To the world at large, and, indeed, to Christendom in general there is absolutely nothing incompatible with the spirit of Christianity to run for and hold political offices. In fact, it is considered “patriotic” for the servant of the Lord to carry his ideals of righteousness and justice into the political sphere that he may there wield with greater effect, and over greater numbers of people the “sword of the Spirit.” Some of the most famous, and certainly the most influential “ministers” of our time are to be found at state functions and other affairs of the government —even, in many cases, presiding over the activities. However, the world has often been mistaken in their sense of values, and it behooves us as the followers of Jesus to discern between the ethics of the world and the principles of Christianity. There are few, if any, among the body of believers known as the Christadelphians who would so much as question their staunch refusal to hold public office in the ranks of the state. We have learned to view with suspicion any position in the world that is considered by it to be popular and worthy of the praise of man. This suspicion is not without foundation as we shall endeavour to show in the following remarks.
Friends of the World
The societies of mankind look to the political world and to its members for guidance, aid and assurance that their rights as citizens or resident aliens are not violated If the holders of public office perform the functions of their job well—if they are efficient in the discharge of their duties, they are looked up to by the subjects. It does not seem to matter upon whom they step in their climb to the top, so long as they get there. The mud-slinging and the unscrupulous tactics employed by some aspiring candidates in their zeal to win public favour are all forgiven once the victory is gained. Once in the public office, it becomes the responsibility of the “servant of the people” to do all in his power to execute his duties with all diligence, and always with the best interest of the people at heart. The degree to which he carries out the functions of his office are sometimes measured by his involvement in the enactment of legislature and the passing of bills and other documents of state. His popularity with the people who elected him is more or less contingent upon his ability to truly represent them in government. If he succeeds in carrying the voice of the voters to the governing body, he is likely to become very well favoured in the citizenry: truly a friend of the people. Some of the most famous names recorded in the annals of history are those of men who held political offices. Their birthdays have become state holidays; cities, buildings and ships have been named after them; their illustrious careers are taught to the school children as examples after which their own lives should be modeled. These are friends of the world in the most can-did sense of the word.
The Bible has much to say about those who seek such friendship, and about those who seek only the glory of God. Taking the latter class first, we have the words of Jesus himself, as He warned His followers as to what they should expect from the world: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world the world would love his own: but, ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, Therefore the world hateth you.” (Jo. 15:18, 19) The reason that the world would come to hate the followers of Jesus is because of their strict adherence to His commandments. The one who truly seeks to fulfill his Lord’s law will soon come to realize that it cannot be done so long as he maintains a fellowship with the world. The degree to which the world rejects him is commensurate with his observance of the commandments of Jesus. In His sermon on the Mount, Christ pronounced a blessing upon all those who suffer because of the Word: “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” (Luke 6:22,23) He also warned them in verse 26 to beware “when all men shall speak well of you.” Strange words, these, if we are to understand that the Lord looks with approval on His followers’ holding political offices . The world truly “loves its own”, and those striving for positions in the political arena would utterly fail if the world should “cast out their names as evil.” So intolerable would be the attitude of the true followers of Jesus that He warned them that “the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” (Jo. 16:2)
Two Different Worlds
The inconsistency of attempting to “serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24) has not been more forcefully stated than by James, the servant of the Lord. “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (4:4) When James speaks of the “friendship of the world” he is not referring to the companionship of murderers, thieves, adulterers and the like. The followers of Jesus find it quite natural not to associate themselves with those who are habitual lyers, cursers and indulgers in gross immorality and sensual excesses. The world itself does not consider these to be their friends! The disciples of Christ neither want these as friends nor desire to be known as their friends. Similarly. the true followers of Christ find that real fellowship, even with the honorable and respectable (from the viewpoint of the world) if they know not Christ is utterly impossible. The association of the Christian is strictly limited with them due to their respective differing standards of righteousness and justice. Even in the business world, where the disciple of Christ must come in close contact with them, there is ever present that feeling of incompatibility. These have no regard for the laws of Christ, nor do they seek His will or favour. Their lives and conduct are not conditioned with a deep service of reverence and allegiance. Neither are their deeds, much less their thoughts tempered with the knowledge that some day they will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of their lives. They lack the desire and the incentive to seek His approval or to better understand His ways —thus the commandments of Jesus have little or no control over their lives. Their whole aim and purpose of this life are governed and determined by this world. In all their activities and the control of their social enterprises there is nothing drawn from the precepts of Christ as a guide. The sincere and dedicated follower of Christ will always be keenly aware of this difference of attitude. In a position of authority such as is conferred upon the holder of a political office, he will soon find that his decisions and judgments are based on completely different standards than those of his colleagues—standards which will find little or no recognition by those with whom he serves. He and they live in two different worlds. He will find it impossible to conciliate with those who know not God at the expense of Christian principles. To pretend to adapt the attitude and speech of these will immediately make him conscious of the hypocrisy of such a course. To attempt to do so, though he might indeed succeed in making friends, he will find, alas, too late that he has become the enemy of God.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One