U.S. CAPITOL Five Definitive Characteristics Of Righteous Leadership MARCH 10, 2014 Proverbs 14:34 contains a sound political maxim, the simplicity of which is often overlooked: Personal righteousness in the lives of the population both its citizens and its leaders it is the single most important commodity any country can possess! This virtue, states Solomon, is preeminent to everything else: Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. The writer of Proverbs says that personal righteousness is the most important ingredient and should be the focus for the advancement of a nation. Solomon does not say that the presence of natural resources exalts a nation, nor an excellent education system, as important as those are among other things. Personal righteousness is the most important! This is a country s greatest resource and therefore it should be our greatest pursuit as we determine how to invest our limited time and resources. In Proverbs, Solomon instructs his son regarding five definitive aspects of righteousness that every political leader must discover, understand, embrace and emulate. What are they, and do they typify you? Weekly Bible Study During Session Wednesday Mornings 8:00 AM Sharp. Capitol Building Family Room H324 Hot Breakfast Served. Robert Aderholt, Alabama Michele Bachmann, Minnesota Spencer Bachus, Alabama Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Jim Bridenstine, Oklahoma Paul Broun, Georgia John Campbell, California Tony Cardenas, California John Carter, Texas Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Howard Coble, North Carolina Michael Conaway, Texas Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Rick Crawford, Arkansas Steven Daines, Montana Jeff Denham, California John Duncan Jr., Tennessee Mary Fallin (Gov.), Oklahoma John Fleming, Louisiana Bill Flores, Texas Randy Forbes, Virginia Trent Franks, Arizona Scott Garrett, New Jersey Louie Gohmert, Texas Tom Graves, Georgia Tim Griffin, Arkansas Ralph Hall, Texas Gregg Harper, Mississippi George Holding, North Carolina Bill Huizenga, Michigan Randy Hultgren, Illinois Bill Johnson, Ohio Jim Jordan, Ohio Steve King, Iowa John Kline, Minnesota Doug LaMalfa, California Doug Lamborn, Colorado James Lankford, Oklahoma Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming Mike McIntyre, North Carolina Mark Meadows, North Carolina Gary Miller, California Jeff Miller, Florida Randy Neugebauer, Texas Allen Nunnelee, Mississippi Steve Pearce, New Mexico Mike Pence (Gov.), Indiana Robert Pittenger, North Carolina Mike Pompeo, Kansas Bill Posey, Florida Tom Price, Georgia Reid Ribble, Wisconsin Cathy McMorris Rogers, Washington Austin Scott, Georgia Tim Scott, South Carolina Lamar Smith, Texas Steve Southerland, Florida Steve Stockman, Texas Marlin Stutzman, Indiana Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania Scott Tipton, Colorado Tim Walberg, Michigan Randy Weber, Texas Daniel Webster, Florida Lynn Westmorland, Georgia Roger Williams, Texas Joe Wilson, South Carolina Rob Wittman, Virginia Steve Womack, Arkansas Rob Woodall, Georgia Ted Yoho, Florida
I. INTRODUCTION The five traits of righteousness that must characterize a nation s leaders and citizens are the same qualities that serve to exalt a nation. Righteousness dikaiosune is used 86 times in the NT. It means right-way-ness. Proverbs 14:34 (quoted in the preamble) is a nationalistic summation of the cause and effect relationship between righteousness and exaltation. Great nations, great leaders, great employees, great family members always emulate the biblical characteristics of righteousness that s what makes them great! Whether or not they give proper credit to the source of their working understanding of righteousness is another matter (many are the folks who borrow their guidelines for right living from Scripture with acknowledgment). Summarily, it is only when a nation is blessed with highprincipled individuals that it gains well-being; righteousness and exaltation are interconnected; unrighteousness is never exalted by God. Given this cut-to-the-chase analysis of a nation s greatest need, the question quickly becomes one of how righteousness is best formed in the life of the citizens? And therein is the critical, preeminent duty of all believers: to convert the soul and Christianize the citizenry. Conversion of the soul, not moral foisting, is the only way to breed lasting, righteous individuals. Therefore in our composite nation (one composed of both Church and State but institutionally separated), the State is greatly dependent on believers diligently evangelizing and discipling the unregenerate citizenry of the State. The degree to which believers are faithful evangelizers and disciplers is directly proportional to the health of the State. Proverbs 11:10-11; 