By Rev. Dr. Ekwefum Peter
Prosperity comes not from grand conference of economists but by a willingness to take steps that will birth economic emancipation.
Without a healthy economy, we can not have a healthy society, and without a healthy society, the economy will be in tatters.
The Bible reveals that there is good government established by God (Ephesians 3:1) and there is wicked government established under satanic influence (Ephesians 6:12).
Jesus Christ was the active agent of God in originally setting up all righteous government and authorities visible and invisible (Colossians 1:15-16).
Jesus Christ recognized the government of this day as necessary for the existence of society (Titus 3:1, Romans 13: 1-7). According to Matthew 22: 21, he said “Give to Caesar what is his and give to God what belong to God.”
Christian and leadership
The place of the Christian and political leadership cannot be overemphasized, It is only when we recognize the reality that we can embrace the truth, and the truth stands forever.
We must understand that politics began in God’s abode. The anointed Cherub said in his heart that he was going to set his kingdom above God’s and his stars, then the supremacy of God declared him an adversary (Satan), hence he brought him and his party members (one- third) down to the earth (Isaiah 4, Ezekiel 28).
That was the beginning of politics . Man is a political animal they say. When the church today see politics as evil and therefore refrain from participation, a great vacuum is thus created, giving more room for the world to perpetrated more evil
If you are too clean to partake in political adventure you will be too dirty to complain when there is chaos in the system. Let us at this juncture examine the nature of politics from the biblical point of view.
WHAT IS POLITICS?
It relates with ideas and activities relating to how a place is governed and who has power. It is sometimes viewed as ideas and activities of a people in a group who are trying to get advantages for themselves.
King Solomon appointed governors over the districts of Israel (1Kings 10:15); . He appointed 12 deputies (1 Kings 4:7-19). It was their duty to provide food for the King and his household.
Practically all the major powers of time were spoken of as having rulers of the order of governor either as local native rulers or as governors controlling occupied territories (1 Kings 20:24).
Joseph was the prime minister of Egypt, subject only to the Kings, (Genesis 41:40-41; Acts 7:9-10). The King of Assyria Sennacherib taunted Hezekiah about Jerusalem’s weakness, but Rabshakeh failed to take into account the overwhelming forces of God on Hezekiah’s side just as the church has failed to acknowledge God today and his faithful promise (Isaiah 36:4-9, 37: 36).
Sheshbazzar Zerubabel as governor of the Jews who returned to Jerusalem in 537BCE (Ezra 5: 14, Haggai 1:1). Nehemiah was made governor when he went to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem in 455BCE (Nehemiah 5:14).
Matthew quoting from Malachi 5:2, shows that Bethlehem though very insignificant as far as governance in Judah was concerned, would become significant by reason of the fact that the greatest of governors would come from this city to shepherd God’s people Israel. This was fulfilled in Christ the greatest governor under the rule of his father (Mathew 2: 6)
Good over evil
Two wrongs cannot make right. It is only when the forces of good encompass the force of evil that good will prevail. For how long will you wait? Evil power can never of its own change to good.
There must be a challenge, a quickening motivation to effect a radical transformation. Nobody is born or created to dominate another human being. It is time to rise up as soldiers and possess our possessions because no one will originally give it to us.
Praise to the father the creator of all things and maker of all things, who is our God. To Jesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith, and the holy spirit our comforter, our helper and guide.
It is my wish to come out with grim determination to share with you this age long idea as to whether God’s people (Christians) should partake in the political activities of their nation wherever they may find themselves.
I had on various instances listened to discussions on the radio, newspaper, TV, social media, preacher’s deck, conservation with people etc. The question under disputation is, should a Christian believer being born again take part in politics, become a president, governor, chairman or chancellor member of the house of assembly?
Every idea herein stems from God’s concept that is, the scripture. Please be patient to read to the end before drawing your conclusion. Lack of proper comprehension of God’s word has brought about much disturbing problem and confusion that even the elect today are being misled into believing falsehood concerning life, faith, governance and family relationship.
I want you to believe that political governance was never intended to be exclusive right of the worldly people whereas God’s people will stand aloof as spectators.
