The Church and Politics

Teacher and Minister John Murray of Westminster Theological Seminary

HT: Justin Taylor

“When laws are proposed or enacted that are contrary to the Word of God, it is the duty of the church in proclamation and in official pronouncement to oppose and condemn them. . . . It is misconception of what is involved in the proclamation of the whole counsel of God to suppose or plead that the church has no concern with the political sphere. The church is concerned with every sphere and is obligated to proclaim and inculcate the revealed will of God as it bears upon every department of life.”

—John Murray, “The Church, Its Identity, Function, and Resources” in The Collected Writings of John Murray, vol. 1 (Banner of Truth, 1976), p. 241.

“To the church is committed the task of proclaiming the whole counsel of God and, therefore, the counsel of God as it bears upon the responsibility of all persons and institutions. While the church is not to discharge the functions of other institutions such as the state and the family, nevertheless it is charged to define what the functions of these institutions are. . . . To put the matter bluntly, the church is not to engage in politics. Its members must do so, but only in their capacity as citizens of the state, not as members of the church.”

—John Murray, “The Relation of Church and State,” in The Collected Writings of John Murray, vol. 1 (Banner of Truth, 1976), 255.

Over the years I have picketed businesses of pornography hoping to shut down such places of filth and walked city streets with Christians on Pro-Life Sunday aiming to communicate disagreement with the legalization of elective abortions of the unborn. About 25 years ago, I walked through the streets of downtown Washington, D.C. with some 18,000 taking part in evangelization of passers-by. That Walk on Washington was intended to hold forth a Christian voice to the lost. As a walk in the streets of Washington, D. C., it sought to set forth a symbolic witness before the political landscape of 1980s America.

I take the time to vote, and hopefully, with an informed opinion about the candidates. Back four-five years ago, I went to pray with a city manager.  I have responded to some appeals to Christians to register an opinion to my legislators on various matters of legislation.

Preaching, evangelism and discipleship remain key pegs upon which to hang how the church and the Christian must be salt and light; as Murray says, “The church is concerned with every sphere and is obligated to proclaim and inculcate the revealed will of God as it bears upon every department of life.”

G. Mark Sumpter