Can we trust our leaders?

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

We all know that politics can be a messy business and that far more goes on behind the scenes than we realise. Thankfully, in a representative democracy, the elected representatives (i.e., the MPs) are held accountable for their actions and decisions. Whether through investigative journalism, various select committees or a public inquiry, the aim is to hold the government accountable and give the general population confidence to trust them.

This article aims not to comment on the current political situation in the UK regarding the government’s handling of Partygate but to talk about the issue of trust and what the Bible says about it. It is essential that we trust people, what they stand for, and what they say if we work with them. So it is with God. The first humans, Adam & Eve, had an issue with trust. It appears that they did not take God seriously when he warned them of the consequences of sin, i.e., failing to trust what God said. And so, they failed to trust the Creator, disobeyed His instruction, and brought upon themselves death and all that comes with it (pain, fear, futility, shame etc.). If they had trusted God, they would have realised that He was trying to protect them from the evil that has haunted humanity ever since. What I have just described to you is summarised in one verse in the Bible – ^‘Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned,’ Romans 5. 12.
 
Thankfully, this not where the story ends. Spelling out disaster without offering a solution would be a depressing and pointless exercise. But there is hope! The Bible's storyline is that God, our creator, planned and provided salvation for everyone prepared to trust Him. This is explicitly stated in scripture – ^‘In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began,’ Titus 1. 2. I find it staggering that God created us, knowing that we would choose to walk away from Him and, such is His character, that He had a plan in place (before it all happened) to rescue us. One of the key verses in the Bible that outlines this is John chapter 3 verse 16 – ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life’. The truth is that only a person who had never sinned was qualified to pay for the sins of others. The Lord Jesus, the Son of God, is the only person who met the criteria and He, like His father, God, was willing to make this great sacrifice.
 
So, this brings us back to the issue of trust. The biggest issue we face is not whether we trust the current government but if we are prepared to trust God? The issues at stake are even bigger than our physical health or the future of our nation – they concern our eternal destiny and spiritual welfare. God loves you and is concerned about your future, and we need the salvation He offers. To trust God is to believe what He says. God’s message to you today is ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved,’ Acts 16. 31.