28:12; and 29:2 serve to respectively underscore this aforementioned relationship When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down. When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves. When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan. As evidenced in Proverbs 14:34 (cited in the preamble) and the above passages, PROVERBS HAS MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THE NECESSITY OF RIGHTEOUS GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS RELATIVE TO THE HEALTH OF A CITY OR NATION A small number of believers think that Christians should give no pause for the State; rather they should only be about focusing on advancing God s Kingdom. I used to think that way until I was arrested by these aforementioned passages (and others). (Now I sometimes wonder how folks in that camp can minister to Public Servants at all, since deep down they must believe Christian Politicians are wasting their time vocationally). Scripture shouts here about how God expects the righteous life of the believer especially its righteous political leaders to positively affect the cities and nations where they live and serve. God desires rejoicing cities in the here and now! Given this clear and repeated cause and effect relationship between the existence of righteousness in leaders and the course a country takes, how do you think you should order your personal time, talent and treasure? Prayerfully think about that, my friend. II. THE GERMINATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS The necessity of evangelism by the people of God so as to develop righteous individuals and achieve 2
an ongoing healthy, exalted nation is explicitly enunciated in Proverbs 11:30... The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls. The fruit of the righteous generally include one s influence, productivity, instruction and example. But notice what specifically is added to the definition of this fruit: evangelism, or the winning of souls. When Jesus visited the woman at the well in John chapter four, He was no doubt very thirsty and in need of water. He however set aside His personal needs to win the woman to salvation. He forgot about his own desires in want of achieving a higher priority: the joy of her salvation, the beginning of a righteous life. Her soul was the most important thing on his mind. If only we had more believers in the Capitol whom God would convict regarding this clear priority: the winning of other s souls over and above career objectives. May we seek seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness (Mt. 6:33) in the lives of others! JUST YESTERDAY, DALE WALKER, OF CAPITOL MINISTRIES NEW YORK, SHARED WITH ME ABOUT THE EIGHTH MEMBER OF THE HOUSE WHOM HE HAS WON TO CHRIST IN THIS PAST YEAR! May Dale s wise example of prioritizing the winning of souls speak loudly to all of us! Based on the cause and effect relationship we have observed in the aforementioned passages, do you see why Dale is the most important guy in the state of New York relative to its future direction? Way to go Dale! States Bridges in regard to the absence of soul winning: The Christian who neglects his brother s salvation, fearfully hazards [weakens] his own. He is gone back to his native selfishness, if he does not exhibit that love and kindness of God that has appeared unto men. He goes on to say How poor is the mitre (head dressing) or the crown; how debasing the wisdom of the philosopher, the scholar, or the statesman, compared with this wisdom! The most important, the wisest use of one s time and resources in the capitol is that of winning the lost: creating by the imputation of the Holy Spirit men and women who will hunger and thirst after righteousness their whole life! (Cf. Mt. 5:6). Summarily. IT IS THE WINNING OF SOULS THAT LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS IN A NATION. AND IT IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS IN A NATION THAT LEADS TO ITS EXALTATION How misinformed and overlooking is the thinking of those who do not prioritize the formation of righteous individuals through evangelism and discipleship! Rarely is that formula postulated as the solution to America s woeful downward spiral! Have we not come to grips with the profundity of these passages? Do we just not believe them? Perhaps such ignorance of priorities bespeaks of the famine of biblical literacy in the Capitol? Am I falling down in my job of doing that? It is righteousness that exalts a nation; therefore the priority of evangelism is the key to a great country above and beyond anything else you might spend your time trying to accomplish! You need to get this through your head my beloved friend! How are you spending your time with your fellow colleagues? What could be a more important use of your time? It is from first the conversion and regeneration of the soul in Christ Jesus that the following proverbial characteristics of righteous leadership can possibly take root with long last effect. When you unpack the Book of Proverbs, Solomon is saying that it is these following definitive aspects of righteousness that serve to exalt a nation III. FIVE DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF RIGHTEOUS LEADERSHIP Given the need for righteous leadership in the nation, how do you define what righteousness looks like how specifically does it manifest itself in a Statesman? Notice the following passages from 3
