The Bible, Political Parties and World Views

The Bible is God’s plenary, inspired, word-revelation to man (II Tim. 3:16, 17). It is a presentation to us of the things that God wants us to know about Him, ourselves and the world (Psalm 19:7-14; 119:97-112; etc.). While the immediate concern of the Bible is man’s fellowship with God (i. e., our initial, pristine fellowship with Him, subsequent fall, and ultimate restoration through Christ), the Bible also presents to us principles that address every aspect of our lives. God has truly given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness (II Pet. 1:3).

While it is certainly not incumbent upon every Christian to develop a formal and systematic world view philosophy based on scripture in order to be saved, every Christian must realize that God’s word must be the final say on how we view the world, what actions are legitimate in God’s sight and what we should believe and know (Psalm 119:30,31). “God’s word is truth” has important implications for every field of human endeavor and inquiry (John 17:17). Issues and topics may arise that are not directly spoken of in the scriptures, but in principle, they are addressed when all of the passages and teachings of the scriptures are gathered and handled correctly (II Tim. 2:15).

Concomitant with the view that scripture is the final authority for all legitimate views and actions, both in religious activity and in everyday life (Col. 3:17), is the necessity of handling the scriptures with the correct hermeneutical approach. All men who handle the scriptures correctly will only draw such conclusions from them as is warranted by the evidence. Being irrational is always inappropriate, but especially so when handling the word of God (Is. 1:18; Rom. 12:1,2).

Politics, for example, is one of the most divisive issues that we face. It is so divisive that many families are literally torn apart by disagreements. For that reason many people just avoid talking about it altogether. But does the Bible have anything to say about it? While the Bible does not say anything specifically about modern American politics, for instance, it does give us principles which would affect our views of politics in these times.

For example, one’s views on the subjects of abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, pedophilia, the nature of gender, the nature of marriage, the nature of the family, personal responsibility, economics, government, capital and corporal punishment, psychology, entertainment, science, creation, medical ethics and an endless list of other issues are both topics of concern in the sociopolitical and cultural world presently, but they are also addressed in principle in the Bible. Biblical teaching on these issues is relevant when we try to determine what kind of politics or world view we should embrace with God’s approval.

Yet many who call themselves Christians will identify with a party that embraces all of the unscriptural views on these issues. That is not to say that everyone in either party (or in any of the other third parties) holds to monolithic views. This is not a blanket condemnation. Naturally, there may be a few who do not hold the party line. But by and large, it cannot be successfully denied, that the democrats, as a matter of party philosophy, hold to increasingly more liberal, less scriptural and emphatically more radical views.

When the left does attempt to offer scriptural support for their views on these issues, they are always very loose and very shallow with their handling of Biblical principles of interpretation. By definition liberals, leftists and progressives seek to cast off the traditional and established norms. Long-standing and time-tested views are always discarded in favor of the latest social novelty and theological fad. First and foremost, modern leftist ideology seeks to normalize and justify the most grotesque and heinous kinds of behaviors and views under the very thin and sheer veils of tolerance and love. But their tolerance is most intolerant and their love strongly resembles hate.

However, every single time the left gets a chance to pursue their vision of life, chaos, hatefulness, lies and deception, the breakdown of law and order and moral decay always follows. Always! The reason the left persistently gets the answers to life’s most pressing questions so wrong is because the left always looks to themselves for answers to life’s most pressing questions instead of God. Such an approach to knowledge and life is doomed to failure from the start. It begins at the wrong starting point and is based upon a false foundation and presumes a false conclusion.

It is important, then, to understand that the word of God gives meaning and direction to every facet of our life. God’s word should guide us in thought and in word and in deed (Col. 3:17). If we cannot fit a proposition or belief into a solid, coherent, Biblical world view, then that proposition or belief should be disqualified, dismissed and discarded. Christians should train themselves to think of God’s word not only in terms of a compilation of religious tenets to be believed and obeyed (though it is that) but also comprehensive, coherent manual to life to be studied and a world of verbal truths to be mined for spiritual treasures.

Eric L. Padgett