Politics in the Early Church
Kerry Duke

The early church had people problems.  Many in it had miraculous powers, but they were still human.  Some of them wanted attention and power and they played politics to have them.

Paul warned the Galatians, “Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another” (Gal. 5:26). This verse tells us what church politics is all about.  It is about pride and vainglory; it is about the praise of men.  The word vainglory in this verse is kenodoxos, which means “glorying without reason, conceited, vain-glorious, eager for empty glory” (Thayer, 343).  Interestingly, Paul had earlier in verse twenty used the word “strife,” which the New King James renders “selfish ambition.”  The word used is eritheia, and Thayer observes that the word was used

. . .of those who electioneer for office. . .electioneering or intriguing for office. . .in the N.T. a courting distinction, a desire to put one's self forward, a partisan and factious spirit which does not disdain low arts; partisanship, factiousness. (p.249)

This is the word Paul used in Philippians 1:16, where he said that some preached Christ out of “contention.”  These preachers were putting themselves forward to receive the praise of men.  They were not sincere.  They spoke the truth but their motive was wrong.  These preachers were like their brothers in spirit today: they were politicians!  Preachers, elders, and others who use the church and the Gospel to draw attention to themselves are committing a damnable sin and will burn in hell for it.

Religious politics is deception.  A church politician leads followers to believe he is  concerned for their welfare when he is really concerned about no one but himself.  He is also very deceptive in that he gives the appearance that he is uniting people when actually he is dividing them.  This is Paul's point in Galatians 5:26—one who looks for glory provokes the people around him. He is like a selfish child who pushes and shoves his way to the front of every line.  Yes, he gets to be first, but he runs over others to get there.  This causes resentment.  It creates a needlessly competitive atmosphere that breeds envy. It stirs contention, hate, and evil suspicions.  James said, “For where envying and strife (eritheia) is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16).

Politicians, of course, are not the only ones to blame.  They cannot obtain the silly attention they crave unless others are willing, for whatever reason, to give it to them.  Such was the problem at Corinth.  Paul said “there are contentious among you” in that “every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I am of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ” (I Cor. 1:11-12).  These Corinthians committed a sin that many in the church commit today: they virtually idolized men.  The Corinthians revered Apollos (perhaps for his eloquence), Paul (perhaps for his scholarship), and Peter (perhaps for his feats and experience as an apostle).  The first four chapters of I Corinthians warn against trusting in the wisdom of man instead of the wisdom of God.  The lesson that rebukes church politics in this section is that adoration of men is by nature divisive!  But Paul would not play the politician with these carnal Corinthians.  He did not put himself and the other preachers on a pedestal.  Instead, he reminded them that he and Apollos were simply ministers, but Christ is the foundation (3:6-11).  He did not elevate the apostles, but showed that they had been made “the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things” (4:13).  If a preacher is sincere and does his job today, the world will think the same of him!

Politicians say one thing when they are with one group and the opposite when they are with a different group.  They will do whatever they need to do to please the people they are with.  Paul rebuked Peter because he had acted hypocritically (Gal. 2:11-14).  “For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision” (v. 12).  But Peter was not playing the politician in the sense we are discussing.  Yes, Peter, sinned, but his sin was different from that of the preachers Paul condemned in Philippians 1:16.  Peter was a sincere man, unlike the envious preachers Paul mentioned.  Peter sinned out of fear of the moment, not out of an ongoing desire to receive praise of men.  His sin was not premeditated, but political preachers know ahead of time what they will do.  And there is another huge difference between Peter and preacher-politicians, whether past or present.  Peter took the rebuke of Paul like a man and did not hold a grudge against him, though Paul rebuked him in front of other disciples.  In fact, he later spoke highly of the wisdom God gave Paul and referred to him as his “beloved brother” (II Pet. 3:15).  But political preachers do not accept reproof.  They resent it because it makes them look bad in front of their peers.  Hardly any group is worse for this behavior in the church than preachers.

If church politics reared its ugly head in the early church which was endowed with miracles, why should we be surprised that it plagues the church today?

Editorial

I suppose there has always been some sort of politics in the world.  Politics can be for good or bad.  It all depends on what is going on and the pitch of the politician.  If one is trying to sway his fellow man for Bible truth, then we find no problem with such.  However, with all politics can come some hypocrisy, and this must be disposed of.

It is very sad but true today that there is much politics in the religious arena of the world.  We expect this, and it is certainly not surprising.  If people will preach any and every kind of doctrine that will lead billions of souls to hell, why would we think it strange if they were involved in much dirty politics?  A good friend of mine of many years told me some time back that he left the politics of his religious denomination and went into secular politics.  He told me that secular politics was much cleaner than religious politics.  I have no doubt that he was telling the truth.  If a person will preach a lie, live like the devil, and be filled with hypocrisy, why would anyone think he would revolt at religious politics?

