p. 6 | POLITICAL CHRISTIANITY

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 16, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 24.

“POLITICAL CHRISTIANITY.”

Some one has sent us a marked copy of the Christian Citizen, of Chicago. It is old (December, 1897), but it may not be amiss to notice briefly what it says. One of its articles complains that this paper “stigmatizes” the work being done by the Christian Citizenship League, etc., as “political Christianity.” The Citizen says:—

We were not aware before that there could be but one kind of Christianity. We are sure that the genuine article requires the keeping of the Ten Commandments, one of which is, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” If the SIGNS OF THE TIMES does not know it is misrepresenting its brethren when it charges them with promoting “political Christianity,” it should post up a little or stop posing as an up-to-date religious journal.

If there really is such a thing as “political Christianity,” we want no more of it than the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. We do confess to a strong desire for Christian politics in this nation. Furthermore, while we deplore anything that sounds dogmatic, we regard the Christianity of any man or paper as little short of a sham that stops short of an honest effort to enthrone Christ’s righteousness in the affairs of State.

And we know that there is “but one kind of Christianity,” the Christianity of Jesus Christ, the rule and creed of which is God’s Word, the message of which is the Gospel, the power of which is the Spirit of God, the weapons of which are “not carnal” but spiritual and “mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” The Christianity of Christ is not of the world, even as He is not of the world; and everything that claims to be Christianity

apart from the Christianity of Christ is spurious.

Yes, genuine Christianity not only “requires the keeping of the Ten Commandments,” but it results, it issues, in their keeping, in the life of every one who possesses it. But it does not enforce them by law; because God’s commandments, being spiritual, can not be enforced. They must be implanted in the heart by grace, and are wrought out by “the faith which worketh by love.”

If the methods pursued by the so-called Christian Citizenship Leagues and departments of young people’s societies, are not political rather than Christian, we plead guilty. Political methods aim to correct evils by the ballot, from Tammany Hall up. The Christian Citizenship organizations are endeavoring to do the same thing in the same way. And the Citizen admits this very thing when it says, “We do confess to a strong desire for Christian politics in this nation.” Again, in another article, the Citizen expresses its approval of the first quoted sentiment, and utters the second:—

In this country even more than in England, because of our vast territory, it is desirable that the Christian sentiment should be able to speak concerning social and political questions with a common voice.

But so far as having a powerful influence over the destinies of the nation is concerned, Christians need not wait for such a federation. The National Christian Citizenship League, which is already well under way of organization all over the country, can serve this purpose better than any church federation we are likely to have here for a century. For in this League all Christian patriots can unite, whether they be Catholics or Protestants.

But what is the above method, but political? What is it but a mere compromise of all righteous principles till it dwindles to those held in common by Catholics and Protestants? What is it but the effort to improve things by politics, or, as expressed in the first quotation, “to enthrone Christ’s righteousness in the affairs of State”? If this is not political, what can be?

Now the only way by which “Christ’s righteousness” can be enthroned is by faith. Rom. 3:21, 22; Phil. 3:9. It is put upon and within the lives of only those who die to sin, and believe unto eternal life. And to seek to do this in any other way is of the world, and is therefore political, and is not after Christ. How many times has a municipal council proved false to its trust, by fostering jobbery, and engaging in corrupt legislation at the behest of political rings and wealthy corporations! How many times have the clergy, the churches, and “reform” forces federated together, elected a new council of men pledged to certain “reforms,” but which under the test of gold or politics has proved more corrupt than its predecessor! Here is another quotation from the same editorial page:—

In a republic like ours the individual is himself a part of the State, and becoming a Christian and a member of the church, which is separate from the State, does not make him any less a part of the State. If the State sins, the individuals who compose it sin. If the State disobeys God’s law, the individuals who constitute it disobey God. If the State oppresses the poor, the individuals making up the State oppress the poor. If a city government by neglecting to clean the streets and alleys, provokes an epidemic which sweeps out of the world a number of men, women, and children, the individual citizens are all, in a way, accomplices of murder.

It is to just such erroneous conclusions that “Christian Citizenship” logic leads. The kingdoms or governments of this world are one thing; the kingdom of Christ is another. The man who steps out from the world and becomes a Christian is by the Father “translated into the kingdom of His dear Son.” He is or should be in a higher realm, above the world, above the State. If he renders obedience to its laws, he does it “for the Lord’s sake.” He henceforth is a servant of God, to lift other men up above all lower worldly aims, objects, ambitions. The men who are responsible for government may sin; he will labor to save them from sin. If he does not sin, God does not count him responsible for the sins of others. If he obeys God, he is not responsible for those who disobey. He will warn and entreat for God, and he will witness by word and deed of Christ’s powers to save from sin. But if the government goes to destruction, God will not hold His faithful servant responsible.

If fifty per cent. of the energy now put forth in political effort to do the impossible thing of counting a worldly government—a monstrosity in Christian life, which can neither believe nor be baptized—were put forth to convert souls by preaching the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, and leave the government to do its simple work of restraining evil and protecting life and property, the fear of God upon the rulers and executives would be a thousand times more potent than any threat of political retirement to private life. When Christ’s professed followers reject Him and His methods, He leaves them to themselves, and they have no strength to meet Satan with his own methods. And repeated and disastrous failure will demonstrate in these days, as in the times of Constantine, that the church in politics and politics in the church are an unmitigated curse. More than this, the mixture of politics and Christianity, of the church and the State, will prove a virulent poison which will utterly corrupt the church, and make her a daughter of great Babylon, and it will utterly destroy the State as a usurper of the peace of God in religious matters. Of all this the record of the Dark Ages is a fearful warning. By how many will it be heeded?