Christian participation in Nation building
Nation-building can be define as a process of using the power of the state to structure or to construct a national identity. It is mainly building the tangible and intangible threads that hold a political entity together and gives it a sense of purpose. When you try to build a nation, what you do is to create a functioning nation out of a non-functioning one.
The attitude of Christians toward nation building is not good at all and as Christians, we need to change our perception on the way we build our nation.
Leaders are important in nation building. When a football team is not performing, the coach is changed not the players. So, if a nation is not functioning, in order to make it a functioning one, the leaders must be changed. Mind you, in order to create a functioning nation, the citizens also have their role to play but the leaders are the ones to give directions.
As Christians, we have to be political conscious. For you to elect a leader into office in my country, Nigeria, you need to have a voter's card. It's a shameful thing that many Christians don't have a voter's card. And we keep complaining that the people ruling us are ungodly.
image source
Beyond having a voter's card, christians must join political parties. So they will be involve in choosing who to represent the party. I've heard people say they will not vote because non of the contestants is credible. How do you want them to be credible when you are not involve in the process. Christian also need to join political parties in order to be able to contest and be voted for.
We must rise and build our nation. All the kings and prophets in the Bible were active in politics. From Daniel to Joseph to Nehemiah, Ezekiel, David etc. Bible is not oppose to participating in politics, it is only oppose to doing the wrong thing.
As Christians, let us take charge and move our country to a greater heights.
Christians continue to call politics a dirty game and thus abstain from it. Who will cleanse the system if the pure is avoiding the system.
We need to change our mindset less we continue in this misery
We need to stop leaving it in the hand of the ungodly people
All good points my friend. Nigerian Christians should participate in building their nation, for the reasons you give. I've had this conversation with a few Jehovah's Witnesses (when they come to my door I do the preaching LOL!) and said many of the same things.
But here's the other side of that coin, and one valid reason Christians might want to stay out of politics, or join the Libertarian Party if there is one. Political parties tend to see themselves as an instrument in creating a moral society where the laws are hoped to form a more moral people. Many Christians who understand the Gospel as inward transformation so that people won't want to do immoral acts. The goal of the Christian faith is to get to a place where no laws are even needed. People just do the right thing intuitively. Because Christ has been formed within.
Christians who understand this have something in common with members of Libertarian Parties. Both realize that laws are not very useful for forming a virtuous society, and attempts to do so only amount to government interference in people's personal lives.
So what many Christians and/or Libertarians realize is that laws are really only good for one thing: preventing people from doing harm to others. And it doesn't take religious people to do that. In fact, religious people haven't had a very good track record with that because they tend to overstep their boundaries and force their will and morality on others when the others are not harming anyone.
Thanks gorgeous contribution
Thank you. I've always had the opinion that we're where we are today because people who could have made it right decided to stay back and watch instead.
I agree with you
I don't think that statement is right.
I need clarification.
Well here's the thing...if all the people contesting for power are the same people your voter's card would be useless. Say for example, 2019 is coming, elections will hold in Nigeria and people are expected to go vote right? But who are we voting for if not the same class of people? Same stories, same promises, same agendas just recycled people. But if christians participate in politics and we put out a different breed of candidates, a breed of candidates with a renewed mindset, then our voters' card will command a change...the right change. If not, it would be like casting your pearls to the swines. I think that's what she means...
@pearljam thanks for the clearification
@bob-elr I hope you are cleared now
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by Fatherfaith from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows. Please find us at the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
If you would like to delegate to the Minnow Support Project you can do so by clicking on the following links: 50SP, 100SP, 250SP, 500SP, 1000SP, 5000SP.
Be sure to leave at least 50SP undelegated on your account.
This post has received a 0.10 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @banjo.
I couldn't agree more.
Thanks and thanks again for your contribution
Christian need to participate in every aspect to building nation. #follow me @femcy200
I concur
Good work..
Thanks
@fatherfaith thank for enlightening us because even the bible says, if the righteous rule the people rejoices, so we need the christains to participate in politics than to sit back to complain.
Yes. Enough of our complains
Sure, enough of complains, its time to take action.