Date: February 09, 2018

To: Br. Rey Allan B. Balderosa, Sc

By: Rey Ryan B. Apor
Re: Session 11- Christians, Government, and Moral Issues

Questions for Reflection:

1. How involved should Christians be in issues that relate to civil government?
- - The Christian is a citizen of a heavenly country and is only an “alien and stranger”
on earth (Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:11). This truth will affect much that the Christian
does as he relates to the civil authorities. It will bear upon issues relating to military
service, holding office, voting, jury duty, and many related matters. The following
principles have some bearing upon the Christian’s relationship to civil government.
- The Christian has certain responsibilities toward the civil authorities of the
government under which he lives. For example, he must pray for them.
- The Christian must obey civil rulers (unless obedience to them would involve
disloyalty to God). This would include traffic laws, driver’s license, hunting license,
paying taxes, and all other legitimate requirements.

2. Should they vote in elections, write government representatives, support candidates,

and speak out about political issues relating to morality, family, and religious
freedom?
- If there is anything that will spark a spontaneous debate, if not an outright argument,
it is a discussion involving politics—even among believers. As followers of Christ,
what should be our attitude and our involvement with politics? It has been said that
“religion and politics don’t mix.” But is that really true? Can we have political views
outside the considerations of our Christian faith? The answer is no, we cannot. The
Bible gives us two truths regarding our stance towards politics and government.

The first truth is that the will of God permeates and supersedes every aspect of life. It
is God’s will that takes precedence over everything and everyone (Matthew 6:33).
God’s plans and purposes are fixed, and His will is inviolable. What He has purposed,
 He will bring to pass, and no government can thwart His will (Daniel 4:34-35). In
fact, it is God who “sets up kings and deposes them” (Daniel 2:21) because “the Most
High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes”
(Daniel 4:17). A clear understanding of this truth will help us to see that politics is
merely a method God uses to accomplish His will. Even though evil men abuse their
political power, meaning it for evil, God means it for good, working “all things
together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his
purpose”

3. What about Separation of Church and state?

- Understanding the separation of church and state is complicated by the fact that we
are using such a simplified phrase. There is, after all, no single “church.” There are
many religious organizations in the United States taking different names — church,
synagogue, temple, Kingdom Hall and more. There are also many corporate bodies
that do not adopt such religious titles, but which are nevertheless controlled by
religious organizations — for example, Catholic hospitals.Also, there is no single
“state.” Instead, there are multiple levels of government at the federal, state, regional
and local levels. Thus, a more accurate phrase than “separation of church and state”
might be something like “separation of organized religion and civil authority,”
because religious and civil authority over people's lives is not and should not be
invested in the same people or organizations. In practice, this means that civil
authority cannot dictate to or control organized religious bodies. The state cannot tell
religious bodies what to preach, how to preach or when to preach. The Civil authority
must exercise a “hands-off” approach, by not helping or hindering religion.
4. Should Christians Vote and Express Views to Rulers?
When Christians become active in speaking out against abuse in
government and voting accordingly, some people claim we should keep our religion out
of politics. I deny the premise on which that view is based but my main point here
is that such a view is not a proper statement of the issue. Christians are not the one
who had left our sphere of interest. The problem is that politicians have made a full-
scale invasion into the realm of religion and morals! In that realm, Christians are not
only permitted but obligated to act. I believe this includes the right to vote. But whether
or not an individual Christian choose to vote, we must all find some means to speak out
for decency and divine truth.