The Church has a biblical mandate to engage in the political and governmental affairs of this world in an obedient and faithful manner.

There are, undoubtedly, many reasons for Christians to get involved in politics. Over the years we’ve become well acquainted with a few such as: the absence, or lack of, integrity, transparency or morality... an increase in taxes, unnecessary bureaucracy, or government waste… the existence of bad policies and the need for better legislation.

These are certainly legitimate catalysts for Christians to become engaged in politics but they really are peripheral in comparison to the primary reason: because the bible tells us so.

God’s Word provides us with many directives regarding His desire for us to actively impact and influence governance with the values of the Kingdom. Additionally, His Word provides plenty of examples for how we are to be His hands and feet, salt and light, agents and ambassadors of the Kingdom of God in every realm on earth, particularly the political arena.

Here are just a few biblical examples of how God's people engaged and influenced governance:

• Throughout Hebrew history, God spoke through the prophets to appoint and anoint, condone and condemn, mold and mentor, rebuke and redirect both kings of Israel and rulers of other nations.
• Moses commanded Pharaoh to set God's people free, introducing him to the Great I AM (Exodus).
• Samuel anointed the first king of Israel (Saul) and established the rights of kingship (I Sam 9 & 10). Then, was used by God to rebuke, reject, and replace Saul with David (I Sam 15).
• Nathan held King David accountable for his actions and called David to repent of his sin (2 Sam 12).
• Joseph and Daniel were elevated by God to offer spiritual leadership and advice to rulers, becoming high ranking government officials themselves (Gen. 41:39-40; Daniel 4:27).
• Jonah delivered God's Word to the king of Nineveh; as a result, the entire city repented, turned from their evil ways, and were saved (Jonah 3).
• Jesus sent out His disciples with a charge to evangelize political leaders. After He commissioned and equipped His twelve disciples, Jesus told them they would be "brought before governors and kings for My sake as a testimony to them..." (Matthew 10:18).
• According to Luke 1:3 and Acts 1:1, Luke is writing to Theophilus; Luke refers to him as the Most Excellent Theophilus (Luke 1:3), a title used to address governors (Acts 23:26; 24:3; 26:25).
• In Acts 9:15, God specifically chose Paul to evangelize kings: "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel."
• Of the thirteen individual conversions recorded in the book of Acts, seven are politically related people in positions of authority (8:27; 10:17; 12:20; 13:7; 16:27; 17:34; 28:7).
• For the sake of the Gospel (Evangelion), the Apostle Paul traveled to Rome, as well as eight other capital cities within the Roman Empire (Paphos, Perga, Pisidia Antioch, Iconium, Thessalonica, Athens, Corinth, & Ephesus) and was chosen by God to stand before Caesar (Acts 27:24).
• In Acts 17, the Apostle Paul introduced "the Lord of Heaven and Earth" to the people of Athens in the Areopagus, which was the center for conducting city governance.
• Philippians 4:22 indicates that Paul ministered to those in the emperor's palace: "All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household."

The Biblical narrative clearly demonstrates God's expectation for the Church to impact governance, not for the purpose of establishing a theocracy, but to transform the hearts and minds of those whom God has placed, or has allowed to be, in positions of authority…

Getting involved in this way isn’t becoming political. It is being biblical. God demands we call on those who govern to live out the words of Micah 6:8, “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” so that “we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (1 Tim 2:2).”

Unfortunately, many Christians do not embrace this biblical mandate because they have accepted the false dichotomy in this country regarding the separation of Church and State.

There should be a separation of sorts, both God’s Word and American history attest to this. However, it’s not the sort of separation that kicks the Church to the periphery, regulating the Church to the sidelines and silencing the Church’s voice. Although there should be institutional separation between Church and State, there must never be influential separation. In fact, the Church’s influence and impact upon the State should be both strategic and significant.

JESUS IS LORD. This means EVERYTHING falls under His jurisdiction, including the political arenas in their entirety. Christ has given us the keys to the Kingdom and has authorized us to bring His light and life into all areas of reality, especially those labeled as political.

As a follower of Jesus Christ:

How are you bringing God’s Kingdom to earth as it is in Heaven?

How are you impacting the political with the biblical, with the truth and the values of the Kingdom?

How are you fulfilling the Great Commission and the Biblical Mandate, evident throughout God’s Word?

The leaders and rulers of this World desperately need the light of Christ. He’s sending you to light them up.