City on a Hill City on a Hill

It is easy to wash your hands of politics and disengage. It is also easy to overreact and make politics ultimate. How, and more importantly, why does a Christian engage politics faithfully? Ultimately, it comes down to a different vision for human flourishing. Christians seek to live under God's rule because that is the surest way to flourish. In this episode, we make a case for political involvement with a Christian view of human flourishing.







NOTES:



Scott mentioned that he listened to A Letter to the American Church by Eric Metaxas. (Normally, we make a link, but we don't want you to go buy this one!).







RECAP/TAKEAWAYS




On many public issues, God gives us his will on how humans will flourish. We engage in politics because we love our neighbors and seek their flourishing. We seek the welfare of the city, and, truly believing God's will is best, we advocate for a life lived that way. We can't abdicate our involvement in public because we love our neighbors.



Because people disconnected from God won't submit to his will just because "God says so," we need to find arguments explaining why God's way is best that they will hear.



We cannot advocate for God's "what" without being governed by His "how." We must manifest the fruit of the Spirit as we engage publically, or we undermine our message. The manner of our engagement must match the message itself.








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Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

The other Biblical author who has much to say about politics is the Apostle John. Today, we will look at a passage from 1 John and then at Revelation, which is full of figurative political statements. While Revelation is more than a veiled polemic against Rome, it is not less.







Just like the Bible starts out with a dichotomy between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. In Revelation, you have the tale of two cities, Jerusalem and Babylon.







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Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-

This episode adds to Paul's thoughts on politics. You can't get the whole story about Paul and Politics without thinking about what he says about principalities and powers. In this episode, we discuss the connection between spiritual authorities and political authorities.







NOTES:



Here are some verses that speak to the thin veil between spiritual authorities and political authorities.




Eph. 3:7 -- 7 aOf this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.





Titus 3:1 -- Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.





Ephesians 6:10-12 -- 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.





Ephesians 1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.





Colossians. 1:15-20 - He is the image of jthe invisible God, kthe firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 





Col 2:11-15 -- 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. 





1 Peter 3:21-22 -- 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.








RECAP/TAKEAWAYS








DO NOT use spiritual warfare as a way of labeling someone who disagrees with you as demonic. Please treat them as human beings made in the image of God.



Daniel 10 includes a similar mash of spiritual and human authorities.



It looks as

We are still looking at what the New Testament says about politics. In this episode, we discuss how the Apostle Paul related to authorities and what he taught about politics.







NOTES:



Here are some key passage from Paul's experience and writing that we discussed.




Acts 17:6-7 “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”





Acts 22: 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips,4 Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.





Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for she is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, tan avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.





1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,








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Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-

Peter learned his politics from Jesus. He also had personal experience with authorities who would quiet his preaching of the resurrection. So, Peter had a lot to say about how Christians relate to authority. That is what this episode is about.







NOTES:



Here are a couple Biblical references in which Peter speaks about politics and authority.




Acts 4:19-21. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.







1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, da people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution,2 whether it be to the emperor3 as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. uLove the brotherhood. fear God. Honor the emperor.








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Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-

Jesus was political. He said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's but to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:17-21) He was crucified as "King of the Jews." In this episode, we explore how Jesus was more political than we sometimes recognize.



NOTES:




The birth of Jesus was political. Both Matthew and Luke set the birth of Jesus in terms of the political rulers of the day.



Jesus began preaching the kingdom of heaven. The Sermon on the Mount tells us about its character, and his parables describe it. "The kingdom of heaven is like..."



John 19:10-15 describes his trial before Pontius Pilate which sets his kingship against the Roman Empire.








RECAP/TAKEAWAYS




Jesus was more political than we expected.



Jesus relates politics or government in a way that we can imitate.



Political leaders neither understand nor submit to Jesus’ authority. 



Jesus’ political vision and authority are the grounds of our ultimate hope.








GET IN TOUCH:



We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com.







MUSIC:



Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing