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Excerpt from www.biblesociety.org.uk
Christian approaches to political engagement often fall into one of two camps: ‘distinctive’ or ‘engaged’.
The ‘distinctives’ tend to be pessimistic about politics and say that the Church should stick to its priorities of evangelism and discipleship for eternity, rather than wasting energy in social action and politics in the present. But the Bible nowhere presents the Christian with such an either/or choice. Instead, it calls the Christian both to teach the gospel and love their neighbour.
The creation mandate of Genesis 1.26–28 to look after the earth still stands alongside Jesus’ great commission to his followers in Matthew 28.19 to make disciples of all nations. Paul commands the Galatian church to do good to all people, beginning with those in the Church. And when Paul summarises the purpose of the Bible in 2 Timothy 3.15–16, he writes that it is to make us wise for salvation in Christ Jesus and to equip the Christian for every good work. All this stewarding the earth, loving neighbour, doing good to all people cannot avoid involvement in politics.
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