In today’s turbulent political landscape, Christians face mounting pressure to either stay silent or to engage poorly. Some within the Church argue that believers should avoid public discussions about politics altogether. Others speak with bitterness or vulgarity, reflecting not the Spirit of Christ but the spirit of the age. In a society that is rapidly abandoning its moral compass, what is the biblical model for public engagement?
To answer this question, we turn to the unchanging authority of Scripture and the clarity provided through both the Christian lens—which upholds the supremacy of Christ and the sufficiency of God’s Word—and the Philosopher lens, which values reason, coherence, and a morally ordered universe. From this perspective, we find that Christians are not only allowed but commanded to speak—to proclaim, to warn, and to reason with a world that is unraveling under the weight of its rebellion.
Christians Must Engage—Because Christ is Lord
The Lordship of Christ extends to all spheres of life, including government, education, and law. Scripture reveals that all authority is derived from God, not man. Psalm 2 calls on kings to “serve the Lord with fear,” and Romans 13 identifies civil authorities as God’s ministers, accountable to Him. Christ declared, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18, ESV), which includes state houses, school boards, and local town halls.
Christians, as citizens of the United States, have the constitutional right to speak freely in the public square. That includes school board meetings, city councils, legislative hearings, and social platforms. The First Amendment applies equally to Christians, and we are under no obligation to remain silent or “neutral” in the name of tolerance. The public square is not the domain of secularism alone. If anything, it has become the battleground of competing faith systems, and Christians must not abandon it.
The Prophets as Our Model—and the Modern Christian as a Voice of Warning
The Old Testament prophets provide the clearest biblical model for public engagement. These men did not speak only of personal salvation or private piety—they addressed national sins, legal corruption, and societal decay. They were spiritual men engaging political realities with spiritual truth.
- Nathan confronted King David for his abuse of power.
- Amos condemned the exploitation of the poor by elites.
- Daniel boldly interpreted divine judgment for pagan rulers.
- Elijah stood against apostasy, calling the people to choose whom they would serve.
These men were not merely mystics; they were public messengers speaking God’s moral law into a decaying culture.
Today, while I am extremely skeptical when anyone claims to receive direct spoken revelation from God in the prophetic sense (as in the hyper-charismatic movements claim), I believe we should recognize that biblical Christians with discernment function as modern-day prophets in a general sense. Like the sons of Issachar, they understand the times and know what God’s people should do (1 Chronicles 12:32). A Christian with a sound knowledge of Scripture can interpret unfolding cultural events, identify spiritual patterns, and sound the alarm with urgency and compassion.
Noah is a prime example—a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5) warning a world that mocked him. Likewise, Lot, though compromised in many ways, sat in the gate of Sodom as a civic leader and was hated by the citizens for daring to judge their conduct (Genesis 19:9). Christians today must echo Noah and Lot—not in perfection, but in willingness—to warn the culture of the judgment to come, both temporal and eternal.
Bold, Not Belligerent—And Always Biblical
Speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) does not mean softness or surrender. It means gracious boldness—truth that wounds to heal, not destroy. We are called to warn our neighbors of judgment, call sinners to repentance, and shine light where darkness reigns. This includes warning our own families, churches, and communities about spiritual and national consequences for sin.
Yet we must reject the ditch on the other side: vulgarity, sarcasm, and rudeness. These tactics are unworthy of the gospel. Sadly, while some previously effective Christian communicators have slipped into this trap—Douglas Wilson, for instance, has demonstrated moments of theological brilliance but has also employed unnecessary vulgarity—there are better examples to follow:
- Alistair Begg, who teaches with gentleness and clarity while maintaining doctrinal precision.
- Voddie Baucham, who boldly applies biblical truth to cultural issues with firmness and pastoral warmth.
- John MacArthur, who stands unwaveringly on biblical authority in the face of public opposition.
- Francis Schaeffer, who boldly confronted his generation on abortion and moral decline.
These men reflect the spirit of the prophets—firm, fearless, yet not fleshly.
This blend of strength and restraint is what Scripture calls meekness. Contrary to modern misconceptions, meekness is not weakness—it is strength under control. A perfect example is Moses, described in Numbers 12:3 as “very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.” The Hebrew word ʿānāw implies not passivity but a quiet, God-reliant strength that refuses self-exaltation or vengeance. Moses stood before Pharaoh, confronted rebellion, and bore the burdens of national leadership. His meekness was the discipline of power restrained for God’s glory, not the absence of strength.
As R.C. Sproul put it, “Meekness is not weakness. It is strength under control.” Calvin adds that meekness is the “conquest of our passions,” and Henry notes that it reflects a “quietness of spirit” rooted in God. In today’s political discourse, we need exactly this kind of restrained strength—where believers speak boldly, but with self-control, humility, and moral clarity.
Progressive Ideology as a Competing Religion
Christians must also recognize that the “progressive” worldview is a faith system. It has doctrines (equity, gender fluidity), sacraments (abortion, pride), and heresies (biblical authority, natural family structure). Under the Biden administration, this system was treated as the de-facto state religion. Dissent from progressive dogma was increasingly labeled as “extremism,” even by government officials.
When city councils and state agencies operate from the presupposition that progressive ideology is morally superior, they are imposing a belief system—one that contradicts Christian teaching. Christians must challenge these assumptions, not by merely opposing outcomes (like gender ideology in schools), but by questioning the philosophical roots beneath them. The idea that the government can define morality apart from God is a religious claim—and a false one.
A Final Exhortation: Be Watchmen on the Wall
Christians must recover their voice—not to win political power, but to speak God’s truth with clarity and conviction. We are watchmen on the wall, warning of what is coming (Ezekiel 33). To do this well, we must be well-versed in Scripture, prayerful, and respectful—“always being prepared to make a defense… with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV).
We do not want to look the unbeliever in the face at the judgment and have him pose the question, why didn’t you Christians warn me?
Our task is not to predict every policy change or political maneuver but to proclaim eternal truth in the face of temporal lies. The culture does not need nicer Christians. It needs truthful ones, rooted in Scripture, unafraid to speak, and unwilling to be silenced by intimidation or shame.
S.D.G.,
Robert Sparkman
rob@basedchristianity.org
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