[Steve Myers] On an earlier BT Daily, we talked about how should a Christian view politics. And the point that I tried to make there was that God’s plan and purpose are fixed, and they will come about, no matter what. Now, there’s also a second aspect I think we need to think about for just a moment – can human governments save us? You know, can they change human nature? Can they change the world and somehow make things right? You see, the point is, only God can do that. That is God’s job. He’s the only One that can. In fact, we don’t need to look too much farther than the New Testament to recognize that very fact.

Think about it for a minute. Did Jesus ever spend any time, any energy, teaching us how we could change and reform the pagan world or the pagan governments around us? No. He never dealt with any of that. Did the apostles – did they ever call for a boycott? Did they ever call for a rally to overcome the Roman government? They never did. Was there any promoting civil disobedience? Was there any protests that the apostles then, after the New Testament church started, did they call for protests against the Roman government? No. It never happened. But instead, they commanded us to preach the gospel. They commanded us to take care of those who would respond to that gospel. They gave clear evidence that through the word that Jesus Christ brought, that lives, individual lives could be transformed. They could be changed. And it wasn’t on a governmental level. It was on an individual level.

Now, of course, we do have the responsibility to obey the government – the laws that the government has. We’re commanded to be good citizens. Romans chapter 13 tells us that we need to do that very thing (Romans 13:1-7). But with that in mind, the calling that we’ve been given, the calling that the church has been given, doesn’t lie in politics. It’s not all about political activism. That is not what it’s about. We have a different mandate. God gives us a Christian mandate to preach the word and to live by that word. And so each one of us has that calling as God opens our minds to His truth.

And so maybe a better description of what our involvement should be in politics comes from what Jesus Christ Himself said. He said this over in Matthew chapter 5 and in verse 16. Here’s what Christ said. He said, “Let your light shine before others,” or, “before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Could you imagine if we all did that? Could you imagine if politicians did that? Can you imagine if presidents or prime ministers would do that very thing? Wow, would that change the world?

It sure is a reminder me that political entities, governments, will not save this world. Man’s governments. There’s only one government that will, and that’s the one that’s going to be brought by Jesus Christ Himself, the kingdom or the government of God. So no power of man could do that. No individual politician – there’s no economic reform that’s going to bring that about. There’s no military might that will bring that about. It’s only through the power of God’s Holy Spirit that men’s lives can be changed. And so, when it comes to that, we recognize that it’s only going to be accomplished through the amazing power of Jesus Christ and His plan.

That’s BT Daily. We’ll see you next time.