Are “Christian Values” Enough?

"If 'Christian values' conflict with the law of God, is it really a Christian value?"

In observing the Christian political climate in Australia, I think it is necessary to point out some fundamental issues within the scene.

Any Christian who has taken note of the political climate in Australia will notice that the majority of the Christian population within the political scene are in organisations like the Australian Christian Lobby and Family Voice Australia, as well as associating with various political parties, including Family First, Australian Christians, Libertarian Party Australia, Liberal Party, and now, as popular as ever, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. All of these entities have a kind of “conservative” bent which subsequently aligns with much of “Christian values.”

The Christian politics in Australia, with the exception of maybe one group, at its professing foundations, have “Christian values.” I see this as a problem. In this monologue, keep this in your mind throughout your read: This, rather than it being a pragmatic issue, is a moral issue we need to hit head-on. What does God require?

Many policies, key issues, missions and beliefs of these organisations I take issue with in light of the Bible, which does equip us for every good work, including the sphere of the civil magistrate (2 Tim. 3:17). These policies are either incomplete, go outside of the state’s jurisdiction, or are just plain unbiblical. It has been said that we need to change politics in Australia as Christians, but is what we do, and want to do, actually in conformity with God’s word?

Is Deportation a Christian Value?

Noticeably in the last few years, the deportation of immigrants has been on the radar of Christians, for both evangelical and for the unorthodox, seemingly because of the disdain for the open border circumstances granted to us by our Labor government, which is understandable, and why there has been huge resistance against this in particular.

The issue, however, really comes down to immigrants who commit crimes within the nation who are not given justice, while we also have an ungodly attitude toward innocent immigrants who haven’t committed crimes. Almost all “conservative” Christians at this point in development believe that deportation is a just penalty for immigrants who are “illegal,” or if there are “too many of them.” But holding this position is not sound. For the Bible does not deem deportation as a penalty, and rather, talks about not oppressing the sojourner:

“And when a sojourner sojourns with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. The sojourner who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.” (Leviticus 19:32-33)

Moreover, deportation isn’t a prescribed penalty in the Bible when a crime is committed by a sojourner. To presume that the state has the prerogative and the power to do this presupposes eminent domain, a statist mindset that the government owns all of the land as a kind of omniscient right.

This needs to be scrutinised and judged according to Scripture, in which it gives no provision but actually condemns it (1 Kings 21). But what is the solution to the immigration issue at hand with our basically open borders? We need the state to step out of it and stop regulating immigration and cut the welfare state; only then will it become self-regulated, whereby evil men cannot play the system, but only under God’s Law. If they commit crimes, they shall be treated as the native; under the one Law which implements justice.

Deportation, to take and remove someone, goes against the law of God, in fact. Man-stealing is a crime according to God. Many folk ironically are in favour of immigration when it comes to their own cultural background, but one then asks, “By what standard do you form your immigration theology?” God’s Law morally ought to be the standard for the Christian. To solve the immigration issue at hand, is for the land to be ruled by the Law of God, and not ours.

Is “Religious Freedom” a Christian Value?

The term “religious freedom” is a misconstrued one. Often referred to as the United States of America’s founding, this concept has now degraded to what would go against Scripture. This is one of the main policies promoted by Christian political groups in Australia, where it “Defend[s] freedom of religion [and] expression,” and claims it to be a “human right.”

One must ask oneself, “But is this consistent with Scripture?” On one hand, Scripture does not prescribe civil punishment for private faith, or for your religious status, but private idolatry is sinful in the eyes of God nonetheless (Exodus 20:3-4; Deuteronomy 27:15). Scripture, on the other hand, provides punishment for public idolatry (thereby subverting the culture to idolatry) in Deuteronomy 17:2-7.

If the doctrine of religious freedom as a “human right” conflicts with Scripture, who do you take issue with, God, or man-made statutes? Religious pluralism indeed is the current climate in our country, no question there, but only because it’s been given authorisation by the church via abandoning God’s Law. Religious freedom in this way ought not to be a Christian value. But what did the American Fathers mean by “freedom of religion”? Freedom of the Christian religion. Why aren’t these Christian organisations explicit on this? It is because they are pragmatic and that they appeal to a pluralistic audience.

