This past weekend, hundreds of thousands of Americans assembled in Washington D.C. to attend a rally organized by radio and television host Glenn Beck. Beck promised that the rally would have nothing to do with politics, but was instead about “Restoring Honor.” The theme was primarily about the need for individuals to turn back to God, recognizing their reliance upon Him. His point was that to restore honor in this country and in Washington, we must first restore honor in ourselves and be a good, moral, and God-fearing people.

Watching this rally, it was clear that it was not a political event. But will it have political implications? I believe it absolutely will. Depending on how it develops, this renewed focus on God within the sphere of politics could be a very good thing.

Many will cry “separation of church and state” when you suggest that religious beliefs should play a role in deciding public policy. Besides the fact that this phrase is absent from the Constitution, this protest completely misses the point. This is not about a church dictating policy for the government. Nor is it about the government establishing a church or designating an existing one as the official state religion. Rather, it is about individuals conducting their lives with a Biblical world view.

But does the Bible deal with politics? Not the way we typically think of politics, no. But it most certainly does deal with various matters that relate to politics. Adopting a Biblical world view will naturally and significantly affect the way people view political issues. One who is firm in his convictions will not easily cast off his faith when he enters the ballot box.

What Biblical world view am I talking about? Below are just a few points about government and the individual:

• God, not government, is who we look to for blessings and sustenance (James 1:17; Luke 11:2-3).
• God, not government, is the one to whom we are ultimately accountable (2 Corinthians 5:10; Acts 5:29).
• God ordained government to fulfill a specific purpose: to punish evildoers, protect the innocent, and maintain an environment in which man is free to conduct his life under God’s direction* (Romans 13:1-4; 1 Timothy 2:1-2).
• God gave man, not government, the responsibility to help the poor (Galatians 2:10; 6:10).
• God gave man the responsibility to work hard and provide for himself (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10).
• God gave man the responsibility, even before local churches, to provide help to needy family members (1 Timothy 5:8,16).

The list above specifically deals with the roles and responsibilities of government and the individual. Our convictions on other politicized issues would necessarily be impacted by our faith as well (i.e. abortion, same-sex marriage, etc.). The point is that people whose faith is a priority to them cannot and will not abandon their religious principles when it comes to politics.

I may not agree with Beck or those who participated in his rally on matters of religious doctrine. But we are not talking about forming a theocracy (and we ought not even entertain the idea). Instead we are talking about the fundamental principles rooted in a Biblical world view — principles set forth in our Constitution — that are necessary for a safe, functional, enduring and free society. Government has its part to play. But the larger responsibility belongs with “we the people.” The more that the people focus on adhering to godly principles, the better off we will be as a country.