Christianity and politics

Free dictionary simply defines politics as “the methods by which people get, keep and use power in a country or society”. From my observation of politics, I can say that politics refers to all the intrigues and manoeuvring geared towards acquiring, exercising, preserving and influencing positions of governance. Politics, therefore, involves activities geared towards acquiring political powers which include the forming of political parties, campaigning, organizing primary and general elections. Activities geared towards exercising political powers which include organized control and governance of a state by elected and appointed political office holders; the use of public resources for the public good and the impartial execution of the laws of the state for the benefit of the citizenry. Activities geared towards preserving political powers which include all the activities geared towards defending democracy and the policies of government, suppressing insurgencies, avoiding or enforcement of impeachment of elected officers and maintaining law and order. Activities geared towards influencing positions of governance. These include the activities of the organized civil societies and other pressure groups channeled towards influencing the policies of government. The numerous Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and their activities fall under this category.

The believers and followers of Jesus Christ, the anointed one, whom they believe is the Son of God, sent from heaven to earth, to deliver them from the power of sin and darkness, died for their sins and resurrected for their justification, are called Christians. Christianity simply means Christ-like, being like Christ in everything. Christians believe that all have sinned and come short the glory of God; that man could not save himself from the power of sin and needed God’s intervention for assistance. Jesus was that intervention. The Bible made it clear that Jesus is the last redeemer of mankind. He lived a perfect life on earth and admonished his followers to do same by living a perfect life on earth so they can make heaven. This requirement of holiness as condition to make heaven lies the main misconception of politics by Christians which include that politics is a dirty game which will take one to hell; that all politicians are liars, fetish, occultic and corrupt. This makes them reluctant to get involved in the required intrigues and manoeuvring geared towards acquiring, exercising, preserving and influencing positions of governance, thereby making them slaves in most countries they share with other religions.

In Nigeria, Christians are more than one hundred million in population. More than half of the population. They have more than 20 Governors in a country that has 36 states. They are among the most educated and enlightened. Their religion places great emphasis on education. Yet, politically, they are backward and docile because of the aforementioned misconceptions. So docile that a major ruling party in Nigeria, the All Progressives Congress (APC) believes they have become inconsequential, incompetent and useless in the political equation of Nigeria. This is inspite the fact that our Constitution vehemently forbids parties organising their activities along religious lines. A party that went into the election of its presidential candidate knowing full well that they already have in existence a Muslim Senate President, Muslim Speaker of the House of Representatives, Muslim Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Muslim Chief Justice of Nigeria, Muslim National Chairman, yet produced a Muslim Presidential candidate and a Muslim Vice-Presidential candidate, has no iota of respect, love or fear for Christians. Indeed, Christians have become worthless in their sight. A vocal chieftain of the APC said publicly on the Television that any Christian who says he is happy with the Muslim-Muslim ticket is not a true Christian. Another APC Chieftain even went to the extent of calling for a law that will outlaw Muslim-Muslim presidential candidate. Another APC Senator called the same faith ticket irresponsible.

It is not God or Muslims that should be blamed for their political successes in Nigeria, it is the Christians that should be blamed. This is because God has given them all the necessary tools in men, materials and money to utilise for their own political advancement and will not come down from heaven to play the politics for the Christians. The misconceptions about the unworthy nature of Christians participating in politics is unfounded. It is important to note that Jesus came to earth as a King and a Priest. His main aim was to restore the power of influence and affluence to his followers which they lost through sin. Revelation 5:9-10 said “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” The power to reign on earth has been given to Christians through Christ and this is actually a renewal of the blessing of God for Christians to have dominion given to them in the garden of Eden, which they lost through sin (Genesis 1:28; Deuteronomy 28:13). It is actually Christians who refuse to participate in politics and allow themselves and their religion to be trampled upon that are heading speedily to hell because they are rendering the sacrifice of Jesus a nullity.

What God demands from Christians is not their non-participation in politics but that whenever they are in position of authority, they must be just, ruling in the fear of God (2 Samuel 23:3). God listed the qualities of the leaders He wants Christians to present to Him for coronation. He said in Exodus 18:21, “Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens”. Once these attributes are found in any Christian, he is ready for leadership and will be rewarded with heaven after his tenure of leadership because he has obeyed the commandment of God with all those that assisted in the emergence of the Christian leader. The involvement of Christians in politics, therefore, is meant to reduce corruption, disorderliness, mischief and other socio-economic vices in the society.

The danger in Christians not participating in politics is enormous. The leaders we elect, or fail to elect have great influence on our freedom, well-being and the fulfillment of our God-given mandate. They can choose to protect our rights to worship and spread the gospel, or prevent us from exercising such rights. The story of Prophet Daniel is very fresh in our minds. Daniel was a Prophet of God known for his holiness, righteousness and love for God. He was made the President of his province and he was the favourite of the King because God gave him the wisdom to foretell accurately the future. He loves to pray and praise God several times a day. His political advancement attracted the jealousy of his peers of other religions. They went to the heathen King who promulgated laws that whosoever prays and worships God will be thrown into the lions den. Daniel broke the law and was thrown into the lions den. This same fate befell the three worshippers of God, Shadrack, Meshak and Abadnego, who were thrown into fire for daring to practise their religion. In this era that Christians are thrown into fire for unwarranted religious reasons, it is unconscionable for any Christian to decline from participating in politics to protect him or herself and his/her religion from destruction and extinction. It was not a secret that a present presidential candidate deleted his tweet intended to condemn the roasting of a young Christian girl by religious fanatics who killed her for no known reason. Any Christian who refuses to participate in the election of 2023 is part of the killers of Deborah Samuel.

Christians must realise that it’s not the will of God that only Christians should govern in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society. In this regard, God will not support the domination of others by Christians. God in His infinite sovereignty can give power to any person irrespective of the person’s ethnicity, religion or character. God said in Daniel 4:17, “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men”. God expects that whenever He sets up a government, every Christian is expected to respect such government. Hear the scripture in Titus 3:1, “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work”. 1 Peter 2:13-14 was more apt when it states “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well”.

The role of Christians in politics, therefore, is not to perpetually insist on claiming the number one position in the leadership of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society but to ensure that if they are not the number one, they must insist on being the number two. They must never allow a situation where persons of the other faiths should control both Houses of the National Assembly. They must consider it as an abomination which must be resisted by all Christians for only one religion to control the Legislature, Executive and the Judiciary at the same time. This means that anti-christian laws can be made and implemented without the inputs of Christians and they cannot seek redress and get justice in the courts. Power corrups and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If it’s impossible to have a Christian presidential candidate, Christian Vice-Presidential candidate, Christian Senate President, Christian Speaker of the House of Representatives, Christian National Chairman of the Party and Christian Chief Justice of the Federation at the same time then it’s the duty of Christians to make it impossible for any other religion to impose the same injustice on them. The golden rule ensures that you do unto others the way you want others to do to you.