Civic Duties
by John Notgrass
In warning the Philippians not to set their minds on earthly things, Paul properly reminded them that our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). Every disciple in every nation shares that high calling, regardless of his local political situation.
We can give too much attention to political matters, and we can put too much trust in the power of government to do good, but Paul set us the example of using his Roman citizenship to advantage in God's service. He understood Roman law and custom; and when the opportunity arose, Paul appealed his case to the highest human authority: Caesar himself (Acts 21-28). The Lord wanted Paul to be a witness in Rome, and he used the Roman political system to accomplish that (Acts 23:11).
On occasion we may be forced to choose obedience to God rather than to government, but in general our civic duties will be a complementary part of our spiritual duties. How can we properly render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's? We must pray. We must perform good deeds. We can also contribute to the health of our nation by studying history and current events, by educating others, by seeing government in action, by examining candidates and voting, and by running for office. Let us explore these in more detail.
Prayer
Our first duty as citizens is to pray. Paul directly enjoins this in his first letter to Timothy (2:1-7). He calls for requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all men, including kings and those in authority. The desired result is that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and seriousness. This, in turn, contributes to the spread of the gospel. The Lord gave a similar instruction to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. In a letter sent through Jeremiah, God told the Jews to pray for the city they were in. If it had peace, then they would have peace (Jer. 29:7).
We also see examples of prayer when God's people had dealings with the civil authorities. Esther asked the Jews to fast before she went in to the king (Est. 4:16). Daniel offered a quick prayer while he was talking with the king (Neh. 2:4). King Darius recognized God's power and wanted the Jews to pray for him and his sons (Ezra 6:10). Even hard-hearted Pharaoh asked Moses to pray for him (Ex. 8:28, 12:32). The early disciples prayed together when Peter and John were released (Acts 4:24-31) and when Peter was in prison (Acts 12:5).
We are supposed to pray all the time about everything, which must include the issues of righteousness, justice, and peace that we face in the civil sphere. The energetic prayers of righteous people can have great positive effect in our cities and countries.
Good Deeds
Simply mouthing words is not what prayer is about. God expects us to follow up our prayers with action. Often he uses us as the answers to our own prayers by enabling us to meet the needs and right the wrongs we see. Being a good citizen does not prove faithfulness to God, but every disciple of Christ should be a good citizen.
In Philippians 1:27, Paul exhorts us literally to "behave as citizens" in a manner worthy of the gospel. Likewise the passage in Jeremiah does not just command prayer. God told the Jews to seek the peace of the city where he sent them (Jer. 29:7). We are the light of the world and a city on a hill. The good example of our lives is a seasoning influence on the society around us.
We also show our righteousness through obedience to the law of the land. Among people who try to cut corners and push limits, we can exhibit honesty and self-control. The state does not deserve our worship, but it does deserve our respect. The will of God includes submission to human authorities, by which we can put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. We are free men, but we are bondslaves of God (1 Pet. 2:13-17).
My Suggestions
Prayer and good deeds are what God clearly requires of us in the civil sphere. Some argue that this should be the extent of our political involvement. They maintain that since we are aliens and strangers who belong to a spiritual kingdom, we should not get mixed up in the affairs of earthly kingdoms. This perspective has attractive features, and it is perhaps an understandable reaction to abuses of political power. By no means should we trust in princes instead of the Lord.
However, the Lord turns the heart of the king (Prov. 21:1), and he may choose to use us as instruments to that end. Daniel's faithfulness to King Darius led Darius to issue a decree instructing his subjects to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel (Dan. 6).
The Scriptures convince me that we should be attentive to and active in the political realm. Who can better make decisions that affect the lives and liberty of thousands or millions of people - a faithful servant of God or a selfish, power-seeking humanist? If a pagan ruler put his faith in Jesus, would we want him to abdicate and turn his authority over to another pagan?
Instead of abandoning the political process, we should learn how we can serve God effectively as citizens and as civil magistrates. Here are five ideas for your consideration.
1) Study history and current events.
