Why Religion and Politics Can't Be Separated*

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What is one's religion? Religion is the worship one does [1].

What is politics? Politics is "the art or science of government" [2]. In other words, politics is the skill or knowledge of how to govern. Really, politics can be legitimately defined as governance and all things pertaining to governance. 

To worship God includes acknowledging the truth concerning Him (1 Corinthians 14:25). And one part of the truth about Him is His Kingship, by which He governs all creation by virtue of the fact that He is the universe's Creator. It is God's governance over the universe that reveals the intimate relationship between religion and politics. Christians worship the Triune God of the Bible by acknowledging His rule through their belief, words, and works. Therefore, their worship, when it is directed toward God as their King, are political actions on their part. Though I think I'm now covering territory I already traveled in previous posts on this blog, when we apply this idea of the relationship between religion and politics to the aspects of Christian life we more easily recognize as religious, we see how these religious aspects are also political. When we evangelize we are "campaigning" for Christ's Kingdom by calling upon sinners to surrender to His rule through repentance (change of mind) and trust in Him. When we engage in apologetics, we are defending Christ's Kingdom and its honor from the political messaging that Satan's kingdom publicizes against it. When we engage in polemics, we are engaging in counter-messaging that exposes the truth of Satan's kingdom in all its manifestations in all unbiblical/nonchristian belief-systems. Indeed, church services are, in their own distinctive way, political rallies in which Christians show their King the honor due them. True, we must, as I remember discussing in one or more previous posts, not impose any of our modern political contexts onto Scripture. But, given what we have covered here, the relationship between religion and politics is undeniable. And it fundamentally shapes how we view all authorities and consequently relate to them. 

I know I want, with all my heart, to be a campaigner for Christ's Kingdom! What king and kingdom will YOU choose to serve?

[1] https://biblehub.com/greek/2356.htm (accessed January 14, 2025)

[2] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/politics (accessed January 14, 2025)

*By the title of this post, I DO NOT mean that government must be involved in religious matters. To know what I DO mean, I think the post itself will answer that question.