1I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 2with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in us all. 7But to each one of us, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8Therefore he says,
“When he ascended on high,
he led captivity captive,
and gave gifts to people.”
9Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.
11He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; 12for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; 15but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, 16from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.
17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts. 19They, having become callous, gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20But you didn’t learn Christ that way, 21if indeed you heard him and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: 22that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit, 23and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
25Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26“Be angry, and don’t sin.” Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath, 27and don’t give place to the devil. 28Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need. 29Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander be put away from you, with all malice. 32And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
A False Dichotomy
Coin Bearing Caesar's Image
These verses prompt considerable introspection and consternation within the Christian community. Especially in the United States, where we as citizens have freedoms that the rest of the world community of Christians doesn’t enjoy. It causes us to wonder, “How much should we be involved in politics?” Some Christians, like most of the Amish, think that it means we shouldn’t even vote. I believe that is errant thinking. I think that each of us, as believers, will have to answer for the votes we cast and for those we ignored to cast. The Bible is filled with calls to action, both within the Church and in the communities in which we live. We should support policies that reflect biblical values. I even think that every believer should pray and ask God whether they should be involved in political leadership. When I was a young man, being fluent in Spanish in Texas, I was encouraged by many people to “run for governor” or get involved in local politics, as I could appeal to a broader audience. I neither felt inclined nor led to do such a thing. I just wanted to build a business, share the gospel, and serve others. So, political leadership isn’t for every Christian, but I sure believe it is for some.
A country that is respectful of God’s ways is a country with law, order, justice, mercy, and concern for our fellow citizens. Godly citizens should manifest the Fruit of the Spirit in how they speak and how they behave. Being involved doesn’t mean “forcing our religion” on others, as some political adversaries might state. Instead, it is heeding the call of the Prophet Micah, who tells us what the will of God is for mankind: to love justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). We are to vote in conformance with that. This includes voting for the sanctity of life, supporting godly law enforcement over chaos, sentencing that matches the crime, and prioritizing the rights of the individual over the government’s rights, because each person is made in the image of God.
The Pharisees were once again trying to catch Jesus off guard. They were presenting him with a false dilemma (also known as a false dichotomy). That means an “either/or” kind of argument. The Christian walk regarding government presents no false dichotomy. It is not a zero-sum game. Jesus is telling us to be involved in the things of God and in the things of government. We need to keep them in the proper perspective. Being involved in things of government means different things to different believers in various places. In North Korea, China, or Yemen, it might mean just trying to stay alive as you go through each day, trusting God and doing whatever work He has for you to do. In the United States, it might mean engaging in public debate and dialogue as did Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated last week. Charlie lovingly presented the things of God, giving his opponents an opportunity to speak. We are always to present the truths of God, but to do so in love (Ephesians 4:15). So, I think Jesus is calling for balance in the life of a believer. Be involved in the political system in which you find yourself as much as you are called to do, but always remember that the things that matter most are the things of God. They are eternal. Worldly government is not. They will fall. The Kingdom of God will go on forever. Love Him with all of your heart, soul, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. Let your engagement with any government reflect those core truths.