The Dilemma of a Christian Public Servant

It has been pagan tradition to honor men of power and influence, to the extent of according them divine status. In ancient times, the line that separates political and religious matters does not exist. The Chinese considered their emperors the son of heaven; the Egyptians thought of their Pharaohs as the incarnation of the Egyptian deity, Osiris; while the Greeks exulted their heros as demigods.

Indeed, power attracts honor; to have the ability to compel others to obey, to be given legitimacy by the people to rule, and to bear the enormous responsibility of stirring the ship of state is a feat unrivalled by no other; thus, it deserves to be given due credit, be it honor, praise, or respect.

From the Christian perspective, I believe there are two verses which apply to the issue of whether Christians ought to receive honor, praise, and respect although they acknowledge everyday that "all glory, honor, and praise" are to Him alone. First verse, Romans 13:7, states that honor, praise, and respect should be given to whom honor, praise, and respect is due.

More so, Apostle Paul recognizes that public officials are servants of God who were given the "sword" to implement justice to all. They punish does who create disorder in the community and those who do what is right should have no fear at all. Clearly, the verse in question supports the notion that public officials deserve to be given credit when they deserve it.

The other verse in question (perhaps a better word is "verses") can be found in various translations within the synoptic gospels.

The idea of those verses is to do good things without expecting anything in return: that includes praise, honor, and respect. What makes this verse significant is that Christ exhorted this saying to his servants as a caution against how they interpret greatness, that is, greatness from the perspective of the One above (divine) and from the perspective of this world (worldly).

In heaven's eye, the greatest servant is the servant that truly humbles himself. He does not seek worldly gain, fame or power; always lowering oneself, he faces constant ridicule, and the world does not understand him. The life of a servant in Christ is a life full of sacrifices, and a trial of his Christian belief, as it is being examined from the eyes of world, through its values and norms.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a French political philosopher, said Christians are unsuitable for public office because they would be indifferent to worldly matters, focusing their time and energy to things unworldly, that is, anything that does not concern this world, and primarily, the human soul.

Although I do not believe entirely what he says, Rousseau makes a valid point in explaining that it would be hard for Christians to admit that Christ's kingdom "is not of this world."It is for this reason that the principle of separation between church and state has been established by no less than Christ's exhortation of "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."

In conclusion, I do not see any conflict between the two biblical concepts provided that the church does not meddle in the business of the state and the state does not intrude upon the affairs of the church.I admit, this consistency becomes blurred especially when political and religious offices are combined into one person, just like the pagan rulers of the past, who were high priests and kings in one.

Christian public servants, if they stay way and do not use God to sanctify the workings of government, can serve God without mentioning His name like automaton, and expose oneself to commit the blasphemy of using His name in vain.

Perhaps one needs to be reminded that the Book of Esther is a book in the old testament, which was included in the Christian canon; but it is a book that did not mention the word "God" even once!

In public service, we do not need to expose our Christianity by word and by utterance: that makes us more professing Christians than fruitful Christians.

It is better to project who we are by our actions and deeds, the evidence that our faith is not dead and that believers become "salt" and "light" in this world for Christ Jesus alone. For action speaks for a man's belief than his words.