Fruitful Living
How should Christians view politics? ( Final Part)
There is no doubt that our responsibility to government is to obey the laws and be good citizens (Romans 13:1–2). God has established all authority, and He does so for our benefit, “to commend those who do right” (1 Peter 2:13–15). Paul tells us in Romans 13:1–8 that it is the government’s responsibility to rule in authority over us—hopefully for our good—to collect taxes, and to keep the peace. Where we have a voice and can elect our leaders, we should exercise that right by voting for those who best demonstrate Christian principles.
One of Satan’s grandest deceptions is that we can rest our hope for cultural morality and godly living in politicians and governmental officials. A nation’s hope for change is not to be found in any country’s ruling class. The church has made a mistake if it thinks that it is the job of politicians to defend, to advance, and to guard biblical truths and Christian values.
The church’s unique, God-given purpose does not lie in political activism. Nowhere in Scripture do we have the directive to spend our energy, our time, or our money in governmental affairs. Our mission lies not in changing the nation through political reform, but in changing hearts through the Word of God. When believers think the growth and influence of Christ can somehow be allied with government policy, they corrupt the mission of the church. Our Christian mandate is to spread the gospel of Christ and to preach against the sins of our time. Only as the hearts of individuals in a culture are changed by Christ will the culture begin to reflect that change.
Believers throughout the ages have lived, and even flourished, under antagonistic, repressive, pagan governments. This was especially true of the first-century believers who, under merciless political regimes, sustained their faith under immense cultural stress. They understood that it was they, not their governments, who were the light of the world and the salt of the earth. They adhered to Paul’s teaching to obey their governing authorities, even to honour, respect, and pray for them (Romans 13:1-8). More importantly, they understood that, as believers, their hope resided in the protection that only God supplies. The same holds true for us today. When we follow the teachings of the Scriptures, we become the light of the world as God has intended for us to be (Matthew 5:16).
Political entities are not the saviour of the world. The salvation for all mankind has been manifested in Jesus Christ. God knew that our world needed saving long before any national government was ever founded. He demonstrated to the world that redemption could not be accomplished through the power of man, economic strength, military might, or politics. Peace of mind, contentment, hope, and joy—and the salvation of mankind—are provided only through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
CONCLUSION
Political systems may influence society, but they are not the solution to the world’s deepest needs. As Christians, our hope lies not in political agendas but in the life-changing power of the gospel. Our mission is to be the light of the world, shining Christ’s love and truth in every area of life, including our civic duties. By focusing on the gospel and changing hearts through God’s Word, we carry out our divine calling. True transformation and salvation come only through Jesus Christ, and it is through Him that lasting change will impact our world.
Stay Blessed!
Please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays 5.30 am., Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays 5:30 am; and YFM 107.9 – Sundays 6.30am; for our Radio Bible Study as well as Sunny FM 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm. for Hymns and their Stories.
By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
Fruitful Living
Environmental degradation in contemporary times (Part 3)
Unfortunately, some anti-social human activities today often breach these Islamic principles :
• Illegal mining (Galamsey) leads to water pollution and destroys fertile lands.
• Improper sand mining causes land degradation and deforestation.
• Unauthorised tree felling endangers ecosystems and biodiversity.
• Encroachment on wetlands and water ways leads to urban flooding and ecological imbalance.
These destructive practices violate the ethical duty of humans as stewards of the earth and
contradict both Islamic law and state regulations.
Key International
Environmental Protocols
• Ramsar Convention on Wetlands – Adopted in 1971, Iran
• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) – Adopted in 1982, Jamaica
• Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer – Adopted in 1987
• Convention on Biological Diversity – Opened for signature at the Rio Earth Summit, 1992
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – Adopted in 1992
• Kyoto Protocol – Adopted in 1997, Japan
• Paris Agreement on Climate Change – Adopted in 2015
These protocols aim to promote sustainable environmental practices, mitigate climate change, and preserve natural habitats. Islam’s emphasis on balance, responsibility, and justice aligns with the goals of these agreements.
Provisions in the 1992
Constitution of Ghana
The 1992 Constitution of Ghana upholds environmental protection:
• Article 36(9): “The State shall take appropriate measures needed to protect and
safeguard the national environment for posterity.”
• Article 41(k): “It shall be the duty of every citizen to protect and safeguard the
environment.”
These provisions demonstrate that environmental responsibility is a constitutional duty for both state and citizens.
National Legal Statutes on
Environmental Protection
Ghana has enacted various environmental laws, including:
• Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490).
This law established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the main state
institution responsible for protecting and improving Ghana’s environment.
The EPA monitors pollution, regulates industrial activities, issues environmental permits, and
ensures that development projects undergo Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)
before approval.
Purpose: To control pollution and ensure sustainable environmental practices in industries, agriculture, and urban development.
Fruitful Living
Renewing our minds (Part 1)
When someone accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, “he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17. That is why Apostle Paul advises us in Romans 12:2 (our key text) “do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world.” But it doesn’t end there.
A MIND TRANSFORMED
Nature abhors vacuums so when something is taken away from a space and that space is not quickly refilled, other things will start creeping in to fill up the space. The Bible gives an illustration of what happens when a vacuum is created in the life of a believer: “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, `I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”- Matthew 12:43-45.
A believer’s Christian experience is supposed to move from the initial phase of justification by faith in Christ, to daily sanctification for holy living, to glorification at Jesus’ second coming, and to eventual restoration to the pre-fall harmony between God and man. Knowing that the heart of a believer cannot be left empty after clearing it of the worldly things, Paul gives the prescription for daily sanctification with which to fill the vacuum: “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
WHAT KIND OF
TRANSFORMATION?
Transformation is defined as “a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance or a metamorphosis during the life cycle of an animal.” We find these kinds of transformation happening all the time around us. Examples include a baby that we see twenty years later as an adult, a cancer survivor who has regained lost weight, a new mother we saw last when she was eight months pregnant.
I have seen many actors and actresses in real life whose faces do not look as flawless at close range as they do on TV. I now know that the credit for their on-screen transformation often belongs to makeup. Similarly, a smelly room can be transformed with air freshener, people with the right clothing, and a gloomy room with the right colours and objects.
No doubt all of these examples of transformation look good, but they are all external and non-lasting forms of transformation. They are definitely not the kind of transformation Paul has in mind as capable of filling the vacuum left by non-conformity with the world’s pattern. He says, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The right kind of transformation that he’s talking about here is not the one that comes from make-up slathered on, or having a particular dress on, or the right colors thrown here and there. It is the kind that comes “by the renewing of the mind.” What then is the state of the human mind that it needs to be thus renewed?
- By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
