Years ago, I was twice elected to local political office.

I was happy to serve, but it reinforced a basic truth that we ignore at great peril.

Healthy civilizations and societies are a Christian virtue …

Promoted to preserve liberty by those who heed Christ’s Lordship in all spheres of life and human endeavor.

Trying to use civil government to compel personal faith and piety, however, is a “Christian” vice …

Promoted by those who ignore God’s specific jurisdictional limitations for different spheres of life and human endeavor.

For example, God in the New Testament empowers civil government to protect good people from bad people …

Rather than empowering it to naively try to convert bad people into good people.

Biblical Christians understand these limits, and work to insure that government faithfully does the former …

While “Christian” nationalists and so-called progressives want to tyrannically give God-like powers to government in an attempt to do the latter.

Understand this difference, and you’ll understand the origins behind the intense political conflicts currently gripping our nation.

Let’s rededicate ourselves to civic engagement and preserving liberty …

But on God’s terms, as He defines and limits government.