At the height of all the controversy surrounding President Clinton, there was a story that circulated about President Clinton, Newt Gingrich and Chelsea. They were all riding together to a meeting on Air Force One. As Newt Gingrich looked out of the window, he commented, "You know, I could drop a $100,000 bill out of the window here, and make someone really happy." To which President Clinton responded, "Of course, I could throw one thousand $100 bills out and make a lot of people happy." Chelsea looked at the two of them, and thought for a moment, and quipped, "I could throw both of you out the window and make the whole country happy!"

We love to beat up on politicians and, generally, they seem to deserve it. It's unfortunate that there is an atmosphere that has been created around politics that discourages good people from entering the field. There is an old maxim that says that you generally get what you deserve. I suppose our delight in seeing people - especially powerful people - brought down, has gotten us into a fix. Perhaps we have gotten just what we deserve. What good person - what Christian, what visionary - would want to go into politics?

On the other hand, for the last couple of decades, we have had a group of folks around that claim Jesus' name, who have entered that field big-time - folks like the "Christian Coalition," and others like them - bringing what they claim to be God's agenda for our country into the political arena. And they have had some success.

I believe that Luther would disagree strongly with both of these responses to government - one regarding it as a necessary evil, the other attempting to make a Christian theocracy out of government. I think he has some important wisdom to share with us as we steer a middle course through the choppy waters of church and state relationships.

Luther referred to theology of church and state relationships as the "Two Kingdoms," the kingdom on the right being the church, the spiritual kingdom which is ruled by the Gospel; yet he also make it clear that God also rules in the kingdom of the left - that is, through secular governments. All authority, the scriptures say, comes from God. That does not mean that those in authority are infallible, or sinless, or that they are always to be obeyed. But authority itself is a gift from God, so that our lives may be ordered and we may live in safety and peace. That authority includes everyone from the parent to the policeman to the president. So St. Paul also instructs us to pray for all those in positions of authority, and tells us that we are to honor them. That should be true whether we are talking about the president, those in congress, or even local politicians. It may mean that we have to swallow hard sometimes and bite our tongues; but I wonder what would happen if those in power were treated that way - as if their positions were important - so important that people refused to poke fun at them any longer. Thomas Maslow talked about a concept called the "looking glass self," in which he said that people tend to see themselves as they think other people see them, and they tend then to act based on how they think other people expect them to act. What if our politicians suddenly realized that people expected them to act morally and courageously; that we expected them to express the best ideals of our nation? I wonder if that wouldn't revolutionize government?

On the other hand, there are those who hope to sole the dilemma of morality in government by bringing what they feel is a "Christian agenda" into government. At the present time, most of them are from the right end of the spectrum, although I remember not too many years ago when it came from the other end. I don't know about you, but I get uncomfortable when people start talking about voting a "Christian agenda." The fact is, that Christians disagree - as they always have - over many items on the national agenda. The fact is that this is not a Christian nation - no nation ever is or was. That is one of the arguments that Luther had with the pope in his time - he said that earthly power and the power of the Gospel do not mix. You cannot legislate the Gospel - that is an improper division of Law and Gospel. Nations - governments - rule through laws. Their purpose is to order and protect by condemning wrongdoing. But God's kingdom is built by the Gospel in the hearts of people. That is the work of the kingdom of the right - the church. Jesus said that the road to that kingdom is narrow - certainly not wide enough for a nation to pass through! Our purpose as the church is not to construct an earthly Kingdom of God through earthly rulers, but to establish it in the hearts of people through the proclamation of the Gospel.

There are many things that we, as Christians, would certainly like to see happen. We would like to have heaven on earth. We would like to see this world become the Kingdom of God, where he reigns. We know that only when that happens will the world come to know its true meaning - the true purpose of its existence. Only then will peace reign, and there will be enough for all - and more! But earthly rulers can't do that. All they can do is offer a measure of protection and security - and Christians should strive to work in the political realm to make sure that all receive these gifts from God. The scriptures say that especially those on the bottom rung of society should be of special concern to the government - they must be protected from oppression and be given voice by the government. That is the first duty of any government. But the creation of the Kingdom of God is the work of the church, through the proclamation of the Gospel. That is our job, in other words - to proclaim Christ; to let the Living Word be heard, so that hearts may be changed, and God's rule established in human hearts.

In this country we have a wonderful opportunity, as Christians, to work in both realms - both kingdoms. We have the opportunity to restore the political realm to a place of respect and honor, lifting up our elected officials in prayer, and holding before them a vision of their high calling, and using their offices as God's tool to life up the weak and weary, and provide for the common good. At the same time, God calls us in the kingdom of the right - in the church, through the Gospel - to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, that hearts and lives may be changed, so that Jesus may rule in both kingdoms.