Why Government Can't Save You: An Alternative to Political Activism

This is a great book for those Christians struggling with understanding the government and how to think and act Christ-like to those in authority. MacArthur gives a Christian perspective on the government and political involvement. He discusses the purpose of government and the Christian's responsibility toward it. MacArthur also teaches in this "Bible For Life" series about the Christian's obligation toward taxes. Basically, Christians are to pay their taxes. He demonstrates this with Jesus' teaching on taxes. Of course, no book like this would be complete without a couple of examples from the Bible. MacArthur uses the example of Daniel and Paul to show how a Christian should live and interact (maybe even be a part of the government) with the government and its authorities. Christians are to support their leaders and obey them, provided the leaders are not giving orders in direct violation of God's Word. Finally, there is a chapter about how to live in a pagan society. There is also a sermon from Charles Haddon Spurgeon at the end of the book about Citizenship in Heaven. The book includes a study guide for group study or further individual reflection. True to MacArthur's style, this book is filled with scriptural references. I highly recommend this book for anyone to read. This is this best book I have ever read about how a Christian should respond and deal with their government.

A perfect treatise on the church's sidetracked theology that we can change the world through political might. This book defends the Christian's responsiblity to be involved, but correctly eschews trusting in man-made structures such as government to solve what are spiritual problems at the core. This book will cause Christians to consider whether God has ever given them the right to punish the world through boycotts or other hevay-handed methods of force. Another excellent resource in the same vein is "Blinded by Might" by Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson.

Personally, MacArthur's work has clarified my understanding of how to serve God faithfully in both my job as a public school employee and as a member of a Southern Baptist Church. It has helped strengthen my committment to both without separating them.

I am an Evangelical Christian and someone involved in advising the British government (part-time!) on Islam and on recent events. But it is wrong to say that John is pietistic - what he is saying is that the ultimate solution to the problems of the world is to be found in the Gospel. In saying that he is simply being Biblical! So buy this book - you might still want, like me, to be politically involved, but it is God who will change the world, not politics. Christopher Catherwood, author of CHRISTIANS MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan, 2003) and WHOSE SIDE IS GOF ON? (Church Publishing, 2003)

It is not suprising that some Christians have reacted negatively to this book. It took me a while of being frustrated by the confrontation of my own error. Mac Arthur is not saying that Christians are to be absent from social involvment. Some are criticizing the book and alledging that it says that. It is clear however that he is saying that the political effort to moralize society is blurring the clear presentation of the gospel and that those who get caught up in it, as I have at times, are missing the central point of the gospel which is not to change people's behavior in an effort to elicit the blessing of God. Man's need is salvation from sin. And we are here to show them that and let God change them from within. Once you read the whole body of work and truly get the point of the scriptures referenced, I think JM's point is very well made. At first, it was a Hard Pill........ Touche'