In the midst of the turmoil of UK politics, Tim Farron the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party has resigned stating: 'I was torn between living as a faithful Christian and serving as a political leader'
In his resignation speech Tim also said;
A better, wiser person may have been able to deal with this more successfully, to remain faithful to Christ while leading a political party in the current environment. To be a leader, particularly of a progressive liberal party in 2017 and to live as a committed Christian and to hold faithful to the Bible's teaching has felt impossible for me.
Having spoken with fellow citizens on the matter I felt it necessary to address the elephant in the room on why I think Tim quit.
A few years ago I attended an event called 'Would Jesus vote'. While to some that may have seemed like an odd question to ask it was nonetheless a pertinent one because it dealt with the issue of how Christian's relate with politics.
I was privileged to sit on a panel with esteemed pastors and Christian MPs and was the first to be asked the question: Frederick! Would Jesus vote?
What I thought was a straight forward answer unraveled into a discussion which left me with deep concerns regarding what Christianity has now become.
So you might ask what did I say? Well in short I stated;
Jesus would not have voted because King's do not vote. King's appoint. Jesus was born a King, he lived a King, died for being a King and was resurrected to the throne as King. We are his citizens and should represent his authority through theocratic institutions of government'
For a short period I thought I heard the sound of crickets before I met an entourage of dissension from the panel. Each Pastor and Christian politician expounding their christianese on Jesus’s social policies. Lots of yes he is a King BUT!
I was bemused that among the leaders there was such little understanding regarding the sovereignty of our King. Rather they had turned Jesus into a caricature of their political persuasion. Needless to say it took a member of the audience to state that whilst I had been clear on my position she was unclear of the position the rest of the panel had taken.
One by one each member of the panel stated 'Yes Jesus would vote'.
As I left that event I knew that what I had experienced would be a defining moment that further convicted me to carry on the work of the ministry.
So what has this got to do with Tim Farron?
Tim is part of a legacy of Christians who think that they can subtly change an institution that by its very nature is completely at odds with the Kingdom of God. Democracy means rule by majority, whereas theocracy means rule by God. These definitions speak for themselves and also describe political purpose (why and how citizens come together to make decisions).
In the simplest terms theocratic people assemble to discuss and legislate the will of God. Democratic people assemble to discuss and legislate the will of the people.
As believers rather than recognise we are a nation composed of theocratic authority, law and government. We have drunk the wine of the separation between church and state and have outsourced our responsibility of government to the world becoming dependent upon its democratic institutions. Needless to say when these institutions swing left or right we become dazed by every wind of doctrine.
What's our response?
In fear of liberalization we incentivize the congregation to either vote for particular christian (like) candidates or commission members to enter politics and charge them with leading the nation back to its Christian roots by taming and steering the beast in a different direction.
In the last few years we have seen notable 'bible believing' churches receiving prime ministers and practically ordaining them before the flock only to find those leaders either crash and burn or come out a few weeks later saying something completely at odds with the scriptures.
So what's the outcome of all this political correctness?
Either, burned out Christian's who conform to the pressure of their parties and parliament or disillusioned congregants who either don't vote or vote for the lesser of two evils. What a sorry state of affairs when a princely people sell their authority, laws, and government to go back to Egypt.
Rather than condemn the man, I see the rise and fall of Tim Farron as a reflection of Christianity. An institution being torn apart by the wolves of race, gender, class and religion rather than being called out to represent one kingdom, one Lord, one faith and one baptism.
Regarding Tim Farron and Christian's like him. I pray they come to the place of realisation that the Lord has already given us a place to stand within the Ekklesia, The house of the elect from which to legislate the power of his will.
For King and for country...
