What Is an American Christian’s Political Responsibility?

Voters need to exercise Christian principles and vote for candidates who demonstrate Christian principles. Notice that I use the term Christian principles, not Christianity, so this doesn’t mean to base support on whether the candidate claims to be Christian. For instance, Jimmy Carter claims to be a Christian, but he did not govern according to Christian principles. I would vote for Mitt Romney over Jimmy Carter.

The following verses demonstrate who our real ruler is, and that His principles need to guide our conduct and our choice of an earthly ruler.

“Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?'” Matthew 2:1

“Pilate questioned Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ And answering He said to him, ‘It is as you say.'” Mark 15:2

“Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘So You are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world…’ ” John 18:37

These verses identify Jesus Christ as a king from His birth to His death.

Jesus said that he hadn’t come to destroy the law. He came to fulfill it. One of the laws that God gave, and that Jesus taught, was this one: “Thou shalt not steal,” commandment number 8. Just as it was in Jesus’ day, the government steals by taxation. Every government only has money because it first stole from someone who rightfully owned it.

Christian charity is when people who rightfully own property give their property to people in need. That is one of the Christian principles upon which America is founded. Atheists who would never contribute to the Salvation Army or the Southern Baptist Convention give generously to organizations such as the Red Cross. They are still practicing the principle of Christian charity.

Organized Charity is more effective than personal Charity. In the giving of Charity, the most effective organizations are (in no particular order): The Salvation Army, The Southern Baptist Convention, The Red Cross, The Mormon Church and Pacific Garden Mission.

Giving to these organizations is practicing Christian Charity. The greatest problem people in legitimate need have in the United States is that people who should have money are unable to contribute to these effective organizations because governments on all levels are stealing their property.

To truly help poor people we must get the government out of the way. The government antipoverty programs actually cause poverty.

America is the first nation in the history of the world which has even attempted to separate Church and State. Christianity, when put into practice, works to remove the idolatrous, blasphemous Secular Humanist religion which government in western society has become.

What did Jesus do? He braided a whip and drove the moneychangers out of the temple. He physically attacked the Jewish government. Some have argued that the moneychangers were not the government. Jewish religious establishment was the Jewish government.

“He came unto His own, but His own did not receive Him.” John 1:11

For an average Jew in the 1st Century (or any conquered people), the Romans only enforced three rules: Don’t have your own military, don’t revolt, and pay taxes to Rome. Everything else in the daily life of a Jew was controlled either by Herod or the Sanhedrin. Jews (called Publicans in the KJV) even collected the taxes for Rome.

When the Romans crucified someone, they publicly posted the charges against him; the reason he was crucified. The charge against Jesus read, “Jesus, the King of the Jews.” The Romans did not care about Jesus healing and preaching. Jesus was crucified for getting involved in Roman politics. He was crucified for being the King of the Jews.

We cannot use a physical whip like Jesus did, but we can use the ballot box to chase out the thieves.

[For those not familiar with the government of first century Israel, “The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by the converted Jewish Rabbi Alfred Edersheim is an excellent source.]

All Scripture is taken from the NASB translation.