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Christians in Public Service: Biblical Foundations, Lessons, and Dangers

By John Godson
September 2010

In this article I intend to present:

  • Biblical foundations for political involvement
  • Examples of godly politicians in the Bible
  • A story of how I got involved in politics
  • Seven reasons why I am in politics
  • Seven lessons God has taught me while in politics
  • Dangers I see in politics
  • Practical advice for those who feel called into politics
  • Practical advice for Christians not involved in politics

Biblical Foundations
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)

Jesus has called us to be salt and light. But what is the function of salt and light in relation to the world?

  • Salt gives taste to food and serves as a conserver from decay and putrefaction.
  • Light helps us see direction and reveals things.

To be potent, salt has to be mixed with the material it needs to either give taste or conserve. Light needs to be put where there is darkness for there to be effect. One of my pastor friends once asked me, “Where is light most needed—the place full of light or the place full of darkness?” The answer was obvious.

This brings me to the second Bible passage: “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation’” (Mark 16:15). This verse is classically understood as a command to go into all the geographical parts of the world and preach the good news. That is absolutely true. But it also means, “Go into every area of the world and be the good news, the testimony of what God has done for the world.” When I say, “area of the world,” I mean every aspect of the world, every strata of the world.

There are seven strategic areas of influence that God wants his children to bear Christ’s testimony. Some people call these the seven mountains of influence. These include:

  1. Arts and entertainment
  2. Business
  3. Education and research
  4. Family
  5. Politics
  6. Mass media
  7. Religion

 

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John Abraham Godson is a member of the Polish parliament. He came to Poland in 1993 as a missionary with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES). He served as deputy chair of the Intercession Working Group of The Lausanne Movement between 2005 and 2010. He is married with four children. They make their home in Lodz, Central Poland.