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Why Government Can't Save You An Alternative To Political Activism
 
 
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Why Government Can't Save You An Alternative To Political Activism [Paperback]

John MacArthur (Author)
3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

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Book Description

Bible for Life September 18, 2000

Though the Lord relentlessly proclaimed the law of God, He did not come as a political deliverer or social reformer. He did not issue a call for changes, even by peaceful means. Nor did Jesus rally supporters in a grandiose attempt to "capture the culture" for morality or greater political and religious freedoms. Rather, His divine calling was to rescue the lost souls of individual men and women from sin and hell.

"A certain amount of healthy and balanced concern about current trends in government and the community is acceptable, as long as we realize that such interest is not vital to our spiritual lives, our righteous testimony or the advancement of the kingdom of Christ. Above all, the believer's political involvement should never displace the priority of preaching and teaching the gospel because the morality and righteousness that God seeks is the result of salvation and sanctification."-John MacArthur

In Why Government Can't Save You (An Alternative to Political Activism), author John MacArthur illustrates through Scripture that, regardless of the numerous immoral, unjust, and ungodly failures of secular government, believers are to pray and seek to influence the world for Christ by godly, selfless, and peaceful living under that authority, not by protests against the government or by acts of civil disobedience. Dr. MacArthur will explore these areas:

  • Christians' Responsibility to authority
  • How and why to support our leaders
  • How to live righteously in a pagan culture
  • The principle of paying taxes
  • Jesus' lessons on tax exemptions
  • The biblical purpose of government
  • The principle and reasons for civil obedience

"To devote all, or even most, or our time, energy, money, and strategy to putting a facade of morality on the world or the appearance of 'rightness' over our governmental and political institutions is to badly misunderstand our roles as Christians in a spiritually lost world."-John MacArthur

In this book find out your Christian responsibility to government and political causes.


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Product Details

  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Thomas Nelson (September 18, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0849955556
  • ISBN-13: 978-0849955556
  • Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #888,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Widely known for his thorough, candid approach to teaching God's Word, John MacArthur is a popular author and conference speaker and has served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969. John and his wife, Patricia, have four grown children and fourteen grandchildren.
John's pulpit ministry has been extended around the globe through his media ministry, Grace to You, and its satellite offices in seven countries. In addition to producing daily radio programs for nearly 2,000 English and Spanish radio outlets worldwide, Grace to You distributes books, software, audiotapes, and CDs by John MacArthur.
John is president of The Master's College and Seminary and has written hundreds of books and study guides, each one biblical and practical. Best-selling titles include The Gospel According to Jesus, Truth War, The Murder of Jesus, Twelve Ordinary Men, Twelve Extraordinary Women, and The MacArthur Study Bible, a 1998 ECPA Gold Medallion recipient.

 

Customer Reviews

13 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.5 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Touche', July 25, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Why Government Can't Save You An Alternative To Political Activism (Paperback)
It is not suprising that some Christians have reacted negatively to this book. It took me a while of being frustrated by the confrontation of my own error. Mac Arthur is not saying that Christians are to be absent from social involvment. Some are criticizing the book and alledging that it says that. It is clear however that he is saying that the political effort to moralize society is blurring the clear presentation of the gospel and that those who get caught up in it, as I have at times, are missing the central point of the gospel which is not to change people's behavior in an effort to elicit the blessing of God. Man's need is salvation from sin. And we are here to show them that and let God change them from within. Once you read the whole body of work and truly get the point of the scriptures referenced, I think JM's point is very well made. At first, it was a Hard Pill........ Touche'
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Well Presented and persuasive, but not entirely convincing, December 5, 2005
This review is from: Why Government Can't Save You An Alternative To Political Activism (Paperback)
The most persuasive part of the book was Chapter 1 and the appendix that contains a sermon entitled "Citizenship in Heaven," written by the famous 19th century, English pastor, Charles Spurgeon. The balance of the book does a fine job of setting forth the Scripture and arguments supporting our responsibility to government and authority, even on the Christian's responsibility support our leaders, be involved in civil service, and finally how a Christian can live in a pagan culture.

Mr. MacArthur emphasizes that he is not opposed to Christian involvement in government, but rather that the issue is primarily of keeping priorities straight. He sates "The issue again is one of priority. The greatest temporal good we can accomplish through political involvement cannot compare to what the Lord and accomplish through us in the eternal work of His kingdom. ... [God] has called the church to be a kingdom of priest, not a kingdom of political activists." Scriptural support for this is given by way of examples of Jesus, Paul and Peter, all of whom taught to obey government and honor those in authority. This is particularly brought home in two chapters addressing our tax obligations.

But what seems to be missing from the book is the fact that unlike the governments that the Jewish and early Christian cultures were dealing with at the time of Christ, we Americans have a direct say in who leads us (we elect them) and in what our leaders positions will be (our political process presumes that leaders will be influenced by public opinion, lobbyists, etc.). This is not an inconsequential difference. Since our Constitution says we the people are in fact self-governing, then as responsible citizens, there is certainly a strong argument to be made that Christians have a duty, both to God and Country, to take a stand to influence the government that they elect to represent their interests in adopting policies and laws consistent with Christian principles and values.

When liberals complain that Christians should not be influencing government with their conservative Christian beliefs and "agenda," what they seem to be saying is that is permissible to bring beliefs (even Christian ones) into the political process only so long as they are liberal views, but that if they are conservative, it violates some tenant of separation of church and state. I wish this issue had been addressed in this book.

One other issue that this book did not address is the Scripture that instructs Christians that they are "soldiers" for Christ, and that "soldiers" must not become involved in "civilian matters." 2 Timothy 2:4 reads as follows: "No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs-he wants to please his commanding officer." I have struggled with this passage in that it appears on its face to say that since we are serving Christ, we should be doing exactly as John MacArthur suggest, making our number one priority to serve God's kingdom and live our lives in a manner to evangelize others for Christ. Civilian matters such as politics must not be our focus. Curiously, this passage was not addressed in this book, and I feel it should have been the very basis for the discussion.
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars BRAVO!, December 27, 2004
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This review is from: Why Government Can't Save You An Alternative To Political Activism (Paperback)
A perfect treatise on the church's sidetracked theology that we can change the world through political might.

This book defends the Christian's responsiblity to be involved, but correctly eschews trusting in man-made structures such as government to solve what are spiritual problems at the core.

This book will cause Christians to consider whether God has ever given them the right to punish the world through boycotts or other hevay-handed methods of force.

Another excellent resource in the same vein is "Blinded by Might" by Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson.
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