Ought Brethren to take Part in Politics?

Our object as brethren ought to be to frame our lives as to be pleasing to the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. In doing this, we should avoid, not only everything that would hinder ourselves but that would be likely to lead to false impressions on those who are not of us. We are not only witnesses for the truth, but likewise witnesses against an evil world. Let us not shrink because of inconvenience. In order to make the subject clear from a scriptural standpoint, I have a few propositions which bear on it, and which I consider debar us from voting or supporting any political party.

PROP. I.—In Phill. iii 20 (Rev. Ver.) we read, “For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,” our position in this life being that “of strangers and pilgrims,” as recorded by Peter.

PROP. 11.—We are not connected with the present order of things, except to obey its laws (when they do not conflict with God’s laws.) As we see in I Peter ii. 13-15, and we can seek its protection as Paul did, when he pleaded his being born a Roman citizen in order to escape the scourging, when Paul told the centurion he was “free-born” (Acts xxii, 28). While we must obey the laws, and can seek the protection of the present order of things; yet while in the world we are not of it, but belong to the commonwealth of Israel, and although formerly aliens and strangers and afar off, are now made nigh by the blood of Christ.

PROP. III.—We are heirs to a kingdom (Dan. vii 18, 27), and hope to reign in it (Rev. v, 10), and wish, as Paul wished, we did reign (I Cor. iv, 8). Amongst the duties devolving on the saints at the return of Christ is that of destroying the powers that be, breaking them in pieces like a potter’s vessel, and binding their kings and nobles, and this is declared to be a great honour (Rev. ii, 26, 27; Psalm cxlix, 7, 9). Seeing this is our destiny (if faithful) shall we bolster up the present rotten state of things, either by voice, or pen, or vote, instead of wait patiently for its removal, to make room for righteous government?

PROP. IV.—All political action presupposes that man is able of himself to benefit society, and that he will be permanently benefited by the efforts of this or that political party. Things, however, are not to get better but worse (2 Tim. iii, 13), and this not only by the propagation of false doctrine, but likewise through the increase of violence just before Christ comes; it is to be as in the days of Noe. These days were times of violence and the present time is very similar. By voting we are practically denying this, because we testify by our vote that the party we vote for will benefit the people permanently; and, on the other hand, we are denying by our act what the Scriptures declare, that things are not to get better but worse. Other reasons are that we witness against the world by our abstinence from voting, thus showing our belief in what the Scriptures affirm, that man is powerless to cure the evils of society, because it is an evil generation; all more or less selfish, endeavoring to cure the evils of others and not beginning at themselves. We also show that the world is passing away, and a new world is coming (Mark x, 30; Luke xviii, 30). Another reason is that we are not sure whether this or that party will best serve God’s purpose in carrying out His work amongst the nations. There is no doubt that Lord Beacons-field, by his Anglo­Turkish Convention, brought the question of the Holy Land into more prominence, and gave us a right over it. Again, Mr. Gladstone went into Egypt, being forced there by circumstances. If we were Liberals, we should have voted against Lord Beacons-field at that time; and, if Tories, against Mr. Gladstone, although he fulfilled the prophecy about Egypt. In either case we should have voted against God’s instrument, and thus against God, but if we abstained, we could not possibly do this.