Political Christianity

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 26, 1907

Political Christianity

Jesus never sought to enforce his teachings or to win subjects for his kingdom by political agencies; and when he sent his disciples to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, he did not instruct them to seek the aid of politicians or to depend for the success of their mission upon the arm of the civil law. They depended upon the power of the Spirit to enforce the truth, and did not ask that men should be made Christians by law. As the result of such a policy those who received the gospel did so from conviction, the members of the church were converted persons, and the church itself was a power for good in the world. It was a sad day for Christianity when its professed representatives sought an alliance with the state, and began to depend upon imperial decrees and legal enactments as necessary aids to the cause of religion; and the pages of history present no more distressing record than the annals of the church when in control of the state. But in spite of all these lessons of the past, in addition to the plain principles upon which the gospel was established, nearly all the professed ministers of Christ to-day are spending their chief energy in preaching “good citizenship,” and in the effort to lift up the people through a change of circumstances and surroundings rather than through a change of heart. In return for this service the state is expected to co-operate with the church in enforcing at least the forms of Christianity, which thus becomes a mere political Christianity. The cause and kingdom of Christ suffer more from such mistaken efforts, professedly put forth in their behalf, than from the scoffs of the blatant mockers and the strongest opposition of their true bitterest enemies. Those do the greatest possible injury to genuine religion who misrepresent it to the world by misinterpreting its principles and by substituting a civic righteousness dependent upon legislative enactment for righteousness by faith wrought into the life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Political Christianity is a complete perversion of the gospel as taught by Christ.