Should Christians be involved in politics ? Jesus gave us the answer when speaking with his eleven faithful apostles just hours before his death: "These things I command you that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were part of the world (and its political arena), the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world (and its divisive political elements), but I have chosen you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you".(John 15:17-19)
What does the world of politics bring to the table ? A united or divide house ? Reasonable people recognize that the political arena is a quagmire of discord and strife, of hatred and treacherousness, in which there is never any unity. Hence, the political field does not promote genuine love, but often pushes hatred for those who do not align themselves with their political ideology.
What happened to Christians in the 1st century that did not involve themselves in the political arena like everyone else ? Hatred ensued. In 64 C.E., Roman Emperor Nero burned many Christians in his gardens at night after nailing them to posts. Others were thrown to wild beast in the ancient Roman arena. The apostle Paul may have been among those who did so.(1 Cor 15:32)
History shows that early Christians refused to serve in either the military or political arena. In the The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Edward Gibbon, Vol. I, p. 416, it says: "While they [the Christians] inculcated the maxims of passive obedience, they refused to take any active part in the civil administration or the military defence of the empire........It was impossible that the Christians, without renouncing a more sacred duty, could assume the character of soldiers, of magistrates, or of princes".
The Bible book of Revelation gives us more details on the world of politics. At Revelation 13, it shows a "wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads" that is the creation of "the dragon".(Rev 13:1) What is this "wild beast" that Satan or "the dragon" is its maker ?
Daniel 7 provides "the key" to unlock this mystery by showing that symbolic "wild beasts" are political governments built by humans under the influence of Satan. These are seen as coming forth from "the four winds of the heavens.....stirring up the vast sea".(Dan 7:2)
What is the "sea" from which the political "wild beast" and its divisive elements emerge ? Again the Bible is its own interpreter. At Isaiah 57, it explains: "But the wicked are like the restless sea that cannot calm down, and its waters keep tossing up seaweed and mire".(Isa 57:20) And Isaiah 17 says that "there is a commotion of many peoples, who are as boisterous as the seas ! There is an uproar of nations, whose sound is like the roar of mighty waters".(Isa 17:12)
Thus, the "sea" is the restless masses of mankind that is never satisfied with the political "status quo", always in a state of being "boisterous". From this came the political arena and its "divided house" of government. The recent US election is showing how turbulent the "sea" is, and in which it will grow worse in the coming days.
So, what is to become of the political "wild beast" or all political governments that are existing in our time frame called "the final part of the days" ?(Dan 2:28) Daniel 2:44 identifies a government "not made with hands" (Dan 2:34) or by political means that will do away with them, saying: "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people (like political governments). It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever".(see also Rev 19:19-21)
And what is this "kingdom" that will crush present day political governments and their supporters ? What all true Christians pray for - God's heavenly Kingdom.(Matt 6:10) And to conclude, James wrote: "Adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity (or hatred) with God ? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is making himself an enemy of God".(James 4:4) Involve oneself in the "world" and its political arena and become God's enemy.
