If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.It might be interesting to consider whether the scripture choices of the Presidents provide much in the way of understanding with respect to faith and politics. Of course, the scripture choices might have little insight regarding politics, and more insight with respect to the personality or the faith of the President, or perhaps the insight would tell use something about the nature of the challenges the President anticipates for his upcoming years.
In President Clinton's choice of scripture there seems to be little direct application to politics or to the choices with respect to public policies. With tongue in cheek, I suppose the passage might be relevant to anticipated challenges while in office.
Perhaps we should look at the larger context within which this passage is located. Here is Galatians 6:1-10
My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor's work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own loads.
Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher.
Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So, then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.
I suppose we might see some thoughts about faith and government in this entire passage, which is titled, in my Bible, "Bear One Another's Burdens." Perhaps some would suggest support here for bearing the burdens of others through government welfare programs, or other programs that might be said to "share in" the misfortunes of others? Perhaps we should look at "let us work for the good of all" as suggesting we look to government as the means of accomplishing what is good for all? Now my own view of government doesn't tend in these directions, and perhaps that is why I do not see this scripture as suggesting either of these sorts of ideas about government and about my politics.
I see this scripture as saying very little directly relevant to politics and government, and I think this conclusion is emphasized by the final idea in this passage which points to "especially for those of the family of faith." I do not think good government is one that would be "especially" interested in any identifiable group, whether of the family of faith or not.
For me I read in this scripture lessons from Paul about living in ways that are mindful of the gift of the Holy Spirit. He teaches that if we learn of someone who has transgressed, we, who have received the Spirit, should turn to help them, and our help should come from the influence of the Holy Spirit on our lives. In some ways I think the teaching here counsels against materialist and self-interested attitudes, and teaches that we should attend to the counsel of the Spirit in our lives.
Perhaps in this last idea we have an indirect implication for politics. It is hard for me to avoid thinking that almost all of politics is driven by self-interest. I suppose some politicians and some of those who actively work in support of various public policies are largely motivated by an interest in helping others, but such motivations seem at best a very small part of our politics and of our governments. Politics and government are inherently about using force and coercion in our daily lives. It seems simply inconsistent to me that a personal interest in, and concern for, others would turn to use government as the means of acting on such a concern for others. I don't think concern for others translates into force or coercion toward others, and I note also that Paul teaches that "you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness." It is difficult for me to understand government in terms that sound anything at all like "a spirit of gentleness."
Consider also that "whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all." I tend to the conclusion that there are relatively few instances in which force and coercion can be used in our daily lives to the good of all. Rather, I believe that working for the good of all tends to be associated with cooperation, exchange, and, just in general, interactions and associations with others that are voluntary and freely chosen. A government's coercion and force can be used in many circumstances to guarantee or insure that interactions and associations are freely chosen by all parties, and it is such circumstances that I find to be useful in defining the purpose of government. Unfortunately, most political issues today clearly involve efforts to get government to force outcomes and associations and interactions in the ways some people prefer, and at the expense of other people.
So, it seems to me that Paul's teaching in this scripture is most directly about how an individual approaches his or her own personal life. Indirectly, the scripture says something to me about my faith and my politics. To me it says that if I "sow to the Spirit" I will have little interest in politics and government for achieving self-interested advantages, and little interest in trying to use government to force or coerce others "to get things right."
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