Dear Harvest Family,

During the month of October, we are using this newsletter to explore some biblical principles for thinking clearly and acting faithfully in the run up to the election in November.

For the last two weeks, we have looked at two major institutions that God has established for the flourishing of society: the church and the state. Each of these institutions has been given a God-ordained role to help us live together in community. The church models and makes known the coming kingdom of God, while the kingdoms of this earth exist to establish order and pursue justice.

But according to Scripture, the visible powers of the earth are not the only powers at work in the world. In fact, God’s word is clear that appearances can be deceiving, and the real power players on the world stage are not visible nations and politicians.

A cosmic battle is raging between unseen spiritual forces. This is a war in which the powers of this earth are merely pawns; a war that pits the Spirit and grace against the forces of sin, flesh, and death (Rom 5:12-21). These forces work at every dimension of human life, from the individual human heart (Rom 7:14-25) to the social and political dynamics of a community (Eph 1:20-22).

In this battle, we find ourselves as combatants against “the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). Our foe is led by “the god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4), who is “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:1-2).

Hence, “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh” (2 Cor 10:4), and the preeminent calling of the church in this battle is to put on the armor of God (Eph 6:10-20). In line with this, Scripture urges us to pray ceaselessly, including for the rulers and authorities of this world (Eph 6:10-20; 1 Tim 2:1-4).

Our attention is naturally drawn toward what we see, and so like everyone else we can feel like everything hinges on the outcome of the political battles in front of us. But in the Bible’s outlook toward world events, we have a different framework for evaluating what we see with human institutions (ex: the abortion industry or political parties) and public figures (ex: politicians, celebrities, business leaders).

It is as if the world is playing checkers, and we as Christians now realize that the real game is chess. This doesn’t mean that we should be unengaged as citizens. But we engage with a different perspective, no longer viewing institutions and people “according to the flesh” (2 Cor 5:16), but instead seeing everything through the lens of what Christ has done, is doing, and will do to reconcile the world to himself (2 Cor 5:17-21).

Our political priorities, loyalties, votes, and actions are now guided by the biblical picture of reality, and it’s a picture in which the political institutions and figures of our age play a limited, subordinate role (1 Cor 2:6). They are “servants of God” (Rom 13:4), most often without realizing it, and they will be held accountable for the part they play in God’s economy.

Whatever the outcome of an election or a legislative debate or a battle in the culture wars, we know real conflict has already been decided: the battle has been won, sin and death’s defeat is inevitable, and God will have the final say. Thus, Scripture tells us, “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:50-58).

See, a Christian outlook toward the world’s true powers leads us to an active, optimistic, and resilient citizenship. No matter how bad and dysfunctional our political moment may seem – and things were really ugly in Corinth when Paul wrote his letter – our resurrected king has won the victory, and so our hope cannot be shaken.

I hope that’s an encouragement to you. Next week, we’ll take up the issue of voting and consider the privilege of living in a participatory democracy from a Christian perspective.

In Christ,

Ben Wilson