I have actually picked up on a theme in my intro to politics class...
Something we as Christians should be doing is finding a unified political philosophy in which to base our voting on. By "finding a unified political philosophy," I mean to say that Christians that are involved with politics need to forget about the battle between Republicans and Democrats, and have our own party, one that captures and agrees on all political concepts from a perspective that finds its foundation firmly rooted in the Holy Bible. Can you imagine? Through this, we must strive to bring God's Divine Law and Truth into practice within our society on earth. Furthermore, we have to try to make this Divine Word of God attractive to our secular neighbor. Simply labeling our political philosophy as the right and Divine Will of God is most likely going to result in turning our secular neighbor away from it. Rather, we can use the term "The Common Good" instead of Divine Right. This way we can maybe, as a unified body of believers, attract the votes and support of all people from every religious (or anti-religious) background. All of this must be done in order to bring God's justice into our society and into our world.
There are some things that must be said about God's Justice, however, before I can stop writing. God's justice is not the type of justice that most people think of today. Most people equate justice as punishment or revenge. Justice is served when he who has done wrong pays for the sins he has committed. This is not Biblical justice. Throughout the Old Testament, the word justice is almost always used hand in hand with the word Righteousness. To bring justice in the world is to bring about righteousness. In order to bring righteousness, one must "make right" the wrongs of the world. In other words, when we strive to bring justice into our fallen world, we are simply trying to make right all the wrong that sin has caused in our world. This does not mean we must punish all wrong doers. Instead, it means that we are here to RESTORE our fallen world. Restoration falls more in line with forgiveness than with punishment. Wrongdoers, instead of being punished and isolated from society for the rest of their lives must be worked on in order to be restored, forgiven, and able to return to their calling of being and Image-Bearer of God!
After understanding Biblical Justice, we can move toward restoring justice to those in our society who have become oppressed by social and economic injustice! God's justice in the Bible proves to be partial AND impartial. God does not excuse the poor, widowed, orphaned, and alienated when they do wrong. In this way, He shows impartiality. But He does show partiality in trying to restore justice to those who have suffered from injustice. He gives advantages and benefits to the poor throughout the Old Testament. The Old Testament Law demanded that every seventh year was the year of jubilee. Debts were canceled, slaves were set free, and the fields of the farmers were left unharvested in order that the poor could take advantage. Throughout the years between that of jubilee, the farmers were commanded not to harvest from the corners of their fields and not to go into the field more than once to harvest. Rather, what was left on the ground was to be kept there for the disadvantaged, those who were poor and alone. Every fifty years, all the land was returned to its original family that owned it, and never was there to be an interest put upon loans. All these laws were in place to restore justice to the poor who had been trampled by the rich and were unable to fulfill their calling.
Just as it was important then, now too it is important that we give aid to the poor. We must give what we can in order that the disadvantaged can live comfortably and as Image-Bearers of God. This does not mean that we have to give up all that we have and live among the poor. Ronald Sider explains that being rich is a blessing and it is good, under two conditions. First, we must not gain our riches through the oppression of others, and second, we must share our riches with our neighbor, giving to those who are poor. Personally, this thought lifted a weight of guilt off of my shoulder. I had begun to wonder in the past couple months whether or not Christians should give up all that they have and live among the poor. I think it is great that many do this, but I do not think it is necessary. Gaining riches and sharing it with the poor is a process that is beneficial. While you continue to gain, you are able to continually give. As long as you maintain the giving part, gaining is truly a blessing!
Anyway... I guess I am learning a thing or two in my intro to politics class. First, we are called to maintain justice in our fallen world. This justice is about restoration, especially in areas like social and economic injustice. All throughout both the Old Testament and New Testament, laws have been set up to love and build up our disadvantaged neighbor. You might say that all this can be done outside of politics. While it is true that if everyone who claimed to be a Christian would tithe, we'd be able to restore most of the economic injustice, think about how much more effective and efficient it would be if we could get the State involved in this process? A state built on Biblical principles would be a huge aid in the restoration process of the injustice within our fallen world!
This is why Christians need a unified political philosophy.
This is why Christians need to do their part in politics, whether it be through holding office or voting.
Whoofta
Oh, and just so I don't get in trouble for plagiarism, most of these ideas came from Ronald Sider's The Scandal of Evangelical Politics.
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