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

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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'

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.

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.

This is a great book for those Christians struggling with understanding the government and how to think and act Christ-like to those in authority.

MacArthur gives a Christian perspective on the government and political involvement. He discusses the purpose of government and the Christian's responsibility toward it.

MacArthur also teaches in this "Bible For Life" series about the Christian's obligation toward taxes. Basically, Christians are to pay their taxes. He demonstrates this with Jesus' teaching on taxes.

Of course, no book like this would be complete without a couple of examples from the Bible. MacArthur uses the example of Daniel and Paul to show how a Christian should live and interact (maybe even be a part of the government) with the government and its authorities.

Christians are to support their leaders and obey them, provided the leaders are not giving orders in direct violation of God's Word. Finally, there is a chapter about how to live in a pagan society.

There is also a sermon from Charles Haddon Spurgeon at the end of the book about Citizenship in Heaven. The book includes a study guide for group study or further individual reflection.

True to MacArthur's style, this book is filled with scriptural references. I highly recommend this book for anyone to read. This is this best book I have ever read about how a Christian should respond and deal with their government.

I am an Evangelical Christian and someone involved in advising the British government (part-time!) on Islam and on recent events. But it is wrong to say that John is pietistic - what he is saying is that the ultimate solution to the problems of the world is to be found in the Gospel. In saying that he is simply being Biblical! So buy this book - you might still want, like me, to be politically involved, but it is God who will change the world, not politics. Christopher Catherwood, author of CHRISTIANS MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan, 2003) and WHOSE SIDE IS GOF ON? (Church Publishing, 2003)

Personally, MacArthur's work has clarified my understanding of how to serve God faithfully in both my job as a public school employee and as a member of a Southern Baptist Church. It has helped strengthen my committment to both without separating them.

I found myself feeling that something wasn't quite right with the people claiming to be Christians around me who were mocking the President or telling jokes at the expense of homosexuals. This book demands that we respond biblically to governments and politicians and is a great help to applying biblical truths as a believer today. This book made me excited to obey God through good citizenship.

I enjoy many of the books by John MacArthur. He often writes sensibly and incisively. However in this book I think he forces us into a wrong understanding of the issue of Christian social involvement.

While John MacArthur acknowledges that Christians should not escape cultural and political involvement altogether, his basic thesis is that our main calling is "spiritual" (evangelism, worship, etc.) while other tasks (social reform, political participation, etc.) are at best only of limited value and at worst are "worldly" and a waste of time.

Thus the essence of his argument is to make a dichotomy - in my view, a false dichotomy - between spiritual work like evangelism and earthly activity like cultural renewal. He just sees these as polar opposites and forces Christians to make a choice. What is it, evangelism or social reform? What is it, doing things God's way, or man's way?

But many, including myself, see this as a false dilemma. We believe that Christians are to do both. It is not a question of either-or but both-and. That has always been the case with the Christian church throughout history. Wherever Christian missionaries went, they both preached the gospel and did social good. Hospitals, education, prison reform, improvement of the welfare of women and children, etc. have been part and parcel of the Christian mission. Thus the Christian church has been at its best when it has been up to its ears in social reform.

MacArthur would have us believe that attempts to alleviate social wrongs are a diversion or worse. I am glad William Wilberforce did not heed the advice of those who said he was wasting his time, or being unspiritual, when he took on the slave trade because of his Christian conviction of the dignity of all human life. If he had listened to the nay-sayers like MacArthur we would still be fighting slavery today. I am glad Wilberforce ignored such advice and fought what looked to many to be a losing battle. Thus today we do not have to re-fight the battle over slavery (at least not in the West).

The point is, the Christian message is to be holistic - all areas of life are to come under God's sovereignty. That means being salt and light in a dying and decaying world. Of course we don't give up on evangelism. Of course people need inner transformation. But that does not mean we stop doing what is right, whether that means working in a secular job to feed our children, or running for political office to be salt and light. Whatever God calls us to do, we should do it.

MacArthur simply forces us into an either-or position that Scripture does not require of us. For a better discussion of the Christian's role in society, see the works by Charles Colson or Janet and Craig Parshall.

In an age where Evangelical Christianity is associated with politics, John MacArthur finally exposes the flaws of their social gospel. He argues that politics is essentially useless for Christians and is contrary to the New Testament. The only flaws to this book were
1)John MacArthur says there are rare occasions for Christians to get politically involved, yet doesn't really give any examples. Plus this contradicts the sermon at the end of the book by the famous Charles Spurgeon which says we should never be involved.
2)His part of the book of what a government following Christian values seems to go against the principle of the rest of the book.

Prior reviewers seem stymied by a purported MacArthur "dichotomy" in his theme, which I don't get. Ignore them. Read the book