A new government, the same sovereign God

The election result may have been surprising to many, but it didn’t take the Lord by surprise, says Andrea Williams.

I recently read the opening verses of Paul’s letter to Titus. Paul speaks about “eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted” (Titus 1:2-3).

I was reminded by these words of the simple truth that God is sovereign. He was in complete control of when He would reveal eternal life through His Son. Just as He was in control of that central moment in history, so He is in control of every other moment. He knows when governments will rise and when they will fall. Whilst no one predicted the election result, He was not taken by surprise.

Knowing that God is in control, and that God has appointed this government for our good (Romans 13:1-4), is a great encouragement. It will last for as long as He wants it to last.

But God’s sovereignty doesn’t mean that we can sit back and leave the government to do as it pleases. We cannot vacate the public space. The gospel is not a private matter between “me and God”. Rather, God’s sovereignty motivates us as we remember that there is a higher authority to which all rulers are accountable. It means that we have three responsibilities before God and before men.

First, we are to pray for those who are in authority over us (1 Timothy 2:1-2). God has put them there, and we are to ask Him that they should govern justly and righteously, in accordance with what God has commanded.

Secondly, we are to hold our rulers to account. The previous government redefined marriage, liberalised abortion laws and made Britain the first country in the world to introduce three-parent babies. God is grieved when His pattern for life and family is disobeyed in our laws, as happened under the last government. We must remind our rulers that “righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).

Thirdly, we must continue to make Jesus known. He is the redeemer of people, communities and nations. Our work as followers of Jesus Christ is to declare this truth at each of these levels: to individuals and communities and at the national level.

I’d like to thank all Christian Concern supporters for your faithful partnership and the effort you put into our Power of the Cross campaign. We sent out over 500,000 postcards, which means that many candidates across the country heard a Christian voice on the issues as a result of your hard work.

Knowing that our God is sovereign, let us us keep following Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, filled with hopeful confidence that He will accomplish all that He sets out to do.