How Should Believers Balance National and Eternal Interests?

A thought provoking article by David Brown entitled "Heart of the Collective King" was posted over at Sharper Iron. In it Brown deals with how the unique form of American government affects how the church and believers relate to their government leaders and get involved in politics.

From David Brown's conclusion:

"So what must Christians do? While the latest flavor of man’s sin has changed, the answer to it has not.

"First we pray. Then we need to lovingly and enthusiastically bring the Gospel to people one by one. The heart of the Collective King in America must be changed one cell at a time, one miracle of God’s grace at a time. Christian political action would work if the populous was by majority Christian and distinctively Christian. But it is not. There is, in fact, no moral majority. As we have refused to share the Gospel meaningfully, our society has drifted away with Oprah the Prophetess, and we have found ourselves fatuously content as long as there is a patriotic conservative in the White House.

"We need to repent. The answer lies in winning people to Christ, not in winning elections."

Brown wraps up his article with this challenge:

"Personally sharing the Gospel is the most patriotic thing you can do for America. Representative democracy and free enterprise capitalism only function well, avoid oppression, and endure when there is a Christian populace. John Adams wrote: "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."Adams similarly explained: "Statesmen, my dear sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue." If you want better government, if you want to guard your liberties, share the Gospel and gradually bring the heart of the Collective King back to his Creator." (See article for footnotes)

David Brown's article: "Heart of the Collective King"