We are in turbulent and transitional times. It is more important than ever that we are confident in the Gospel so we may have a faithful witness and work in our local community, nation and world. Paul encouraged the church in Corinth with these words,

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

(1 Corinthians 15:58)

I recently read, Jesus and the Powers, Christian Political Witness In An Age Of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies, by N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird. I highly recommend this book as a wonderful tool to help equip the Church for these times. In the rest of this blog I will give some of the highlights of the book and action points for us moving forward.

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“Jesus and the Powers has one objective: to say that, in an age of ascending autocracies, in a time of fear and fragmentation, amid carnage and crisis, Jesus is King, and Jesus’ kingdom remains the object of the Church’s witness and work…Such a conviction means that the Church needs to understand how it relates to empires biblical and burgeoning, how to build for the kingdom in our cities and suburbs; to understand the time for obedience to the State and the time for disobedience to the State. We need to grasp where the Church sits between presidents and principalities. We must think deeply as disciples, without partisan prejudice…” (p. xiii-xiv)

Tragically, a highly individualized and therapeutic gospel has taken center stage in much of the church. We need to restore the centrality of Jesus is first and foremost King and has a kingdom that has been inaugurated and coming in its fullness. Any personal application of the gospel and its awesome promises should be secondary to Jesus’ true and full identity and the repentance and submission in response to that truth. So, we need to fully evaluate the Gospel we proclaim and disciple others into. Are we living under the reality that Jesus is King in our life, our church and in the world?

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“The urgency is not about the next election, the latest scandal or hot political issue; what is up for grabs is the place of Christians in the State and the type of state that Christians should support.” (p.175)

The Church has always had to deal with differing empires. The Gospel first came into the world in the midst of the Roman Empire where “Jesus is King” came into direct conflict with “Caesar is King.” This led to great persecution, but starting in the 4th century Christianity became the dominant religion and so began this complex mix of Church and State. So, we need to wrestle today with what is the place of the Church in the State and what kind of State can we support and help develop?

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“…Christianity has always had a public witness, and our conception of the kingdom shapes how we relate to the political and social challenges of the day…to build for the kingdom means building something on earth that anticipates the new creation. Such witness and work does cross over into the political realm.” (p.176)

A critical issue is understanding the difference between “building for the Kingdom” and building the Kingdom. Only God can build the Kingdom and only God knows when it is coming in its fullness. So, how are we “building for the Kingdom in our witness and work? And how are we keeping the Great Commission as the priority over political action? And how can these actually work together?

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“Christians must seek to serve, not dominate. That is because cross and kingdom go together…We discovered in the New Testament that there is an oscillating perspective of submission to state authorities and at other times subversively resisting them…The case was made that texts such as Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-17 do not give carte blanche to government authorities. Disobedience to unjust government is possible…” (p.177)

To follow Jesus is to honor Him as King. This allegiance and faith sometimes requires the Church and believers to act in civil disobedience when asked to do things against the Word of God. And it requires great wisdom and Spirit led action to know how to speak truth to the government powers. So, how are we cultivating right language and civil service to address the issues of the day as servants not hungry for power but desirous of good for all?

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“In the quest for a good and just state we have set forth the case for liberal democracy and an ethos of confident pluralism. We do not regard liberal democracy as uniquely Christian; neither is it perfect, infallible or beyond criticism. But liberal democracy and confident pluralism constitute a form of government and political philosophy that gives us the best opportunity to love God and to love our neighbor.” (p.178)

We are in critical times today where there are primarily two forces working against our ability to maintain a healthy liberal democracy where everyone can flourish and worship freely. One is the idea of Christian Nationalism which in its unhealthy form seeks a dangerous blend of Church over State. But more critical and dangerous today is the Progressive Democracy Religion, which has taken over the education system and social media. It is systematically trying to cancel any voice that opposes its values or agenda rather than engage is heathy dialogue as a liberal democracy. So, how can the Church better equip followers of Jesus to lovingly, boldly and appropriately engage the culture in healthy productive dialogue?

Finally, one of the practical things that was mentioned in the book was to encourage every believer to pray about finding at least one main area in their local church to commit to serve within and help advance its vision and impact. And to also, pray about one area in the community to commit to serve and advance its health for the flourishing of all.

Let’s abound in the work of the Lord!