Baptists and the Political Trap

It is difficult to deny that, previous to the founding of the United States of America, Baptist people had very little political involvement and in most cases refused political involvement. No wonder. The experience of Baptist people and governments had never been positive. Whether it was
·         The pre-Catholic secular Roman government or
·         The burgeoning Catholic system to
·         The multi-headed Protestant monster
Baptists have always gotten a sour taste from government persecution, leaving them to contemplate the place of government in the world of the Christian. Their conclusion was the now famous (some would say infamous) doctrine of separation of church and state.[1] 

It is not as though historical Baptists have never had opportunity to be a government sanctioned church. Indeed, the Netherlands considered it at one time and it was again considered in the early days of our nations founding. After Baptists strongly lobbied for religious freedom, the Constitutional Convention considered making Baptist the state church. In both cases the Baptists declined. In the case of our country's founding, they had lobbied for liberty of conscience. These early Baptists understood that government and faith were terrible bedfellows. 

But then came our constitution and religious liberty. For the first time in human history a government was created by the people and for the people. And for the first time in Christian history Baptists became involved in that government. At first it seemed like a godsend. Not only could Baptists worship according to the dictates of their conscience, they could get involved in the political process to ensure they would always possess this liberty. 

Baptists, the very people who crafted the concept of separation of church and state, began to ignore to the doctrine in favor of using the political process to ensure what politics has always striven to rob men of. Baptists, along with every form of American Protestantism, embraced instead the doctrine of Christian patriotism. That doctrine has been the demise of Baptists.

•  Just as the Waldenses compromised for the sake of their safety and are no longer a vibrant Christian faith
•  Just as the Baptists in England compromised their doctrines to seem more respectable to the Protestant government and lost the savor of their salt
•  Even so have American Baptists so stepped into the trap American politics that we are likely never to escape

Indeed many see no need to escape. 
First, we yoked with the Protestant Fundamentalists who were not Baptists, to fight modernism. 
Today few but Baptists accept the Fundamentalist title, but those who embrace it the strongest are far more Protestant Fundamentalist (in ecclesiology) than they are Baptists. The average Baptist is so unlearned doctrinally that he is unable to discern the difference between a Fundamentalist using the Baptist name and a true Baptist in faith and practice. 

Then we joined hands with Mormons and anyone else who would in the Moral Majority
A misguided and quasi-Baptist preacher led Americans of all persuasions, whether they were Catholics, Protestants, Mormons, or Baptists to extend to one another the right hand of fellowship so long as we each held to "Judeo-Christian" ethics.  Moral Majority has disbanded but many have never let go of the un-Baptist principles of the movement or the unscriptural associations that were formed.  It's a trap, a snare. And I fear that few will even attempt to flee its deathly influence.

Historic Baptists distrusted human governments and devices. They understood the danger of desiring a king like all the other nations. They poured themselves instead into: 

Knowing The Lord

Learning His Word and 

Evangelizing the lost

And left the kingdoms of this world to themselves.[2]

May God grant that some Baptist would see the trap before it us sprung and warn others to flee it.

Marvin McKenzie

In the field

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[1] That modern Baptists are losing touch with this important doctrine is evidenced by the fact that one leading Independent Baptist pastor once tweaked the doctrine from separation of church and state to separation from sin.
[2] I am not suggesting that Christians in America may not participate in the political process. I am merely attempting to point out that, whenever we do, we set ourselves up to be trapped by it.