There is currently an election campaign being held in the state I live in and as usual there is a variety of opinions about various politicians, political parties, and policies being thrown about by people. Now in a democracy like Australia, this is a great sign. It means that people are thinking about the direction that the state/country is heading and are wanting to ensure that whoever gets elected is going to do the right things for the country.
But what I have a major issue with is the complete lack of respect towards politicians and parties when discussing them. Especially from Christians who claim that they have the character of Christ. They call politicians names (I’ve read that people have called our current PM a tool, a former PM a b#@ch, a state premier a w#$ker….all Christians apparently). I’ve seen them trash others who voted for a different party from them calling them idiots and losers.
Now I expect this sort of behaviour from those who aren’t professing Christians- that’s natural behaviour for people. But for us who want to follow Christ, then it isn’t. We are mean to be counter the culture that the rest of society is like – not weird just the opposite. We are supposed to be givers, not greedy; to love rather than hate; pure rather than impure; committed rather than uncommitted; hard working rather than lazy etc etc… It means that in this instance we are to honour our leaders, not disrespect them.
What is honour? In the Bible, the Greek word for honour is timáō which means properly, assign value (give honor), as it reflects the personal esteem (value, preciousness) attached to it by the beholder; to have in honor, to revere, venerate.
In other words, it is giving person a high value as a person, as a leader; as a fellow human. What it isn’t is to agree with everything that a leader does or says. But it doesn’t mean that you have to dishonour them by calling them worthless. God honours you because he calls you precious and placed the very high value of his only begotten Son’s life on you – and you were worthless due to sin. You did wrong in his sight so there is nothing of value in and of yourself. But God still honours you. Don’t you think we can do the same for other people, especially our leaders?
If you disagree, in a democracy you use your vote to change leaders, you write a letter to relevant MPs and ministers. But you do it with respect and without personal attacks.
In the Bible, the apostle Peter writes:
Be submissive to every human institution and authority for the sake of the Lord, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to bring vengeance (punishment, justice) to those who do wrong and to encourage those who do good service. For it is God’s will and intention that by doing right [your good and honest lives] should silence (muzzle, gag) the ignorant charges and ill-informed criticisms of foolish persons. [Live] as free people, [yet] without employing your freedom as a pretext for wickedness; but [live at all times] as servants of God. Show respect for all men [treat them honorably]. Love the brotherhood (the Christian fraternity of which Christ is the Head). Reverence God. Honor the emperor.
1 Peter 2:13-17 AMP
The apostle Paul backs this up:
Let every person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God’s appointment. Therefore he who resists and sets himself up against the authorities resists what God has appointed and arranged [in divine order]. And those who resist will bring down judgment upon themselves [receiving the penalty due them]. For civil authorities are not a terror to [people of] good conduct, but to [those of] bad behavior. Would you have no dread of him who is in authority? Then do what is right and you will receive his approval and commendation. For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, [you should dread him and] be afraid, for he does not bear and wear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant to execute His wrath (punishment, vengeance) on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God’s wrath and escape punishment, but also as a matter of principle and for the sake of conscience. For this same reason you pay taxes, for [the civil authorities] are official servants under God, devoting themselves to attending to this very service. Render to all men their dues. [Pay] taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, and honor to whom honor is due.
Romans 13:1-7 AMP
These two passages were written in 56AD (Paul/Romans) and 60AD (Peter/1 Peter). The Roman emperor at this time was Nero who ruled from 54AD to 68AD. He has been desccribed as “an ineffectual, neglectful and brutal leader.” ¹ lavish and tyrannical ²; and best known for his debaucheries, political murders, persecution of Christians and a passion for music ³
A great way to modernise what Nero was like – think of him like Idi Amin of Uganda or Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe – cruel, brutual, unpredictable, power hungry and ruthless. He was like a modern day tyrant.
In this context did both Paul and Peter make their above statements. It wasn’t a pleasant time. It wasn’t a democracy. It wasn’t time for Christians being really free.
This makes it even more remarkable that these men wrote that we are to honour our leaders.
They taught people that it is better to honour people and trust God to deal with them, rather than disrepect and dishonour their leaders.
It is the hardest thing to do to honour someone we think isn’t deserving of honour but as Christians it is a display of Godly character if we do just that. We are called to in the world but not of it. Maybe it’s time we start to act like it.
Not to say I’m perfect in it or that we are not going to mess up – but let’s at least try to conduct ourselves with the character needed to show that being a Christian is worth it. We might surprise ourselves!
¹ http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/nero.shtml