Let us open our eyes which hitherto has been blind folded and completely veiled by showing you the Jesus approach to the government of his day and you will be the judge at the end.
Permit me to say that Jesus was confrontational. The church of today looks with tranquility resulting to low, in fact on the society while spirituality thrives in a volatile situation with booming productivity.
Every time Jesus went to the temple he encountered hostile situations with temple authorities, once he took a whip and cleansed the temple of miscreants.
He was brutal to the Pharisees and other religious leaders therefore, calling them hypocrites (actors), brood of vipers, white washed sepulcher right to their face.
The original meaning of the word “hypocrite” a Greek word is “actor”. The world today is full of religious actors who put all kind of special effects, dress, title, and facial expressions to act out the role. Jesus called Herod a “Fox”.
Peter the apostle called the Jews murderers in his maiden Apostolic declaration (Act 3:15, Matthew23:14-33).
But then the church must torpedo her own unlawful structure before it can become a prophetic voice to the world as it were in Nigeria political arena.
A doctor has to tell the patient that the cancer has to be removed otherwise it will kill him. Jesus was the greatest physician that ever lived with the sharp scalp, which is the healing of the nations.
Jesus did not follow the soft opinions of being a man pleaser, but he died to convict the world of sin. He said that the spirit of truth will guide us into all truth before his Parousia (second coming, John 16:8-14). Even the truth in this presentation will sound brutal, but it remains the truth.
Politics and warfare
The vandalization of Lot was political, did our father Abraham pretend? Did he fold his hand and prayed for God to bring Lot back? You know the answer, he prepared himself as a man, mobilize 316 soldiers trained under his roof, mounted on the camel and led the soldiers to victory as a general and great commander, thereby rescuing Lot etc for which Melchizedek recognized and brought food for him and collected tithe.
Are we not to rule and reign on earth (Revelation 5:10). The best way to accomplish both our priestly and kingly role is to pray for all politicians so that they do not fall into corruption.
The best government can only emerge when the righteous are in power (Daniel 7:27), where are the righteous hidden? In the church of course. If they shy away from politics, there can never be a chance for the righteous.
The heart of a king is in the hands of God. Righteousness exalts a nation (Proverbs 14:34). If we hide as it is today when will people rejoice. As it is today, who is not lamenting.
You have been told your vote is your power. Permit me to inform you that your vote is your power. But your vote is nothing if you continue to vote the wicked into power.
The church must launch a combined operations of the strongholds and the shooting of the bull’s eyes leading to the demise of the demonic kingdom (1 Cor 4:20; 2 Timothy 3:5). Are you no longer the light of the world?
According to Isaiah 9:6, it is written that the government shall be upon the shoulders of Jesus Christ. It is expected that authentic government shall be produced by the church.
Every kingdom of the world is under the church, why should we carelessly loss control of power that is divinely given to us.
It is said that women grow strong when men are weak. Corrupt people are elected to power on the basis of money, muscle power, race, class and religious factors (Isaiah 59: 14-16).
Are we waiting for the arm of God? This inherently corrupt system needs to be changed and replaced with righteousness. The government continues to be corrupt because the church continuously avoids partisan politics, because she fears pollution.
Interestingly we pray let thy kingdom come and do nothing to actualize the prayer. How can dirty politics change when change when clean people are running away? Anybody who says that a Christian should not partake in political affairs is a liar that needs proper information and education (Micah 4:2).
Jesus would sit on the throne of David and the law shall go out of Zion (Isaiah 16:5). The destiny of our nation depends entirely on the sons of the kingdom who are busy praying for their families, jobs, and ministries, and the nation is largely lying deep in the dungeon.
We must become conscious of our roles in active political participation and government, that the will of God be fulfilled.
The children of the bond woman today have pushed you aside and becoming heirs, is now an abomination. We are not of the world system, but we live in the world with the mandate to install a legitimate geopolitical government of God.
The church must set ground rules and help engender politicies God’s will. The scriptures is the only barometer to measure kingdom values of governance,. And the church is the sole repository. She must learn to act as the authentic.
