Politics, Sewers, and the Bible

Sewage systems and the Bible may seem like a strange connection of thought. So, an explanation is necessary. I recently attended a political forum. The purpose of the forum was to present to the community the candidates for mayor and town council in a near-by city. There were seven candidates who received prepared questions and then questions were received from those in attendance. During this time a man approached the microphone and addressed his question to one of the mayoral candidates. The candidate was questioned regarding a statement he had made in the past doubting the authority of the Bible and its role in the founding of our nation.

The candidate took the bait and went on to say in response that “the Bible was written by men, not by God.” This was a mistake in more ways than one. An audible groan went up from the audience. I wondered. Had he forgotten where he was running for political office? He may have cooked his campaign goose. As a follow-up to this there were local newspaper blog submissions which revealed what has become a common retort to this kind of thing, namely, what do one’s religious beliefs have to do with running for a political office? Admittedly, on first appearance this theological query seemed out of keeping with discussions about the power of government, property rights, the town manager, and sewers. It has been said that all politics is local. That being true, we have an issue that should not go away. On the national scene the same conflict stokes the fires of political debate. Exactly how does God, the Bible, and Christian beliefs fit into politics?

Does a politician have to believe the Bible is the Word of God for him or her to govern effectively? The answer is no. There are moral and ethical people in public office who serve their constituents admirably who do not believe the Bible was written by God. At the same time there are politicians who have given lip service to God and the Bible who have been ethical disasters. But this doesn’t tell us everything. What we want from our elected officials is honesty, good judgment, humility, a respect for the rights of others, and a sense of accountability to someone other than themselves. Every voter should look for good character qualities in their candidate. Does he keep his word? Is he committed to justice and mercy? Does she have respect for human life? What is his view of the role of government, private property rights, the relationship between the community and the individual, taxes, and other such things? The notion that one’s job performance and character qualities are not necessarily related is preposterous. Would someone pay for the services of a financial advisor who was under indictment for embezzlement?

We have the right to expect a town councilman to proceed with integrity as he makes decisions on whether his community has a sewer system or not. Population density in a community is not a moral matter, though of course it may be a very important factor in determining the kind of community the people want. The mayor or councilman who does not take the Bible seriously could very well have good sense about land use, quality community life, and managerial decisions. But what is it that would incline leaders in our counties and cities to be trustworthy, committed to the common good, and adhere to the law? We want elected officials who have a conscience that is properly informed by moral and ethical standards. Given our understanding of human nature, how does this happen? Character qualities come from God-given moral sensibilities (Rom. 2:14, 15). This is true whether one believes in God or not. This is sometimes referred to as “unwritten universal moral law.” Everyone has it written into their heart. In the words of C. S. Lewis, “They say things like this: ‘How’d you like it if anyone did that to you?’ – ‘That’s my seat, I was there first’ – ‘Leave him alone, he isn’t doing you any harm’ – ‘Why should you shove in first?’ – ‘Give me a bit of your orange, I gave you a bit of mine’ – ‘Come on, you promised.’ People say things like that every day, educated people as well as uneducated, and children as well as grown-ups.” We know we are like this, but often don’t stop to wonder why. It is because we are hard-wired by our Creator for a sense of right and wrong. We bear God’s image even though it is marred by sin. Discussions about fairness, justice, right, and wrong assume a moral law that is etched within each of us. This doesn’t mean that we will necessarily live up to what we think is right and fair, but it can promote certain beneficial expectations within governments and communities.

A politician will be faced with decisions over whether to approve a certain kind of business in the community, whether an industrial park should be built, or if developers should be restricted and how. Campaign promises to the community, zoning laws, and economic factors have to also be included in the decision making process. The temptation of bribery and unethical schemes will have to be resisted. This is some of what goes into governing with integrity.

But the most important thing has yet to be said. The city of man has its values, ideals, and aspirations. But there is another city, the City of God, to use Augustine’s language (Augustine was a well known fourth century theologian). James Boice summarizes it this way, “Augustine distinguished between two entirely different societies: the city of man, which is characterized by self-love, and the City of God, composed of those who love God and want to serve him. The city of man will never be God’s city. It has a different origin, progresses along a separate path, and is moving to a radically different end. Yet those who are members of God’s city are nevertheless in the world and need to conduct themselves as a renewing force within it.” What is being said is this: the investment of time and labor in the civic affairs of this world can be a noble thing, but it is not enough. To have lived for this life only while ignoring that city “whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:10) is the height of folly. We may build our cities into very comfortable places to live, but they are all doomed to decay and final destruction. Like Abraham of old the Christian is called to live by a worldview that runs counter to that of the culture. The wise and God-honoring way to conduct one’s life does not rule out commendable citizenship, but it has an eye on the future. Those who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and are counting on His righteousness to save them are not anti-cultural, but are to be counter-cultural. They may serve as mayors, legislators, judges, and presidents, and work for the good of mankind. But at the same time they are citizens of a heavenly kingdom. They live to glorify God and “wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20).

It is not necessary to be a born-again Christian and believe the Bible in order to govern well as an elected official. But when that great judgment day comes and the great and the small stand before the throne of God and the books are opened, one’s eternal destiny will not be decided upon by the good things we have done, how well we have governed, or how sincerely we thought we were right. Our credentials and politics will not have mattered. Our entrance in God’s eternal heaven will be based on whether we belong to Christ or not, not any good works of our own. All candidates for public office have really only one question that they must answer correctly. Have they trusted in the King of kings and Lord of lords for their eternal salvation?

Dr. Howard E. Dial
Berachah Bible Church