John MacArthur argues that Christ came as neither political deliverer nor social reformer, and that the church's commission is something other than capturing the culture. Read more.
Though the Lord relentlessly proclaimed the law of God, MacArthur observes, he did not come as a political deliverer or a social reformer. He issued no call for governmental change, even by peaceful means, and he did not rally supporters in an attempt to capture the culture for morality or for greater political influence. From that observation MacArthur builds a case that the modern evangelical turn toward political activism has mistaken the church's commission.
He works through the New Testament's instruction on the Christian's relation to civil authority, including Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2, and argues that the believer's primary political duties are submission, prayer and evangelism rather than agitation. The position is a contested one within evangelicalism, and readers who disagree will find it stated here in its strongest form, which is much of the book's usefulness either way.
