Human Kings

On this Election Day in America, it is wise to remember that human kings, while appointed and used by God for his ends, do not save. To put the kind of hope in them that should be reserved only for God is one of the oldest and most persistent sins in Scripture.

One immediately thinks of the people's desire to have Saul rule over them. While the need for a king and the establishment of the monarchy was always part of the plan of God (see Deut 17), the people's selection of Saul in defiance of the warnings of God (1S 8) was an act of disobedience that bore bad fruit. But there are other examples as well. When Pekah of Israel chose to ally himself with King Rezin of Aram to attack Judah (Is. 7), believing that such an alliance was more advantageous than being allied with God the true King, God emphatically predicted and carried out their destruction and exile. And of course, when the people, looking for a nationalistic king to end Roman dominance over Palestine, tried to make Jesus this kind of king (Jn 6), Jesus literally headed for the hills because it was clear that the people didn't understand the kind of king he really was and the kind of kingdom he was ushering in.

Christians are not forbidden from being politically active and being engaged in matters of state. But there is always a danger that such freedom can be abused (or misdirected). Christians are often tempted to become consumed by matters of secular politics and sometimes wrap their faith in political issues, political parties, or particular politicians. Their passion for politics can exceed their passion for Christ, because they wrongly think the two are not only entirely inseparable, but are on an essentially equal plane. Too few politically active Christians (either liberal or conservative) seem to take the time to ask whether their Christianity is framing their politics, or whether their politics is framing their Christianity. Most probably know that the former is the right answer for a Christian. But in my experience, most are really operating in the latter. Too many conservative Christians were too loyal to George W Bush because they felt he was 'one of them'. Too many liberal Christians today are entirely too ga-ga over Barack Obama because they believe he epitomizes their over-realized eschatology of bringing the Kingdom of God to earth primarily through human means. It's one thing for secular press people to feel something akin to a religious experience when they're present at an Obamamania rally and immediately go into worship mode along with everyone else there. It's another thing for Christians to do this, because they really oughta know better.

In both cases, the error of placing too much faith and bestowing too much loyalty on human kings, and the consequences it has wrought, continue to plague us. And btw, this phenomenon all on its own should puncture the balloon of over-realized eschatology, since it's clear we haven't advanced very much when we so effortlessly repeat the same mistakes over and over again. As Paul's letters to Corinth aptly demonstrate, Christians who think they've arrived when in fact they're not even close to arriving can be a pretty dangerous bunch. Paul's attempts to cure the Corinthians of their over-realized eschatology should be required reading for every Christian who's preferred candidate has just won the presidency. Conservatives should have read it in 2000 and 2004, and liberals will need to read and reread it now. Conversely, Paul's letter to the Galatians should be required reading for every Christian who's preferred candidate lost an election. Here, Paul's attempts to cure the Galatian church of its under-realized eschatology can be helpful in maintaining perspective in the face of disappointment.

Christians of all stripes need to reremember who their true King is and put their hope and loyalty in him, and not flawed politicians of flawed parties who's political platforms contain policy positions that run counter to a Christian worldview. If we refuse to get our loyalties straight, not only will we be disappointed in the end, we will also delay rather than speed up the Kingdom of God coming in full power in our midst (2P 3.12).