A Father’s Role in National Politics and Civil Governments

The Bible is very clear that Christians should not “love the world” or the “things of the world”

(1 Jn.2:15).

But are national politics or civil governments “things of the world” to which a Christian father should not get involved in? Let us look to the scriptures for an answer. Now every single individual born into the world or into history is born into a nation. Here the individual has no say as to which nation he wants to belong to. He is on the contrary, simply born into the nation to which his or her parents belong. As to the issue of nations and national identity; this is what the Bible says: “And He (God) made from one man (Adam), all the nations of the world and gave them their respective periods and their respective boundaries for their habitations” (Acts 17:26). As for the final destiny of nations in the new heavens and the new earth, this is what the Bible says: “And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it” (Rev. 21: 26). This being the universal case of one’s national identity and one’s geographical identity, nationalism or national politics thereof, is rooted in the Bible. As such, any national worker engaged in national politics is not engaged in a worldly affair which the Bible forbids. As to the issue of civil governments, the Bible again clearly states that civil governments have been established by God in order to curb lawlessness and dispense God’s justice in a fallen world. Scripture clearly states this fact in the following words: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authority, for there is no authority except that which has been established by God...He is God’s servant and agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.” (Rom.13:1&4) Therefore, any civil administrator involved in governmental jobs is not involved in a worldly affair that the Bible forbids. That however does not mean that every father must be involved in national politics and government jobs. National service may come in different forms like being a doctor, a teacher a banker or a business man etc. All such professions are also national works and national service. However, the present Christian attitude that people who are engaged in national politics or civil service are engaged in worldly affairs must be done away with. The Bible is not a political book or a scientific Book. But as the book of God’s revelation to his creation, it contains a lot of political truths, historical truths and even scientific and ecological truths. The Bible is in fact, the “Creator’s Creation Manual Book” which gives explanations to the mysteries of the universe and directives for mankind’s complex life on earth. In the Naga context today, our national politics is in a mess while our occupational state government is in a cesspool of corruption. In such a situation, where are Naga fathers today to give guidance and direction for our children’s tomorrow? After all, whether one likes it or not, every one of us on earth is born into a national entity and a civil government under which we will have to live our entire lives on earth. How then can we run away from politics and governance and naively think that in doing so we are doing a very Christian thing?