Hating Politics But Loving Citizenship

In less than two weeks, the United States will hold elections that could determine the fate of the Western World and its own future. Not hype, just prophetic warning. 

I wrote last week about Western Civilization and the demonic attempt to topple it. One strategy of destroying free nations is to sour people on “politics”–even get them to hate it–and discourage them from participating. There’s a better way.

It’s okay to hate politics as long as you love citizenship and do your duty.

Hating Politics But Loving Citizenship

Throughout my seven decades, I’ve known people who hated politics. Some were relatives who didn’t even vote. But most believed in the duty of citizenship and promoting good government.

Not so much anymore.

I recently talked with a young pastor who said he would never bring politics into the church. He wouldn’t speak about issues, (for fear of offending people), and not allow his congregation to register to vote or pass out non-partisan voter guides on church property. 

All those important activities took place at this historic church for over 100 years. 

He was so negative about politics in 2024 that he would rather curse his people with ignorance. (That’s not how he put it, but my take.) I understood his hatred of politics, but told him he was wrong. 

Here’s a truism throughout history:

“All that’s necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.”

This quote is attributed to Edmund Burke and means that if good people remain inactive or complacent in the face of evil, then evil will inevitably prevail. A recent example is the rise of Nazism in Germany because of the complacency of the people and silence of the German Church (with a few notable exceptions).

I highly recommend you read Hitler’s Cross by Erwin Lutzer on how the Third Reich killed millions of people because most good people did nothing.

The current lie is that politics is so nasty and divisive we should hold our nose, have nothing to do with it, and not even vote. Personally, I dislike many aspects of political chicanery and infighting. But is politics limited to just government? And what does it really mean? 

When I want clear definition of a truth, I turn to the Bible. When I want clear understanding of a word or concept, I pull out Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary (the original Webster’s Dictionary) which formed its word definitions based on Scripture (the biblical worldview of the 19th century in the USA).

I own a hard copy of the original American dictionary which is four inches thick and weighs five pounds.

There isn’t space to share Noah Webster’s breadth of insight on “politics.” It takes up four columns and 2000 words in his dictionary in various forms. Here’s a summary: 1) It comes from Latin (politia) and Greek (polis) meaning “city.” 2) It’s synonymous with the “policies” of state–“the fundamental frame or constitution of civil government.” 3) It implies “art, prudence, wisdom, or dexterity in the management of public affairs.”

That’s all good. Civil government is God’s idea to protect people in a fallen world (Romans 13:1-17).

But Webster’s 1828 also contains a negative definition of “political:” “Ingenious in devising or pursuing any scheme of personal or national aggrandizement, without regard to the morality of the measure; cunning; artful; sagacious in adapting means to the end, whether good or evil.”

Politics in its intended (positive form) is debating and enacting the best policies to promote the good of society. When that process becomes warped by human sin, it shows itself in embellishment, dishonesty, nastiness, pride, deal-making, and bribery by government leaders.

This perverted form of “policy-making” boils down to manipulation for personal gain. We see it every day in political texts, ads, speeches, social media, and in the behavior of many leaders. Like other forms of human sin, we are to hate it (Psalm 97:10, Amos 5:15, Romans 12:9).

And we do. 

What’s interesting is that we solely associate “politics” (manipulation for personal gain) with the government sphere. That’s plainly not true. There’s just as much negative “politics” in marriage, family, business, leisure, entertainment, and church life. It’s just not as prominent on the Internet or 24-hour news cycle.

Why do we exclusively hate politics in government and abandon ship?  Because we’ve been deceived by the demonic world that its okay to go silent and disengage.

Which will lead to our social demise.

Tyler O’Neil, managing editor of the Daily Signal, cites new research by the Barna Group (a poll of 2000 likely voters) that finds that possibly 41 million evangelical Christians won’t vote in the Nov. 5 presidential election.

Likely nonvoters gave a variety of reasons for not voting: a lack of interest in politics and elections (68%), disliking all the major candidates (57%), feeling that no candidate reflects their most important views (55%), believing that their one vote won’t make a difference (52%), and saying that the election has become too controversial for their liking (50%).

But the study also states that if pastors simply encouraged their people to vote, at least five million would change their minds and do so–bringing great good to America and stopping many evil policies from hurting people. 

Don’t forget that the 2020 presidential election was decided by 45,000 votes in three swing states.

We must wise up (repent) and support good politics (policies) and politicians while hating and rejecting bad ones (manipulation for personal gain). After prayer, the greatest weapon we have at our disposal is the duty of good citizenship. Those of us who believe in Jesus Christ are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) and secondarily of our towns, cities, counties and nations.

Tyler O’Neil says we must be model citizens for three clear, biblical reasons:

First, to honor the ruling authorities as Romans 13:1 commands us. We don’t honor them by despising them or going silent. We honor their God-given position by our prayers, our votes, and our service.

Second, we are commanded to seek the peace of the city in which we live (Jeremiah 29:7). We must actively work for the good of our community because in our corporate welfare we will find our own personal and family blessings. 

And third, good citizenship (voting) allows us to be instruments of God in our nation’s destiny. O’Neil explains:

When we vote, prayerfully and wisely, we are taking our own small part in God’s ultimate governance of human affairs. We won’t always get it right, but he will.

The 2024 U.S. presidential election is not America’s ugliest election. The Adams-Jefferson contest of 1800 was filled with acrimony and newspaper “filth” (much of it encouraged by the author of the Declaration of Independence). The most vitriolic elections were Abraham Lincoln’s 1860 victory over three candidates (with the Civil War looming) and his 1864 election against General George McClennan whom he had fired for being too cautious fighting the Confederacy.

Count your blessings and the privileges of freedom. Debate and support good politics. Hate and reject bad ones.

Greg Baker of the Family Leader challenges us:

Christians must be reminded that [negative] politics is a game of the world to gain power, but governance is of God. Governance provides incredible opportunities to love and serve our neighbors…America needs the Church to remind it of the bigger purpose of government and the incredible institution God created it to be. Who else could do this if not the Lord’s Church and its shepherds? Let us shine the light of Christ in this election season.”

Let’s passionately work, serve, and vote for the good of our nation, remembering that: 

“Duty is ours. Results are God’s” (John Quincy Adams).