Citizenship and Discipleship

As I finish up my education in politics and ethics, I notice that I have had ample opportunity to muse upon the question of citizenship and justice, but I haven't taken the time to place it properly within the realm of discipleship. In this era of game-theory ethics, radical individualism, and postmodern morality, I see more and more just how much the connection between citizenship and justice is deteriorating, which presents new challenges for our country but also new opportunities to glorify Christ if we remain faithful. As we delve into the topic of citizenship let me just state that it is my prayer that you “see to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8)

So, as we look to Christ, there four passages of scripture that I want to point you to:

Matthew 5:13-14 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden”

Luke 17: 21 “nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Romans 13: 10-11 “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.”

Matthew 25:40 “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”

There is a clear connection between the passages cited in Matthew 5 and Luke 17. The passage in Matthew emphasizes the character of God’s people. Salt is that substance we add to our food, both for the purposes of health (in moderation) and taste. Light is always used in juxtaposition to darkness in order to expose the truth of a matter. Jesus had a lot to say about how dark this world is, but here He pointedly states that any light which exists in this world is to be found though His people. Great; what does that mean for us? You, my friend, are called to enrich this world with the truth that has been given to you in the gospel. The verse in Luke 17 elaborates on the meaning of the verse in Matthew 5 to show the divine purpose of His covenant people. The kingdom of God was no longer a distant dream for God’s prophets. The Kingdom of God is both already here and on its way with the second coming of our Lord, and we are citizens of this present kingdom! 

How then shall we live? I often cite this phrase, coined by Schaeffer, to stress the church’s need for action. The verses I cited in Romans and Matthew 25, I think, naturally flows from the information of the previous verses in a succinct way. Here we have our law, economy, and the motive for our faithfulness. Our law is love, our economy is the debt of love we owe to each person, and our purpose is to worship Christ by caring for those we CAN care about. How do we do this? By being the community which enlightens and changes the world around us, whether we are persecuted or not. Where there is people to feed, protect, and care for, the church must be present, and in all places we are to preach the good news of our Lord.

This is not a call to be a social gospel church, which sees its mandate fulfilled only in the positive social effects it brings. This is not a call to be a raving conservative critic of all the moral ails we encounter. This is not a call to worship in isolation from the depravity we see around us. This call to ‘do church’ is a call to be Christ centered, and simply to “observe all that [He] has commanded us.” (Matthew 28: 20). To be a good citizen is to be a disciple of Christ because, as Paul put it, "our citizenship is in Heaven" (Philippians 3:20)

So why should we as Christians care for our countrymen, our communities, and our neighbours (especially the weak)? The answer is simple: “If you love [Jesus], you will keep [His] commandments” (John 14: 15). Reader, do you love Jesus? If so, then it is my prayer that you and I will see these words and be encouraged, empowered, and captivated by the majesty of our Lord to see His Kingdom “come on earth as it is in heaven.”

Maranatha (Come, O Lord)