Proverbs that specifically define what righteous leadership looks like. In order to exalt a nation a leader must be righteous, and. A. TO BE RIGHTEOUS MEANS TO BE HONEST Proverbs 16:12 speaks to the principle of honesty as a vital component of righteous leadership in government. It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, for a throne is established on righteousness. It follows that if a throne is established on righteousness, that the opposite is also true: An officeholder will become less established due to unrighteousness. If you want to establish yourself in office my friend, then live righteously! The two are interconnected for sure! A recent example is the President s unfulfilled promises regarding a citizen s ability to maintain health coverage. As a result of his unrighteousness pertaining to this subject his approval ratings have plummeted drastically, resulting in becoming less established in his office. The relationship between righteousness and being established herein is similar to that previously seen of righteousness and exaltation; they are connected at the hip. In the heart of a Public Servant there must a regard for others as being more important than yourself (cf. Phil. 2:3 ff.). God requires that leaders whom He appoints to govern a country (cf. Rom. 13:1) be a blessing to the people they serve benefactors to the world in which they live. Ecclesiastes speaks to the selflessness a leader must possess in his or her job, One man must rule over another to his own hurt (8:9). How often I get wind of the motives of our leaders and their selfish desires in seeking election or reelection. Such motives are not righteous! It is only from biblical theology, ensuing knowledge, understanding, and submission to it, that one can possibly possess the realization that God has appointed him or her to office in the first place. Only then and in that understanding can selfish motives be eradicated and replaced by the righteous motives of selfless service! Wicked acts always stem from a heart motivated by selfpreservation. But if you are confident that it is God who appointed you and that in His sovereignty He puts up one and puts down another (cf. Psa. 75:4-7), then and only then is there no temptation to engineer your destiny; then and only then is there no temptation to perform the wicked acts often associated with self preservation. God is in total control of my career! Be honest with those whom you serve, with God, and with yourself. In summary, the first of the five characteristics of righteousness is honesty. Are you honest? Such exalts a nation. B. TO BE RIGHTEOUS MEANS TO BE JUST A major responsibility of civil government is the punishment of evildoers (1Peter 2:13-14). Within that realm of responsibility is the dispatch of just treatment through due process. A major responsibility of every elected official then, is to make sure the State has an excellent judicial system, especially God-fearing righteous judges. States Proverbs 20:8 in this regard. A king who sits on the throne of justice disperses all evil with his eyes. From the time of Moses, the leaders of Israel were judges, in addition to being chief executives (and often prophets). Then, when kings replaced the judges, Israel s Kings would decree justice from their throne. They were to rule in fear of God. So it should be today in our lawmaking, enforcement and adjudication. States Proverbs 24:23-25 in this regard. These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good. He who says to the wicked, You are righteous, People will curse him, nations will abhor him; But to those who rebuke 4