Politics in the denominational world does not shock me nor does it surprise me, but I must confess that I have been both surprised and shocked when it comes to the religious politics in the church of Christ, which has been of a bad sort.  I first saw this many years ago, and at that time I stood amazed at some of the goings-on.  I have seen it so much, and especially in the last twenty or twenty-five years, that it has become a daily reality, and nothing surprises me anymore relative to church politics.

The Bible should decide for all Christians what we are and are not going to do.  But, sad to say, that such is not the case.  With the worldly, praise-seeking, socially-minded, pinheaded, educated, high-minded, fearful-of-being-rejected, circuit-riding, lecture-speaking group it is quite obvious what rules them.  They are in politics over their head and they do not intend to change until they drown in this quagmire or until the wind of change which benefits them changes and blows from another direction.  In either case we have a bad situation.

What are some of the declarative things which produce religious politics?  Who is going to appear on this lectureship or that one?  Who is being used on the summer series of congregations each year?  Close friendships and associations?  Who will conduct Gospel meetings for congregations?  What are others saying?  What would happen if I were to appear on that program or some other program?  Kinfolks and family bloodline?  Big names and high positions?  On and on this kind of a list could go.  Those who are ruled by things such as these are not men but pygmies.  They are nothing more than puppets on a string.  They move when the right string is pulled to place them on a higher peak of personal praise and glory.

The days of church politics are the days for little men.  They are the days for zigging and zagging.  They are the days of unprincipled men.  Little political church men are not generally remembered.  I wonder how many remember the ten spies that came back to Israel and said we cannot take the land?  Do you know their names?  But all of us remember Joshua and Caleb because they were men in the true sense of the word.

Being a great servant of Christ is not brought about by one's declaration that he is such.  But being a great servant of God is declared by the life and works of an individual.  Not many recognized the apostle Paul for being the great Christian he was during his lifetime.  Very few looked upon Jesus during His life as being great and being the Son of God.  Had they only known what a difference it would have made.

Religious politics may work for a while, and it may bring some satisfaction.  But dedication to Christ is the real thing and will last forever.  What wonderful words will be, “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”  This will come by a life completely given to Christ and not religious politics.  Billy Graham will find this out along with those who are like him in the church of Christ.
—Malcolm L. Hill, Editor

Religion and Politics in the Time of Christ
Glenn B. Ramsey

From the Merriam Webster On-Line Dictionary we have the following offerings for definitions of “politics:"

3 a:political affairs or business; especially:  competition between competing interest groups or individuals for power and leadership (as in a government) c:  political activities characterized by artful and often dishonest practices.

5 a:the total complex of relations between people living in society

At the time of Jesus’ birth the country of Judah was under the dominion of Rome.  So Joseph and Mary made the trip to Bethlehem to register for the census.  This numbering was then used for taxation purposes by the Roman government.

Several different groups (sects) made up the religious community of New Testament times.  First we note the aristocratic Sadducees.  They were primarily concerned with keeping their jobs as rulers of the religious activities of New Testament times.  They maintained this power primarily by dominating the Sanhedrin Court system.  They did not follow the traditional laws of the Jews.  They did not believe in the resurrection.  They were the ruling power in the Sanhedrin at the time of Christ.  They were actually the last to oppose Jesus.  They did this because of the political complications they faced at the end of Jesus’ ministry.  The Pharisees were the sect of the Jews that held very dear the oral traditions and teachings of the Jews.  They were very patriotic.  They opposed foreign influences, such as Rome.  They immediately opposed Jesus because from the beginning of His ministry He showed the difference between the traditions of the Jews and the teachings of the Scriptures.

The Scribes (often referred to as the Rabbis) had closer contact with the people in general.  They were primarily responsible to tell the people what the “traditions of the fathers” actually meant.  They used the “traditions” mentality to practically destroy the true spirit of the Jewish religion.  Other sects included the Essenes, the Herodians, and the Zealots.  Most of these groups were content to endure the existence of the other groups in public, but privately often disagreed and sometimes this disagreement was public!  The Roman government placed a sharp watch over the country of Judah.  Eventually Rome overran the country in 70 AD.  At that time the temple in Jerusalem was completely destroyed.

It was within this political climate that the Son of God grew from boyhood into manhood.  It was within this political atmosphere that Jesus contended against all the major sects in order to call back His people from their sinful ways.  He said,

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate (Matt. 23:37-38).

Perhaps the saddest commentary on the political and religious condition of that day is Jesus’ statement that the people of Jerusalem (Judah) “would not” come back to Him!  Then the pronouncement that their “house is left unto you desolate” seals the doom of the Jewish nation!

