Christians in Government ?

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

That is the fraught question, i'n't ?  Can a Christian serve, and BE a Christian, in a secular government  ?
 After pondering that question for almost 50 years, I'm still not to a "yes" or "no" answer yet.

In our current governments, there are heavy considerations against the affirmative: the most weighty
is probably that "demos kratia" ("people rule"), by its very name, positions itself fundamentally counter
to "the kingdom of God."

On the other hand, the belligerent anti-government doctrine of current American "conservatism" is clearly
ungodly: a blazing manifestation of satan's original sin, rebellion/lawlessness; and entirely counter to God's
characterization of human governments as HIS ministers for good, and against evil-doers (Romans 13:1-7).
The take-away has to be that human government is not constitutionally unfit for Christian participation: and
is indeed a sphere that especially REQUIRES Christians' discernment of good and evil, to fulfill its mandate
from God.

The problem is that Christians must enter into that ministry with the knowledge that "governments of men"
are never "the Kingdom of God," and cannot be made so.  The problem is also that Christians in that ministry
are charged with handling power (itself a corruptive agent), in a system which operationally affirms that the
kingdom, the power, and the glory belong to man.

The way to BE an unwavering Christian in those circumstances is doubtless especially difficult.  Looking on
as outsiders, we'd probably have to say that few there are who find it.

Maybe there's a clue in Acts 22.  After one sermon, Paul cited his Roman citizenship to be delivered from the
fury of the mob, and from the punishment of Roman law.  In that instance, his citizenship in the world's empire
could be said to have aided his preaching the gospel.

But Paul began his sermon there by strongly emphasizing his identity as a Jew.  It may be a useful distinction
between the incidental of our worldly citizenship, and our essential "true identity."

The evils that current "Christian" politics, and governments, and nations perpetrate are good evidence their
"true identity" is NOT Christian whatever.  Their desire is instead for worldly power, obtained by the world's
means and used in the world's ways...for man's glory.

It's probably harder in this present time than any other, except Nazi Germany, for a Christian to participate in
our worldly government...except for those who may have God's direct call to that ministry.  But for most of
us, especially in these last days, I have to think God's call is "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not
participate in her sins and receive of her plagues" (Revelation 18:4).

Probably ordinary employees of the world's power-structures are safe from becoming part of their evil, as
long as they are hyper-vigilant that their work not contribute to its evil deeds.  But evil advances by inches.

A clerk is no doubt blameless filing a government office' correspondence: but don't they become part of the
evil if they prepare or send a letter telling facilities to keep detainees in cages, according to the agency's policy ?
Such a policy might not be the clerk's personal desire: he might even believe it an evil policy: but is anyone who
facilitates, transmits, or otherwise helps make evil effectual blameless ?

Probably the greatest danger is not to government employees, but to those who are notionally the masters of
government.  As little as it works so in political reality, we humble anonymous citizens are ultimately responsible
before God, for the deeds of this "government by the people."  More than any employees who implement the
policies of government, we street-level ordinary citizens determine what those policies, and the direction of
that government, will be...by what we "approve" (Romans 14:22).

We, more than anyone else, must be hyper-vigilant against that government doing evil.

We have not been, and are not being, vigilant when we "approve"evil-doers making policy and directing our
government.

We need to repent.  Amen.