Recently, several of us in Numinous were debating whether to vote or not, feeling a high degree of frustration in the process.  I think that sense of disgust or despair is one shared by many, particularly among those in the 45-under crowd of the GenX and Millennial Generations.

Included in the conversation was the sense that many issues facing the country involve complicated situations for Christians, like war.  Should we even participate in a situation that promotes something that can be seen as a thing God might not want us to be involved with.

One thing seems clear, that on many issues, there simply may not be a “right” answer, but an answer that only feels best when all the issues seem to be measured.  And of course no one BUT God can really ever measure all the issues.  We can, and do, use history to guide us some and hope, then, for the best.

The issue of a Christian putting him/herself into the political mix and then looking for a Godly direction is as old as the Roman Empire.  Probably something to do with Paul’s words in Romans 13–“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”     But to be “under authority” does not necessarily mean that I have to agree with decisions made by the rulers.  The war and killing thing is clearly a tough place.  I don’t know the answer there either and I don’t think any other Christian can claim any answer OTHER than “here’s how I feel about it.”  God clearly commands total destruction of enemies in the Old Testament.  The issue is, as I can determine, mute in the NT till Revelation, where again God brings total destruction upon his enemies (and at one point, seems as if the Christians who are alive at the time go to war alongside God).  Yet, one point worth bringing out is that at no point does Jesus command (nor does Paul or Peter or James) any converted Roman soldiers (or Jewish soldiers) to leave the army.  In other words, though this is only implied, one can determine that Jesus doesn’t take any pacifism to the length that soldiers should thrown down their weapons and leave the army.

Where does that leave us?  Well, I don’t propose that I solve anyone’s issue with war or pacificsm, but clearly the command to be under the authority of our leaders would seem to at least be a start.  In the next posting, I will go a bit deeper into the issue of voting and how that deals with the compromises we all make in life.