There is, by definition and necessity, always a connection between the politics and the religion of a country.  Both the politics and the religion should be operated according to the principles of God.  Israel failed to maintain God in their religious and political activities.  She fell.

America is failing, pitifully, to maintain God’s Will in her politics and religion.  Can she stand?  Let us all pray that our country, once great because of her founding fathers’ determination to follow after righteousness according to God’s Law, will again turn in that direction!  Pray that she will turn before she falls as did Israel of old.

The Sadducees and Politics
Chad Ramsey

The Jewish sect of the Sadducees played a prominent role in the first century religious world.  Known for their denial of the resurrection (Matt. 22:23), of angels, and of spirits (Acts 23:8), the Sadducees were generally very wealthy and only concerned with things of material value.  It should also be noted that many Sadducees were members of the Sanhedrin council (Acts 23:6).  Additionally, Annas and Caiaphas, who both served as High Priests during the first century, were Sadducees (cf. Acts 4:5-6; Acts 5:17).

A simple study of the New Testament will reveal that the Sadducees were affected and even motivated by religious politics.  From their willingness to work with their enemies, the Pharisees, to their vicious attacks against both Jesus and His apostles, the Sadducees sought to promote their own agenda over truth.  They were willing to look for lies so that they could crucify Jesus (Matt. 26:59), and they were willing to ignore the miraculous in order to stop the mouths of the apostles (Acts 4:1-3; Acts 5:17-18).

During the ministry of Jesus, this attitude of the Sadducees became apparent.  Matthew wrote:

The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.  Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.  And last of all the woman died also.  Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her (Matt.22:23-28).

The intent of the Sadducees’ speculation is obvious.  They sought to reduce the doctrine of Jesus to a ridiculous conclusion, bring shame upon Christ, and further their own cause.  Jesus’ answer, however, showed how void they were of scriptural knowledge.  He stated:

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.  But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matt. 22:29-32).

Jesus not only proved the Sadducees wrong with an answer to their question, but He also founded his conclusion upon God’s Word.  Such a truthful answer should have been enough to cause honest men to turn from the error of their way, but the Sadducees were not honest men.

Both John the Baptist and Jesus recognized the corruption of the Sadducees.  Upon their coming to John in the wilderness, he replied, “Brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Matt. 3:7-8).  Jesus likewise warned His followers about the Sadducees.  In Matthew 16:6, He stated, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”  Why did Jesus warn others about the Sadducees?  He recognized the error of their doctrine (Matt. 16:12), and He realized that they were more concerned with promoting their party than promoting the truth.

We would do well to learn from the political corruption that existed among the Sadducees of the first century and seek to remove ourselves as far from such wickedness as is possible.  Rather than promoting party or self, let us only promote our Savior Jesus Christ!  In the words of Paul, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14).  Amen.

The Pharisees and Politics
Ronald D. Gilbert

The Pharisees were the popular and powerful sect of the Jews.  The exact time in history they came into existence is unknown.  Josephus, the noted Jewish historian, mentions them as a distinct sect as early as 144 B.C.  The name “Pharisee” is derived from a Hebrew word that means “to separate.”  They were not limited to any one class, family, or tribe.  They, unlike the Sadducees, believed in the existence of angels and spirits and in the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:8).

The Pharisees, like so many others, were very political and loyal to their group.  Politics in religion can cause some very strange things to occur.  Consider some examples.  First, they were religious liars.  They believed that an oath in the name of God was not specified and was not binding (Matt. 5:33).  Some of them maintained that a man could swear with his mouth and at the same time annul this in his heart.  They made long prayers in public places and then devoured widows’ houses.

They practiced washing of hands before and after meat (Matt. 15:2; Mark 7:3), and considered violators equal to fornicators.  They were precise in paying of tithes of mint and anise and cummin, but they omitted the weightier matters of the law (Matt. 23:23).  These religious self-righteous Jews, while pretending to be pious, were plotting the murder of Jesus.

It was the Pharisees of Matthew 19 who came tempting Christ and asking if it was lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause.  There were two views among the schools of that day.  Those who followed Shammai taught that no man could legally divorce his wife except for adultery.  The school of Hillel allowed divorce for any cause.  Many of the Jews including the Pharisees seemed to go along with Hillel.  Matthew 23 is a long discourse where Jesus denounced the Pharisees for their hypocrisy.

Some today are like the Pharisees; they can see evil and wrongs in others but not their own.  I have known of preachers who write and speak out against liberal programs like Jubilee, Tulsa, and Red River Encampment and then appear on other programs with men who have been on these liberal programs.  Are they trying to be like the Pharisees, and say here are the rules, but they don’t apply to me and my friends?  Some today are like the Pharisees of old; they insist on strictly following some parts of God’s Word but not the parts that condemn them and their friends.  What the Bible teaches on baptism, the Lord’s Supper, the church, and related topics is important, but what about the topic of fellowship?  The Pharisees were very political.  The things they thought were important were important, but the things that they thought were not important they neglected.  Some today in the church are doing the same type of things the Pharisees were doing.

