As usual for me and likely many of my readers, you will and won't agree with myself nor others near regardless of who's doing the speaking.
From time to time I have read Jaques Ellul (see the link for an overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Ellul) and his book which is the title of this blog. Much of his various other theological writings contain a great deal of hard-to-hear historical truth regarding the church at large and it's proclivity to seek power and authority or certainly to maintain it via political means.
Today I simply offer this from the book: “The question I would like to outline in this book is one of those that trouble me most deeply. It is distinguished by its dramatic and unusual historical relevance and because, in the current state of my knowledge, it seems to me unsolvable. In the simplest way it can be presented as follows: how is it possible that the development of Christian society and the Church has given birth to a society, a civilization and a culture completely opposed to what can be read in the Bible?”
He goes on to offer his views based on and quoting a great deal of scripture as well as history for context.
A direct answer to his question is that the true and genuine power and authority in and via followers of Jesus Christ is the Holy Spirit and His Word acted upon in love. It is not about control nor law-making. As they sought such politically, the kingdoms of this world became their focus which effectively obscured grace, love and compassion toward people and the kingdom of God which their very Bible calls them to seek first. I use past-tense language here as history indeed gives clear testimony to the truth of it.
Those professing Christ-followers who think a salvation relationship with Him begins and ends with a confession of faith, then the transaction is done and from there they can simply "get on with their real life in the world" likely do not think nor take effort much for spiritual growth, heart-change thus transitioning to treat -all- people with the grace and kindness of Jesus above their own gain or position in the world.
My own view is there are true followers of Jesus whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life who many of you (including myself) will be shocked to see after Judgement Day -but they'll be there with our common Lord and King. Ellul eventually came to believe in universalism, which I do not, so on that I fully disagree with him.
Those who inherit eternal life will have arrived by the love, grace and mercy as well as full sacrifice of the Crucified One who is -risen-. They will come from every tribe, tongue and place on earth and indeed from tiny, regularly gathered Christ-followers all the way to mega-churches. They, like we, will then "know as we are also known" and the pet doctrines, deep theological disagreements, fights and indeed lust for political power inside and outside of "Christianity" will be over with, done, kaput, as far as our sins are from east to west by God's power and grace.
It seems to me both individually and among congregations of -any sort- we are all sinners saved by grace yet want not only voice but power and authority to demand, shape and yes, control how things are in our churches as well as world. Political power is not spiritual power.
The problem at core is that all of us are as prone to self-seeking success (however you choose to define it) as the politicians who supposedly serve locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
Ellul and plenty of others have rightly called out the people of God to hear Jesus' and other biblical writers' words and obey them as opposed to linking hard with political powers and thus compromise the Good News in the process.
To be quite clear- I don't agree with being apolitical because the decisions and laws of the land deeply affect the poor, widows, orphans and minority people which God's Word continually commands us to care for! Yet I think Ellul raises solid points about how the church can and often has lost it's birthright for the porridge of the day- that being political power and ignoring the corruption so readily involved grasping for it.
Allegiance to the state has never been nor shall ever be a synonym to allegiance to Jesus Christ -regardless of who is in power politically.
This of course puts us in a quandary, that being that we become targets for rejection and pain in not kissing up to the power of the moment. Be they benevolent or dictatorial time and history teaches us that governing powers change, come and go- in and outside of local and denominational churches as well as the state.
I do not advocate continual rebellion nor armed uprising against political authorities, rather I am saying precisely what I've already said here, that I agree with Ellul in that history Shouts how these things proceed with regard to the churches. Consider Hitler in Germany, Mussolini in Italy and so forth. While those are extremes I could quote a number of other situations even in the Protestant Reformation, the U.S. colonies and beyond where another example, that of Constantine's marriage of church and state became more a matter of political power and over time too many professing Christians grasping for it to the extent the Good News of Jesus got maligned. "If my kingdom were of this world my servants would fight." said Jesus. In the U.S. in these days this is not the thinking of sane Christ-followers. It IS possible to gain the world and lose one's soul. We are here to share, not control and certainly not to dominate.
Too often the state discipled the church rather than the church and Gospel influencing the state outside of and beyond political power-grasping or maintaining.
Things worth considering? I believe so!
As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn
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