Gary discusses a critic on Facebook that believes Christians should leave politics alone and not get involved.
The predatory politics and violent methods of the Godfather are criminal. Everyone understands this. But what is considered criminal when practiced by the Godfather, all of a sudden becomes “government policy” in legislation coming from Washington. Lavish government spending programs and burdensome tax bills are legitimized by describing them as just, benevolent, fair, and good for the people. The rule of law (the Constitution) is often ignored and most often subverted to gain political power at the expense of personal freedom and liberty. Wealth is confiscated from the productive and transferred to the less productive in an attempt to buy votes. Vote buying becomes a means of increasing the scope of governmental power and legitimizes policies that can find no constitutional justification. As long as those in power offer the benefits that come with power, few people complain, except, of course, those who are being fleeced with ever-growing tax bills.
Without a proper understanding of the State’s biblical and constitutional purpose, function, and jurisdiction Christians can be trapped into believing that the State ought to promote policies beyond its legitimate role and authority as long as it is all for “the good of the people.” This can lead some to turn to the State for security at any cost to freedom.
In the development of his own social and political goals, Adolf Hitler studied the policies of Otto Von Bismark because Bismark understood the German state of mind. Hitler remarks in Mein Kampf: “I studied Bismark’s socialist legislation in its intention, struggle and success.” William L. Shirer, author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, observes: “To combat socialism Bismark put through between 1883 and 1889 a program for social security far beyond anything known in other countries. It included compulsory insurance for workers against old age, sickness, accident and incapacity, and though organized by the State it was financed by employers and employees. It cannot be said that it stopped the rise of the Social Democrats or the trade unions, but it did have a profound influence on the working class in that it gradually made them value security over political freedom and caused them to see in the State, however conservative, a benefactor and a protector.”
Gary discusses a critic on Facebook that believes Christians should leave politics alone and not get involved. Gary points out that 1) this is not biblical, and 2) Christians must be involved to promote righteousness and punish evil. Just as the early church in the book of Acts called out the corruption of the leaders in their day, so must Christians today. It’s not a top-down imposition of our will over theirs, it’s a bottom-up approach of obedience in every area of life—including civil government.
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Liberty at Risk
Lavish government spending programs and burdensome tax bills are legitimized by describing them as just, benevolent, fair, and good for the people. The rule of law is ignored or subverted to gain political power at the expense of freedom and liberty. Wealth is confiscated from the productive and transferred to the less productive in an attempt to buy votes and the promise of security.
Author: Gary DeMar
Gary—who served as President of American Vision for thirty-five years—is a graduate of Western Michigan University (1973) and earned his M.Div. at Reformed Theological Seminary in 1979. Author of countless essays, news articles, and more than 27 book titles, he has been featured by nearly every major news media outlet. Gary also has hosted The Gary DeMar Show, History Unwrapped, and the Gary DeMar’s Vantage Point Webshow and is a regular contributor to AmericanVision.org. Gary has lived in the Atlanta area since 1979 with his wife, Carol. They have two married sons and are enjoying being grandparents. Gary and Carol are members of Midway Presbyterian Church (PCA).