A Statement from the Editor
Malcolm L. Hill

I have been preaching the Gospel for forty-nine years.  I, like all other men, am a man of clay.  I have made mistakes along the way.  I know not of a single mistake I have made but that I have rectified it and brought it before the Lord in prayer.  I have asked the Northeast church to pray for me on a daily basis.

I make the above statement because some have charged that I believe myself to be a sinless man without any mistakes or shortcomings.  The above statement has been made by those whom I have confronted with reference to Bible doctrine and teaching, especially on the theme of Christian fellowship.

Many brethren and especially preachers in the church of Christ have resorted to the same dodge of truth that denominational preachers and denominational people have used throughout the ages.  In almost every case where I have been in a public or private debate, the fellow in error stoops to the statement, “Of course, you are the only one right.  When you die then most truth will die with you.  Only you have the key to Bible interpretation.”  I have never said a thing like this, nor have I ever hinted at such.  Well, why do statements like these come up?  My feeling is that no Bible answer could be given by the opposition.

When it comes to Christian fellowship I believe with all my heart that I along with others have the Bible truth.  When I get into a discussion with preachers in the church of Christ on this theme, the discussion does not go very far until it bogs down.  Most of the time it takes about ten minutes for this to take place.  Then comes the age-old statement, “Then you are right and everyone else is wrong when it comes to Christian fellowship?”  My feelings are that the Bible is right, and those who follow it are right, and those who reject it are wrong.

I know that we cannot fellowship those who are in the denominations and the various religions of the world (I John 1:6-7).  I know that we cannot fellowship brothers and sisters who reject Bible doctrine on salvation issues knowingly and intentionally (Rom. 16:17-18).  I know without a doubt that a faithful Christian cannot fellowship a brother that does fellowship those who are members of the church of Christ who have rejected plain Bible teaching on salvation issues (II John 10-11).  I must confess there are some things I do not know about the Bible but one thing I do know is that faithful Christians cannot fellowship false teachers and false doctrine in the church of Christ and be pleasing to God.  One sins when he appears on a program with a known false teacher without condemning the false teacher or his false doctrine.  If we know a person is teaching damnable doctrines, it is incumbent on us to expose it (Gal. 2:11-15).

When one takes the position that he can be on a program with a known false teacher and not expose him and still be pleasing to God, he then and there opens the floodgate to fellowshipping any and all false doctrine without any opposition.  One could preach at the Baptist church so long as he preached truth on whatever subject he might choose.  Some preachers have either ignored or forgotten “reprove, rebuke, and exhort” (II Tim. 4:1-3).  The brethren in the 1940’s, 1950’s, and 1960’s sinned when they refused to fellowship men like LeRoy Garrett and Karl Ketcherside if most of our brotherhood today is right.

Christian fellowship is a salvation issue (I John 1:6-7; II John 9-11).  It is just as important to regard God’s law on Christian fellowship as it is to follow His teaching on water baptism (Mark 16:16).  God’s law of inclusion is very important, and His law of exclusion is very important.  We must fellowship those and only those whom God fellowships and exclude those and only those whom God excludes (I John 1:6-7).

Observations. . .
Malcolm Hill

1. The devil is more pleased with a silent saint than he is a screaming sinner.
2. One can never see the great things ahead when he is looking down all the time.
3. From the sour lemon we get our wonderful lemonade. We are faced with lemons all of our lives so let us take them and make lemonade.
4. One may not be the greatest Christian in all the world but let each of us the greatest Christian possible.
5. True greatness is not accomplished by our delcaration of such. True greatness is brought about by a life of dedication and service to our fellow man.
6. If God says it in His Holy Bible, then that settles it whether one believes it or not.
7. Bible faith is and has always been taking God at His Word.
8. Pigs grow but hogs get slaughtered. Let us remember this principle as we walk through life. Selfishness is quite common among folks.
9. If someone knocks you down and you cannot get up, then crawl over and bite him on the leg. If he knocks your teeth out, then gum him to death.
10. Success in a great venture has always come close to defeat at one time or another. So never quit or give up if your cause is worthy.
11. The greatest gift one can give to his fellow man is true loyalty and friendship.
12. There are three things which declare what a man is. One, if he has power, how does he handle it? Two, if he has money, how does he deal with his fellow man? Three, if he has an education, is it a blessing to the world?
13. There are three things that are hard for all of us to do. One, forgive ourselves; two, accept ourselves for who we are; and three, accept God's forgiveness.