In Acts chapter 7, Stephen has been dragged to the Sanhedrin, the high council of Jewish leaders. He is accused of speaking against the temple and the law. With his face like the face of an angel, Stephen commences an account of the history of the Hebrew nation from Abraham to Solomon. He denounces the rulers and declares that they are the ones who have not kept the law. Stephen's detailed knowledge of history allows him to make a reasoned defense before the council.
In response to this rousing speech, the challenged audience did not welcome Stephen as a member of their circle. He did not get a proverbial seat at the political table. He was promptly taken out and stoned to death. Standing up for what is right will not necessarily win political friends and influence political people. Often it will not. We should not go along to get along politically. Instead, we should be willing to speak the truth in love.
Jesus in Luke 13:1-5 illustrates the value of knowing current events by using two tragic events to make a spiritual point about repentance. In our media-saturated age, we are exposed to much so-called news, which is largely a collection of sensational and unrelated tidbits. We can hear the same stories and the same commentary over and over through TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. Simply knowing the news is not the point. We must look for the how and the why behind current events and recognize spiritual implications.
Like the sons of Issachar of old, we should understand the times and have knowledge about what our nation should do (1 Chr. 12:32). One valuable activity that many citizens neglect is reading and understanding the Constitution of the United States of America, the Declaration of Independence, and other important historical documents such as the Constitution of your state, the Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers, addresses by George Washington and other early leaders, and Supreme Court opinions (for example, the majority and minority opinions in Roe v. Wade).
If we do not know the foundational principles of our nation, and if we do not know how we have gotten where we are, then we will have trouble knowing how and where we should go from here. If we understand history and current events, then we will have an advantage in civil affairs. We can identify faulty arguments and proposals. We can recommend reasonable alternatives. We can speak confidently with wisdom, inviting others to consider the value of God's ways.
2) Educate others.
You can host a government study group using videos or books. You can contribute to organizations that promote good government. You can publish your own news source, such as my e-mail newsletter in which I offer commentary on current events and social issues. (You can subscribe by e-mailing me at john@notgrass.com.) These efforts might not convert multitudes to your position right away, but you can at least highlight the issues before us.
Educating others includes educating government officials. Since they represent us, they need to hear from us. Our contact with them, whether in writing or in person, should be respectful and well-mannered. Careless communication may do more harm than good. Officials who do not share our core values may be less attentive than those who do, but even those who disagree may be brought around on particular issues. In my state of Tennessee, a legislator proposed a bill allowing extra testing of non-public high school students. Homeschoolers flooded the capitol with contacts, and the representative withdrew his bill.
A dramatic event in the Bible had much greater implications than a plan for student testing. Haman had gotten the king of Persia to authorize the complete destruction of the Jewish people. The Jewish woman Esther was the queen, but even she did not have the right to approach the king's inner court without permission. Bracing herself to do her duty regardless of the consequences, she approached the king and found favor in his sight. Esther soon exposed Haman's plot and the Jews were enabled to resist and defeat their opponents.
We should use our various skills in various ways to educate others about the importance of following the truth.
3) See government in action.
After we moved to the district of a new state representative, I visited the state capitol and introduced myself to him. He asked if I was lobbying. (I guess most people who visit the capitol want something!) I had not come regarding a particular issue that day. I wanted to get a better feel for how the state legislature worked and to make contacts. I accompanied a woman who has been a volunteer lobbyist on family issues for many years. Through her many connections, I was able to meet several other legislators that day.
Starting on the local level may be easiest for you. City council and county commission meetings are not always highly dramatic, but you may be surprised at what comes up and how things are handled. By attending the meetings, you may be able to meet others in your community with similar interests. You can at least find out who takes political issues seriously enough to attend.
Seeing government in action will enlighten you. It will probably also disappoint you. All government officials are men and women with emotions and biases, strengths and struggles. Some of them have noble ideals and others do not give that impression. The more you get to know your representatives, the more you may be able to influence them for good.
4) Examine the candidates and vote.
When Moses was with the Israelites in the wilderness, his father-in-law Jethro offered counsel that deserves to be repeated. He advised Moses to select assistant judges to help him in his work: men who fear God, men of truth, and men who hate covetousness (Ex. 18:17-23).
It seems so simple. Who else would we pick? Alas, many people do not share this perspective. They would rather select a candidate who promises the most goodies or runs the best advertisements. Without thinking about the consequences, they vote for people who do not have the best interests of their city, state, or country in mind.
