The Bible speaks of three foundational social structures which God has given mankind for its benefit, irrespective of culture, ethnicity or geographic location. First, in Genesis we read of how God created the family, the importance of which is woven through the whole Bible.

Secondly, we read of God’s creation of government to administer man’s dealings in the non-religious spheres of life: from the organisational structures that developed in the wilderness, to the judges and on to the kings. These structures were characterised by checks and balances, to prevent bad rule – although this often happened in practice, because godly instruction was ignored. Thirdly, in the New Testament, Jesus founded the Church or ekklesia (body of believers): the true continuation of the prophets and priests of the Tanakh.

A large part of the reason for Britain’s current mess can be traced back to problems with these three building blocks. Certainly few of our current political leaders really believe in God’s word and follow it properly, though we have had access to it for centuries – and many of our clergy likewise. But this mess ought not surprise us, humbling though it may be. Ancient Israel experienced just the same trouble.

Judges and Kings

The time of the judges was one of the most difficult in Israel’s history, with the final verse of the Book of Judges summarising the whole of it: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Jud 21:25). Some judges were good, but all had their faults.

The situation with the kings of Israel and Judah was little different. There was a total of 19 kings of Judah and 20 of Israel. Eight from Judah were described as being good (Asa, Jehosophat, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, Hezekiah and Josiah), although if we read carefully about each of their reigns, most have some quite significant qualifications. By contrast, none of the kings of Israel (with the possible and partial exception of Jehu) were good. So, looking at these 39 kings, less than 20% were good.

Blame the Government?

If we see how difficult it was for these kings, to whom the oracles of God had been passed down, to rule well, it is not surprising that so few of our recent political leaders have been ‘good’, biblically speaking. Though several have claimed adherence to Christianity, each of our Prime Ministers in recent decades has made his/her mark with decisions that have drawn Britain farther away from the truth and wisdom of Scripture, whether with radically liberal domestic legislation or with international treaties and foreign policy decisions.

It is easy to be critical from afar. We should note the titanic spiritual forces that are at work in the background of their decisions – about which few politicians (let alone senior ministers) have much real understanding or discernment.

If we see how difficult it was for these kings, to whom the oracles of God had been passed down, to rule well, it is not surprising that so few of our recent political leaders have been ‘good’, biblically speaking.

Failings in the Church

It is for this reason that in 1 Timothy 2, Timothy is told by Paul to pray for all those in authority, because God wants us to “lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence”. This instruction to pray is an ongoing requirement – not something to do just at election times, but throughout the duration of a government. And we should not only pray for the Government, but also for the Opposition, because they are often the Government-in-waiting.

But how many churches pray and intercede regularly and committedly for the Government? Undoubtedly a number of intercessors pray and intercede, individually and in small groups, but in the main, churches in the West do not. Yet it is a command. This week we have seen dozens of MPs announce that they will be standing down at the upcoming election. We should not underestimate the influence that prayer has had on the decisions made by these MPs – nor the impact it could have on their replacements.

A second failing by many churches is that of not really understanding the nature of what we are up against. If believers do not understand the nature of the war (Eph 6; 2 Cor 10), it is hardly surprising that non-believing politicians do not understand it. Do most professing Christians see political conflict primarily as a spiritual and biblical matter, or as a physical and secular matter? I would suggest that if they view it as the latter, they are not true disciples.

A third failing in the Church is the prevalence of believers whose lives do not match up to biblical standards. This includes Christians who are in government, at all levels. Many are nominal or indistinct, as evidenced by the voting records of many so-called ‘Christian’ MPs. It would be reassuring if all MPs who professed to be believers genuinely feared God, were trustworthy and hated dishonest gain (the qualities Jethro advised Moses to seek in leaders, Exodus 18). It would be even more reassuring if they had been properly discipled. Alas, in a country where the Church seems less sure than it needs to be of what a disciple really is, the fact that they haven’t is unsurprising.

A fourth reason why we are in the mess we are in is that the established Church has failed to make good use of the authority and privilege it has been granted.

If believers do not understand the nature of the war (Eph 6; 2 Cor 10), it is hardly surprising that non-believing politicians do not understand it.

Change of Mindset

Generally, Bible-believing Christians seem to be much more interested in the state of the nation than in the state of the Church. It is perhaps easier to track and measure socio-economic and political indicators of the health of the country than it is to measure the impacts of any given church or denomination: whether they are effective at dealing with the mess of broken lives (Isa 61; Luke 4), full of true disciples fulfilling the Great Commission (Matt 28) and truly building the Kingdom of God.

Perhaps this is something best left to God alone. But the point is this: if there are weaknesses or failings in the three major building-blocks of British society (the family, government and the Church), the responsibility must be laid primarily at the door of the Church. We are mostly, but wrongly, much more concerned with the state of the nation. We need to repent earnestly and change that mindset.

Postscript

The Christian Institute provides information on how specific MPs have voted on some (but not all) significant votes - see here. How MPs vote is up to them, but it is one key way in which they (especially Christian MPs) should be held to account and judged – not in terms of salvation but in terms of Christian witness and of bringing glory to God. For political websites listing MPs who claim to be Christians, see the Conservative Christian Fellowship, Christians on the Left and the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum.