2:15). 

            Living as a good Canadian citizen reveals in part that you are an even better citizen of Christ’s heavenly Kingdom. 

 

                                                AMEN

 

 

Outline and some content adapted from Christians and Politics: 5 Principles for Christian Interaction with the Political World by Paul Huyghebaert on Renew.Org.