Your vote is a valuable commodity that belongs to you. It does not belong to the Constitution Party, the Democratic Party, the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, the Reform Party, the Republican Party, the Socialist Party, or any other group. It does not belong by default to any candidate. If a candidate wants your vote, he must earn it by the way he conducts himself and his campaign, by the principles he espouses and embodies in office and out of office. We should not have to cajole and beg and threaten our legislators to support life, liberty, and the pursuit of righteousness. Rather we should put in office men who will do what is right out of principle.
Ask basic questions about the candidate. Does he believe that our rights and responsibilities come from government or from God? Does he believe that some lives are unworthy of respect or that every life is precious? Does he believe that morality is determined by polls or that God has given us instruction regarding right and wrong?
Investigate for yourself. Consider all your options. Do not trust the newspaper or the radio or the TV to give you the full story. Do not think that a candidate is worthy of your support simply because he belongs to a particular party. Do not waste your vote on someone who does not share your values and priorities. Do not vote against someone out of fear. Vote for someone with conviction. Vote your conscience. Even if your chosen candidate does not prevail in the end, you can be confident that your vote was well spent. The results of every election are in the hand of God. He asks us to do our duty.
5) Consider running for office.
Barnabas and Saul preached to Sergius Paulus, the intelligent proconsul on the island of Cyprus; and he believed (Acts 13:12). Paul sent greetings to the Romans from Erastus, who was a city official, evidently in Corinth (Rom. 16:23). When Paul was speaking before Festus, King Agrippa, Bernice, and other eminent personages, he responded to Agrippa's statement about making a Christian with the prayer that all those listening to him might become like him, except for his chains (Acts 26:29).
We should keep praying for our officials, even for those who oppose right principles. Maybe God will lead them to repentance and conversion! If you have trouble finding worthy candidates to support, consider running for office yourself. Godly officeholders can do great good.
I recommend this primarily for men. A lack of sufficient suitable male representatives reflects poorly on our gender. This preference is in no way a denigration of the capabilities or intelligence of women. It is a reflection of the way God made the world.
Examine your motives. You should not seek office so you can lord it over others or acquire wealth and glory. Examine your situation. If other responsibilities demand your attention now, then statesmanship may need to wait. Many an officeholder steps down so he can "spend more time with his family." Do not let anything, including politics, distract you from your most important duties to God, family, and church. However, if you see that service in the civil sphere is an appropriate use of your talents that complements your other efforts, give it a try!
Conclusion
God gave the Israelites some 613 commandments dealing with every area of life from family relationships to eating habits to criminal prosecution to religious practices. God's instructions were not too difficult or out of reach (Deut 30:11), but the people still fell short. What are we to do with today's modern legal codes containing thousands of complex statutes? We do not need many laws. The Lord summed up our responsibilities with the two great commandments to love him and to love our neighbor.
Since we do not always follow those basic rules, however, God has instituted human governments to praise those who do well and to punish those who do evil (Rom. 13:1-7). God uses pagan rulers to accomplish his purposes (Ex. 7:3-5, Isa. 45). He can use believers, too (Prov. 29:2). Government is not the savior of mankind. Government is a force that needs to be controlled carefully. Men who fear God are better equipped to handle that responsibility.
The cry of theocracy is often raised against those of us who seek to implement Biblical principles in civil government, but all governments are subservient to a higher power, either the god of this world or the God of the universe. God is already king by divine right. We can decide to acknowledge his authority now or later.
We can all pray. We can all do good deeds. You may not all do all of the other things I have discussed here, but you should use the opportunities available to you to seek the peace and prosperity of your community. I want people to live free and safe so that they can work for good by training their children, sharing with those in need, building healthy businesses, and enjoying the world God gave us.
John Notgrass is an author, speaker, and historical actor from Middle Tennessee. This essay was excerpted from his book, Make It Your Ambition (ISBN 1-933410-26-4). For information about John's presentations and resources, visit www.faithfreedomfamily.com or call 1-800-211-8793. Copyright © 2005 by John Notgrass. Reproduction in full or in part is hereby authorized if this credit line is included.