Respect the King, Obey the Law, Pay Your Taxes

What are Christians supposed to do with presidents like Donald Trump, or Barack Obama?

President Trump is promising big action in the near future regarding school prayer. Time magazine did a long article this week critical of it before it is even announced. Again Trump will be hailed as a hero or a villain to people of faith.

Start a discussion about Donald Trump and you can split a church just about anywhere. Believe me, that is not what I am trying to do here. I would like to have a short discussion about Christians and their attitudes and expectations of governmental leaders.

I was preaching in Kenya when it finally became clear that Donald Trump was going to be the Republican nominee for POTUS. I admit I was depressed. Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. What a choice! And please, I do not want to get into the discussion of third party candidates right now. In spite of his vulgarity (I do not know how else to describe his public persona prior to holding office), he has been one of our most effective presidents ever on issues of great concern to conservative Christians. I have no idea whether he is sincere or if he is just pandering, but the results are still there.

So, what should Christians expect of their political leaders?

One extreme is the “all in for the team” mentality whether the team is R or D. No other factors really matter that much. You might like one team better than the other but God has not registered to vote under either party. People change, parties change, God does not. Sin and corruption can be found everywhere. We should not pledge our undying allegiance to such shifting human institutions.

The other extreme is to demand only pillars of righteousness–someone just like us. Mormons won’t do, neither will Catholics. Both George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter claimed an evangelical Christian faith. Ronald Reagan’s personal Christian testimony was as fuzzy as Trump, Obama, and Clinton. What we have found is that being a Christian does not necessarily make a candidate a better President. He might approach the job from a Christian perspective, but he might not necessarily be more effective. God has used some pretty sordid sorts to accomplish some pretty amazing things in our nation’s history. Read up on Ben Franklin sometimes. He makes Donald Trump look like a choir boy.

“But does morality matter?” Yes, it does, but it is not all that matters. We will save that discussion for another day.

Romans 13 presents some troubling principles for those among us who are “all in” on American politics. Paul’s presentation of the relationship between Christians and government can be summed up in just wo sentences.

Accept government as divinely appointed.

Yes. This goes for Trump, Obama, and Nero. The problem with biblical inspiration is that it often leaves us little wiggle room. In this case, there is that pesky little word “no” as in the phrase “there is no authority but from God.” We really want to assert exceptions here, but understanding that Nero was the Roman Emperor at the time Paul wrote this letter to the Romans leaves us little room for argument. We either accept the inspired Word or we do not.

Respect the government and obey the laws.

In particular, in this context, pay your taxes. Other scriptures clearly indicate that when we are asked to sin against God by our government, the Higher Authority must be obeyed. Beyond that, however, we are required to obey the law, even if it is unpleasant or expensive.

What is the goal here?

Part of the problem of evangelical Christianity in the United States today is the desire for cultural dominion. It is a desire for prominence, power, and influence. You can watch it as evangelicals flock around Donald Trump—or race to denounce him. Post-millennialism and Theonomy both assert Christianity’s obligation to dominate the culture in preparation for the return of Christ.

In his book, All God’s Children and Blue Suede Shoes, Kenneth Myer (chapter 1) argues against this idea from a purely philosophical and practical perspective. He calls it cultural arrogance and suggests that Christians approach the culture with a sense of humility, knowing that we do not have the wisdom or understanding to control the culture around us. The better approach is to simply live obedient lives and let the transforming effect of the gospel take its providential course. We cannot divorce ourselves from the culture around us, and we should interact with it in a godly way, but it is arrogance to think we as believers can control it.

This seems to be Paul’s approach. In 1 Timothy 2:2 he commanded—yes commanded—and yes for Dems as well as Reps—Christians to pray for their governmental leaders. And there was a specific purpose for the prayer.

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

He wanted us to pray that God would use our leaders to preserve our freedom to worship and obey God in a quiet and peaceful way. That describes an “under the radar” Christianity that is focused on winning and discipling people until Jesus comes.

Our votes are a stewardship before God, so vote with godly wisdom. Remember though, that the Great Commission will not be accomplished by electing better political candidates.

If we all do what the Bible says we should do regarding our leaders, we can walk in peaceful unity with one another regardless of who those leaders might be.