Is Complacency with our Current State Polity a Christian Value?

Let us realise that we must stop imagining to be doing God a favour, or to be faithful to Him in some way, if we maintain our judicial system and constitution as a just framework. The system we are in is man-made and sinful. How?

Two things: (1) Forced taxation and (2) a legislature.

Forced taxation is not a Christian value, nor is having a legislature, where they continue to make man-made “laws.” All of the organisations in the introduction cannot function without these two statist fundamentals.

Forced taxation is theft. The Bible gives no civil penalty for failing to give tax money, but was reliant and self-regulated on their conscience and uncoerced duty, if the rulers rule faithfully as servants of God (Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:5-7, emp. rendering God the things of God). Our current system needs forced taxation as well as a human legislature. We are nose deep in tyranny and statism, once you realise that all of the Christian political groups do not attempt to criticise the system and give a righteous alternative.

Not only do we need to return to God’s Law, but we also must return to God’s structure in implementing justice. Our system does not implement justice. I have had plenty of conversations with Christians who are in favour of the death penalty in principle, but their only objection is to implementing it because of the system we are in. And how true this is. We cannot even vote for the death penalty in Australia unless we appeal the appeal that made it unvoteable in the first place! What good is legislating God’s Law when you do not have a just penalty?

“Teaching as doctrines the commands of men.” (Matthew 15:9)

Evangelical Christians are critical of the Pharisees in Jesus’ time, and many would use the term “Pharisee” derogatorily to describe what they would call “legalism.” One characteristic of the Pharisees, that people do not realise themselves are ensnared in, is that they implement man-made laws and hold people to them. Are you a Pharisee, reader? How can we fix that? The answer is by returning to God’s Law, and begin to be critical of the human legislature, who has no right in creating laws apart from what has already been instituted by God, the only Legislator.

Are “Christian Values” In Opposition to the Law of God?

If “Christian values” conflict with the law of God, is it really a Christian value? Organisations might say, “Well, we’re only interested in establishing the underlying principles of the Law of God. We see that this is most pragmatic and appropriate for our modern day.” Perhaps it’s pragmatic in the sense that it appeals and becomes more palatable to sinners who hate the law of God, but what do you say is the underlying principle for Deuteronomy 4:2 and 12:32?

“You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of Yahweh your God which I am commanding you.

“Whatever I am commanding you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.”

Almost every Christian organisation in Australia fights for what they call “Christian values” at the expense of the Law of God. One known organisation that I’ve seen that is the closest to upholding the Law of God over subjective Christian values is Abolish Abortion Australia, which maintains that God requires justice, and only justice (Deuteronomy 16:20).

Although they target one particular aspect of the Law of God, which they categorise arbitrarily and isolate their mission from the whole Law of God, and they have a reliance on the human legislature, Jesus is their Lord, and their desire is righteous. Their theology of murder goes hand-in-hand with the Law of God.

Conclusion

If you are a Christian, you cannot withstand criticism if you abandon the Law of God in the name of being more pragmatic, somehow being “more loving,” or thinking that we should be right with God through partial obedience. This is not the case. The Law of God is a unit. So what is the solution? What would be a just system, and has anyone systematised one?

For further reading and inquiry, check out Future of Christendom and their Lancastrian/Non-legislative Theonomy. God’s Law is sufficient for every good work, and we are promised that God’s Law will reach the coastlands (Isaiah 42:4). We are still awaiting for the Law of God, which will one day rule all nations, including Australia.

God’s Law surpasses so-called “Christian values.” Pragmatism will fail. But the Lord blesses those who are faithful to Him and His Law-word. This, rather than it being a pragmatic issue, is a moral issue. What does God require?

“You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your gates of the towns which Yahweh your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.
Righteousness! Righteousness, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which Yahweh your God is giving you.” (Deuteronomy 16:18-20)

“And the land had rest for eighty years.” (Judges 3:30)