the wicked will be delight, and a good blessing will come upon them. So great should be the judicial righteousness of the aforementioned that they rule with total social and economic impartiality. States Proverbs 31:8-9... Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy. It is only through righteous lawmakers, enforcers and courts that a society can have any semblance of justice. Justice stems from righteous, God-fearing individuals who are groomed by the discipleship priorities of believers in a composite nation wherein exist the co-abiding institutions of Church and State. In summary, the second of the five characteristics of righteousness is justice. Are you just? Such exalts a nation. C. TO BE RIGHTEOUS MEANS TO BE DISCERNING If righteousness exalts a nation, then it follows that good discernment by a Public Servant to associate with people of integrity is a sure path to national prosperity. To do otherwise is to be unduly tempted by evil. Bad company corrupts good morals states Paul in 1Corinthians 15:33. Like begets like. TOO OFTEN RIGHTEOUS ELECTED OFFICIALS ASSOCIATE WITH OR HIRE THE WRONG KIND OF PEOPLE In Proverbs 25:5, Solomon speaks to his son about this. Take away the wicked before the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness. Solomon: personal bribery. Bribery can undermine the best of legal constructs. Samuel s sons took bribes, and it ruined Israel. States Solomon in this regard in Proverbs 29:4. The king gives stability to the land by justice, but a man who takes bribes overthrows it. The wise Statesman associates with and hires people who represent his or her godly character. Embracing wrong, corrupt people will ruin your office. Far from establishing you, they will harm you, misrepresent you and may even corrupt you! In summary, the third of the five characteristics of righteousness is discernment. Are you discerning? Such exalts a nation. D. TO BE RIGHTEOUS MEANS TO HAVE CONVICTIONS For a Christian legislator to fall down from his principles to compromise biblical absolutes in his policies or interactions with others grievously tarnishes his or her testimony, and I might add, the corporate testimony of the body of Christ on the Hill. TO LACK CONVICTION AS A BELIEVER IS OFTEN AN INDICATION OF BIBLICAL ILLITERACY IF NOT COURAGE Whereas convictions are more than having knowledge of scriptural truths, they are nothing less. Proverbs 25:26 says. Like a trampled spring and a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. It takes courage to implement biblical knowledge; but it is only upon implementation that knowledge becomes a conviction. One specific form of wickedness before the King is highlighted several chapters later by 5
In summary, the fourth of the five characteristics of righteousness is conviction. Are you a man or woman of conviction? Such exalts a nation. E. TO BE RIGHTEOUS MEANS TO BE PRAYERFUL The last of the five characteristics of righteousness found in Proverbs is that of being prayerful. Note Proverbs 15:8-9 in this regard The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD; But He loves one who pursues righteousness. In these two back-to-back Proverbs of parallelism prayer is equated with righteousness (the second stanzas of both passages). What every country most needs are men and women beseeching God s guidance in their personal and state affairs. Furthermore and very important to understand about this. GOD ONLY HEARS THE PRAYERS OF LEADERS AND CITIZENS WHO ARE UPRIGHT AND RIGHTEOUS FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE MEANING THEY HAVE PLACED THEIR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST IV. CONCLUSION All would agree that characteristics of righteousness are necessary to the dispatch of good civil government, but the only way to produce these virtues in leaders is through the evangelism and discipleship efforts of believers in the lives of other individuals. As the discipleship responsibilities of the Church go, so goes the State. Put another way, the State reflects the collective righteousness of its people, much more than it is the cause of it. Put still another way, the heralds of God s truth are critical to the success of the Public Servant and the future of the country; the expositor/instructor of God s precepts is the seminal incubator of a country s culture. The insight and emphasis of Proverbs regarding the health of a State clearly reveals the need for the continual development of righteous leadership. Definitively, a Solomonic spectral analysis of righteousness reveals at least five beautiful colors: Honestly, Justice, Discernment, Conviction and Prayerfulness. To what degree does each of these wonderful virtues shine forth from your life? Does your life reveal these characteristics? To the degree it does, you are adding to the exaltation of our nation. This is in contrast to those without faith in the coming Messiah. The OT uses the term the wicked to describe them. States Proverbs 15:29 in this regard. The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous. Scripture is clear here. For those who are at odds with God, who passively or actively reject the Son of God, their prayers, beyond the prayer of repentance, go unheard. In summary, the fifth of the five characteristics of righteousness is prayerfulness. Are you prayerful? Such exalts a nation. 6