The Role of the Church in National Transformation, By Sunday Adelaja

As far as I'm concerned, the argument that politics and the secular world are dirty doesn't hold water. Doesn't the Bible tell us that we are the light of the world? Isn't light given to dispel darkness? If the secular world is darkness and the believer is light, then in my mind God has provided a solution to the problem of darkness. That solution is the church and the believers.

Unfortunately, the modern church has almost completely forgotten its role and responsibility in national transformation.

Most believers and clergy almost always seek to detach the church from the society for which it was established. As a pastor and Bible student, it is still a mystery to me where the modern church derives its theology of total separation of church and society.

Reading and studying the Bible daily for 30 years, I see a totally different view of the world. I see a God who is absolutely interested in the daily management of the world, including governments. I see a God who would not allow himself to be isolated from his creation. Psalm 24:1 proudly proclaims that "the earth is the Lord's, and its fullness..."

Notice that in the scripture above, God does not even say that the earth belongs to man, even though man has been entrusted with the earth, to temporarily rule and manage it. However, the glory of the earth must belong to the Lord, because the earth belongs to the Lord. Everything man does on earth must be to give glory to God. Whether in government or in commerce. From this scripture, how could we say that God and the Church should have no role in managing the affairs of the earth, which He created for His glory?

The story of God's interaction with the children of Israel in the Old Testament teaches us a living lesson, which is: God governs the affairs of men. How could we say after that that God and the Church have no role to play in the daily management of nations?

If we teach our fellow citizens not to get into politics because it's dirty, then who's going to clean it up? Are there angels in charge of this kind of work? I am sometimes tempted to think that the real reason the church prevents its members from becoming actively involved in the day-to-day running of a nation is probably not because of concern for the souls of parishioners.

I wouldn't spend too much time presenting my Old Testament case. For many will say that was the old dispensation. I would rather present my new dispensation arguments for why Christians and the church should not only be involved in running their nations, but should be at the forefront of it.

In my country, Nigeria, Christians tend to complain about why God does not give the nation pious leaders. What a paradoxical and hypocritical question, because on the one hand this same church teaches its members to abstain from politics because it is a dirty game. But when Muslims and unbelievers take over, we start to complain that there are no Christians or pious people in power.

If we teach our fellow citizens not to get into politics because it's dirty, then who's going to clean it up? Are there angels in charge of this kind of work? I am sometimes tempted to think that the real reason the church prevents its members from becoming actively involved in the day-to-day running of a nation is probably not because of concern for the souls of parishioners. The real reason could be the reluctance of church leaders to let go of its most promising members.

As far as I'm concerned, the argument that politics and the secular world are dirty doesn't hold water. Doesn't the Bible tell us that we are the light of the world? Isn't light given to dispel darkness? If the secular world is darkness and the believer is light, then in my mind God has provided a solution to the problem of darkness. This...