Is Political Fever Contagious?

[HKHaugan]

What is your political temperature? Are you over heated? What are you taking for it? Read on. There’s way to survive it and actually come out of it feeling better. It begins with a question. How do we live politically in a secular society? I would like to suggest a way to start.

First, as a spiritual people we have to keep in mind we live in a secular society. As citizens we share a common bond with every other citizen and that is the God-given equality as individual human beings with rights to opinion and behavior under the authority and protection of the Constitution (Romans 13).

Second, as spiritual people we hold a value system which is not secular but spiritual. It is a system based on a specific person’s life, teachings and presence, namely the Lord Jesus. We first consider the effect our thoughts and behavior have on others because we are His representatives. “We are quick to listen and slow to speak…” as we place our emotions in the Holy Spirit (James 1:19).

Third, as a spiritual people we recognize that every person is a spiritual entity, an image of God, whether they believe it or not (Gen.1:26). Consciously led by the fruit of the Holy Spirit we recognize them as such and give them dignified attention regardless of their response to our beliefs, presence, and ideas (Gal.5:22-23).

Therefore we have both a spiritual and a secular approach that are influenced by our faith in the Lord Jesus and the specifics of His Word.

First, the secular.

There are three ways to approach political responsibility in selecting leaders. They are definition, methodology and conclusion. If we follow this sequence we will do justice to the process of choosing leadership.

First, definition.

When we define anything we need to go to the source behind the word. What does the word ‘politics’ mean? It is rooted in the Greek word ‘polis’ which means ‘a gathered people’, a community, in 5thcentury BC a city-state. So it is a group of people living under an agreed form of leadership.

Those of us who live in the U.S. agree on the Constitution as defining that form. It provides for an executive, legislative and judicial structure with limitations that maintain a balance so that no one person, group or kind of leadership dictates policy for all citizens. It also provides a system of election by which leadership is chosen by all its citizens. It is a form that considers and guarantees all citizens equality in their pursuit to live and be successful socially, economically and spiritually. They are free to choose with whom they relate, for whom and with whom they work and in whom and what they are willing to believe and trust to set their personal value system.

Second, methodology.

There are three steps we choose as a method to make political decisions.

The first step in living politically is to recognize the uniqueness of those among whom we live. We live in a sea of personally crafted ideas and opinions developed in unique minds and unique hearts. We are a people each of whom has a unique mind, heart and spirit. To make personal decisions means to evaluate, choose and act recognizing those facts. Keeping those in balance takes effort and discipline. But this is what a system like ours demands.

The second step is to keep our mind (what we believe), heart (who we trust) and spirit (our motivation) in balance. When one outweighs the other we go out of balance and the results injure the process. I think specifically of our emotionality that can be a distraction if our passion precedes our mind and we base our action on our feelings. But also if we act solely in terms of our spirit and make instantaneous judgments that eliminates logic and trust.

The third step is taking stands consistent with three things: first,---what the mind has determined logically, second, ---trust living the values your heart knows make for a lasting society and third, ---share with an attitude that we can always amend our mind and heart by learning from others as we submit to the result of our research and relational experience.

Conclusion
In our system these three steps are the foundation upon which we make our choice of leadership through the vote. We consider who best fits into the framework of responsible assessment and vote for them.

Second, the spiritual.

Without hesitation it has to be understood that prayer is the first and foremost introduction to the whole process of responsible political activity. Jesus embraced that conclusion to the whole political process for us on the Cross when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed to His Father, “…not my will, but yours be done (Lk.22:42).” That prayer sets the tone for our daily prayer, our daily direction in our daily world.

If we turn to John 17 we find His prayer for Himself, His disciples and us, spelled out. For us He prayed that we might be sanctified by the truth that comes through His Word. Why? “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away (Mt.24:35).” What we do is to take our secular outline and spiritualize it by evaluating how we use it according to His Word. We see God’s will first and yield to it. This means we understand there is no salvation through politics. Rather politics, like any other human activity, is an opportunity to witness.

Biblical context, that’s where we place politics. If we see its overall picture we have God’s plan, His time and His will.

First, His plan is a plan to restore the human heart trapped by sin and reconcile the world to Himself through Jesus. That is a massive and longtime plan in which individuals play a part in spiritual history through faith which supercedes man’s secular history. The difference between the two is that spiritual history is timeless and man’s is timebound and limited to personal birth, life and death.

Second, His plan is personal and timeless. God’s ‘time’ is always the present and we are always present to Him. It involves reaching one heart at a time through faith in His Son. Since God is timeless that plan can’t be measured in our secular context which is why instant gratification is the dynamic behind secular political strategy. Get what we can while we can because the future is now.

Third, His plan involves His will which is both present and timeless. It is personal, interpersonal and spiritual because God is Spirit and relational. He measures thought and behavior in quality not quantity which is why He sent His Son.

Now having said all this it is important that we yield to the context of His Word. Note, the time from Creation to the present, the time from the prophetic activity to Jesus, the time it took to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus. Each person who has ever lived is a part of God’s plan and contributes one way or the other within that context. Each of us has the opportunity to further or work against what He wants to accomplish. He may want to inspire, correct or reconcile and save a person, a group, a nation or the whole world in His way, His time, His will according to His plan. As God that is His prerogative. It is our opportunity to trust, relax in His Spirit and play our part as disciples in His plan.

If we are living in an increasingly God-less society no political system can save it. It may need correction as did the people of Israel when they left Him out of their lives. It may take centuries or He may come back today. We cannot overlook the immorality of the world in which we live. If we choose the baser path then His judgment will include all of us. It rains on the just and unjust alike. But whether it rains or not it is our witness He honors. Remember, God puts people in power and He removes them. His action is for our best interests. So what do we do?

We make our choices based on what we believe will honor the Lord. That means we research, evaluate and choose our candidates according to the values that most coincide with Scriptural principles. Then we rest in Him because He is the only One who knows the whole picture.

Our true political task is to worship, disciple believers, minister to them and reach those who don’t believe and offer them a relationship with the Lord. When the heart is changed then a society is changed and more than changed, it is transformed. Only Jesus can transform the heart and only He can transform society.

So to all who fret and worry about political issues return to what a disciple is called to do. Trust history to the Lord and His values and witness locally where we come in contact with the people God has put in our path.