Does God care about American politics? Does God want you to be engaged with the political process? I want to share with you that the answer to both questions is a resounding yes.
The Bible clearly says how government is to be done, and as followers of Christ, we must know what the Word says. According to renowned theologian, Wayne Grudem, the two-fold role of government is simple: promote good and punish evil. Anything that falls outside those boundaries means that government is not doing its job.
For too long the church has been disengaged with culture and the government process. But as people of a Representative Republic, we have an ability to choose our government leaders. That means we have agency and accountability to God to do our part to help government fulfill the two biblical duties I listed.
The state of Iowa demonstrates this topic well. Iowa gets a lot of political attention every four years. But why would a state that so many people struggle to find on a map be so important to arguably every presidential election over the last half century?
As someone who ran a state-house campaign in 2020, I can tell you that authenticity and connecting with Iowans is of utmost importance. Iowans can recognize a fake miles away. Iowa provides a true test of a candidate’s ability to genuinely connect with a diverse range of people. It tests a candidate’s ability to run a grassroots campaign that will be essential to winning the national election. That is why Iowa is such a powerful barometer for how a presidential campaign will do nationwide.
Over the last four decades, there has been only one presidential victory for a candidate that did not win the Iowa Caucus or the New Hampshire Primary. The obvious conclusion is that candidates must do well in Iowa.
The importance of authenticity and connection with voters demonstrates the importance of having people of discernment involved in the political process. And who should be better discerning than followers of Christ?
This urgent need for discernment is a large part of why Christ-followers must be engaged in the political process. So often we divorce our faith from everyday practical pursuits. But that separation is not biblical. We see Joseph, Daniel and many others getting solutions from God for tough problems that no one else could solve—even within politics and government.
If you feel a pull for political engagement, I want to invite you to stop suppressing it. Bring it to the Lord and let Him work it out in you. Let Him refine it and purify it. Let Him use it to teach you to rely on Him. Let Him use it along with His Word to divide spirit and soul. Let Him show you what is from you and what is from Him.
On my podcast, I seek to help people understand the times and to hear from God to know what they should do. This is the pattern we see reference by Jesus and in the Sons of Issachar. It’s a pattern that must continue to today.
God, the Creator of the universe, not only cares about the political process, He cares about your specific role in that process. He is above all and sovereign over all and at the same time involved in the smallest of details in every aspect of your life.
God was sovereign over everything in the days of Noah. But God gave an assignment to Noah that he actually needed to complete. Jesus said that as in the days of Noah so will be the days of the coming of the Son of Man. We see evil and genetic corruption increasing on the earth today, just as in the days of Noah. And just as God was sovereign over the days of Noah, He is sovereign over today. And just as God had an assignment for Noah within that sovereign rule, He also has an assignment for you.
The time has come for Christians everywhere to leverage their sphere of influence for the kingdom of God. There is no matter on earth today that is non-spiritual and no matter on earth today about which God does not care deeply. May we each remain close to Him and truly live the Spirit-led life we were created for; whether at church, at home, at work or in the culture—or even in politics.
Is God calling you to engage in the political process? Will you seek Him today to get activated and spirit-led on your assignment? {eoa}
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Ryan S. Howard, Ph.D., is the Host of Cutting Edge Faith, a podcast that shares the truth behind the headlines and equips Christians to live out their faith in the cultural chaos of today. Ryan has worked in global purchasing for more than 15 years and has visited over 20 countries. Ryan is the author of 21 Days to a Spirit-Led Life, a devotional available as a free download. He lives in Iowa with his wife, Bruna and their son, John. Learn more at ryanshoward.com. Visit Howard’s YouTube channel for more of his commentary.
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