INTRODUCTION
The Biden-Harris administration issued executive orders that glorify transgenderism and make taxpayer-funded abortions more readily available. During the 2020 Presidential campaign, Joe Biden promised to sign The Equality Act, which is legislation that essentially would give elevated protected status the LGBTQ lifestyle and harm many Christian ministries.
The Biden-Harris administration is anti-Christian. Even so, should Christians still try to influence a government that is hostile to Christians?[i] The short answer is “yes.”
The Bible teaches that Christians should try to influence the government. Let’s take a little deeper look.
ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, CHRISTIANS SHOULD TRY TO INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT
Using a Systematic Theology Resource
The January/February 2021 issue of Bible Study Magazine contains an article that suggests using a systematic theology resource as a Bible study tool. To assist with answering the question should Christians try to influence the government, I looked to my favorite systematic theology, i.e., Grudem’s Systematic Theology. At page 893, Dr. Grudem writes:
It is right for Christians to attempt to persuade governments to make laws that protect families and private property and the lives of human beings—laws that both outlaw and punish murder, adultery, theft, and the breaking of contracts (things that violate the Ten Commandments), as well as prohibit homosexual conduct, drunkenness, drug abuse, abortion, and other things that are inconsistent with biblical standards of morality.[ii]
Footnote 11 at page 893 reads [in part]:
The fact that Christians should try to influence government to make laws consistent with biblical standards is indicated by passages such as Matt. 6:10; 14:4; Acts 24:25; and 1 Tim. 2:1–4.
Let’s look at the first passages cited in Footnote 11. We will look at each of the other passages in subsequent posts.
Matthew 6:10
Matthew 6:10 is a part of Matthew 6:8–13 (NASB95), which reads:
8 “So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. 9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread. 12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’
The operative language is verse 10, which reads, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” The plain meaning of this part of Jesus’ instruction on prayer is to pray that God’s will be done on earth as His will is done in heaven. One commentator[iii] writes that this requires action and not passivity (boldfacing added):
The prayer looks for the perfect accomplishment of what God wills, and that in the deeds of those he has created as well as in what he does himself. It points to no passive acquiescence but to an active identification of the worshiper with the working out of the divine purpose; if we pray that way we must live that way. We see something of the cost of praying this prayer by reflecting on the way Jesus used it (Luke 22:42). In heaven God’s will is perfectly done now, for there is nothing in heaven to hinder it, and the prayer looks for a similar state of affairs here on earth.
A Christian needs God to teach him or her to do God’s will. In this regard, Psalm 143:10 (NASB95) reads:
10 Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
God’s will is found in God’s Word. A short devotional called Answers May 27, 2019 by The Billy Graham Evangelical Association (link: https://billygraham.org/answer/how-do-i-know-gods-will-for-my-life/ ) addresses Psalm 143:10:
King David prayed, “(Lord,) teach me to do your will” (Psalm 143:10). Many pray, “Lord, show me Your will,” and then never open up the Bible. When our hearts are right before Him, He promises to teach us. In teaching us, He gives us understanding. His power is put within us through His Holy Spirit. This is a wonderful truth. God’s will is revealed in Scripture and it pleases Him when we desire and do what He instructs.
In reference to Psalm 143:10, one commentator[iv] links God’s will to Scripture:
He offers the prayer to be enabled to live a God-pleasing life or to walk in the way of God’s commandments, chief of which is the commandment of faith.
Going back to Grudem, at page 214[v], Dr. Grudem writes (boldfacing added):
Rather, the prayer “Your will be done” must be understood as an appeal for the revealed will of God to be followed on earth. If the phrase is understood in this way, it provides a pattern for us to pray on the basis of God’s commands in Scripture. In this sense, Jesus provides us with a guide for an exceedingly broad range of prayer requests. We are encouraged by Christ here to pray that people would obey God’s laws, that they would follow his principles for life, that they would obey his commands to repent of sin and trust in Christ as Savior. To pray these things is to pray that God’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.
In summary, Matthew 6:10 provides a biblical basis for Christians to try to influence government (city, county, state and federal) to act in a fashion consistent with God’s will, which is revealed in Scripture.
PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS
The practical takeaways from Matthew 6:10 include:
(1) Because the Bible teaches that abortion is murder, Christians ought to try to influence governments to stop abortion.
(2) Because the Bible teaches that the lifestyle advocated by the LGBTQ movement is damning, a Christian ought to try to influence government not to pass laws that encourage the LGBTQ lifestyle.
If you are reading this post and are not a Christian, unless God intervenes, your eternal destination is hell. But, your destiny can change.
Today can be the day of your salvation. Please see my blog (https://stevebelsheim.com/2020/04/20/for-god-so-loves-you-2/) for a description of how you can be saved and a more concise description at my (https://stevebelsheim.com/2020/10/20/there-is-hope-even-when-there-seems-to-be-no-hope-2/ ).
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[i] Please keep in mind that while this article focuses on the Biden-Harris administration, the Scriptural mandate for Christians to try to influence government encompasses governments at all levels from city, county, state and federal.
[ii] See Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (p. 893). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
[iii] Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (pp. 145–146). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
[iv] Leupold, H. C. (1959). Exposition of the Psalms (pp. 966–967). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
[v] Grudem, supra at p. 214.