Wednesday, March 6, 2024
We Have A Voice
Friday, January 13, 2023
Is That the Real Reason for Deconstruction?
Ever since Donald Trump’s election as president, and especially since the pandemic, deconstruction has been a topic of conversation within Christian circles.
Deconstruction, according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, “is the analytic examination of something (such as a theory) often in order to reveal its inadequacy.”Friday, August 13, 2021
Liberty Depends on Virtue
I love this John Adams quote for a couple of reasons.
The first reason is because it reminds me that the most important thing I can spend my time doing is making disciples. Freedom and liberty are not independent of the choices that we make.
Living with virtue makes us free from the consequences of bad choices that lead to our enslavement. When we are not enslaved we are free to help and serve those around us. This is how we live as a benefit to our community.
The second reason I like this quote is that virtue reminds us that there is an outside authority that defines right and wrong. We are not the ones who define good and bad, rather we look to God for His wisdom to guide us in the type of life we should live.
A loss of liberty in the United States can be traced back to the reality that as a country we have lost the notion of virtue. Instead of virtue we have turned to politics to determine what is right and wrong.
This is why every election turns into “the most important election of our lives.”
Instead of electing people to lead us, we fight a battle to determine who has the authority to determine what is right and wrong. It is a fight that will always be nasty and brutal as dividing lines between people and groups are created.
It is impossible to have unity when there is no common understanding of what virtue is. There is no hope for unity in the United States apart from a common understanding of virtue.
Instead of using political power to try to conform people to our understanding of right and wrong, we need to focus on discipleship and teaching people the true source of virtue: the wisdom of God.
Thursday, August 12, 2021
Discipled in the Way of Partisan Politics
One of the basic truths that we need to remember is that everyone is going through a process of spiritual formation.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Phillippians 4:8; NLT)Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. (Colossians 3:1-2; NLT)
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Remembering a Conservative Icon
I don’t remember the last time I listened to Rush Limbaugh.
That might come as a surprise for people who knew me in high school and college. Back then I was one of the biggest “ditto heads” around.- The value of following the Constitution. This stuck with me from the early days of listening to his show: the Constitution provides the framework for our government to follow.
- Making the complex simple. Rush would say he was making the complex simple. In my teaching and preaching this is something I have tried to emulate. One of the keys to good communication is making things understandable.
- The importance of living out what you believe. I think it was in See I Told You So, Rush wrote something like "Be a beacon of light for that which you advocate." That phrase has stuck with me all these years, and something I try to live up to.
- Influence people to make the right choice. Rush was pro-life. Something that he said in those early days of the program that I continue to think about was that he was in favor of people having a choice and he wanted to make sure that choice was life. This maybe be the idea that has influenced me the most over the years. I want people to have the liberty, which means they have the ability to make choices I think are wrong. Which means as a Christian I have responsibility to help people make the right choice.
- He wouldn't answer callers' questions directly. The older I got the more I realized that Rush didn't always answer the questions that people had. I remember talking back to the radio and saying, "But that isn't what he asked!" Or, "Rush, you are missing the point." I came to realize that he really wasn't interested in answering questions, rather he used the calls to further comment on what he wanted to say.
- He didn't fairly represent the news articles that used on the show. As the internet became bigger and it became easier to track down the articles Rush used, I would go and read them. More often than not I would come away thinking, "That isn't what the article was saying." I am not saying this always happened, but it happened enough for me to begin to distrust what he was saying, especially when it came to the liberal side of things.
- It seemed to me that Rush got away from promoting conservatism and started bashing the left. This was by far the biggest thing for me. I wrote the following in post titled Where have the True Conservatives Gone?: "A third observation is that talk radio, and Rush Limbaugh I am primarily talking about you because you set the standard for everyone else to follow, has become anti-liberal rather than pro-conservative. Every time I turned on Rush through December and January he was talking about the Clintons (Clinton, Inc.). He wasn't talking about why conservative ideas were superior just trashing the Clintons."
- His support for war changed between Clinton and Bush. During President Clinton's Bosnia War I remember Rush explained how the United States shouldn't be the policeman of the world and how we shouldn't be nation building. He also talked about how there needed to be a goal so we have a definition for what victory is and an exit strategy. Fast forward to the President Bush's second term and the United States is deeper and deeper into this so-called war on terror and as I listen to Rush continue to support this war I have this realization that every reason he gave against President Clinton's Bosnia intervention could be applied to the War on Terror. His principle changed based on who was in office.
There was a good 12 year period in my life when Rush Limbaugh was the major intellectual influence in my life, especially when it came to politics. There was another 3 or 4 years as I gradually stopped paying attention to what he had to say. In the last 12 years I haven't listened to him at all.
From this perspective I see Rush as a very flawed man who struggled with relationships and addiction issues, yet who had the strength and perseverance to continue to do a radio program while loudly being denounced by his critics and facing some major health problems. He had the talent to make politics engaging and hold people's attention for three hours a day, five days a week.
Rush became the voice for people who felt like their principles and beliefs were under represented in the mainstream press. He became the leader of the opposition in a world of progressivism. After all, that is what conservatism is: opposition. It opposes the changes offered by progressivism.
Though I a grateful for the influence he had on me and my thinking, I had moved on from Rush. In the end there are too many differences in our thoughts for me to call him a hero. He was a radio legend who brought thousands of hours of enjoyment to millions of people and for that he deserves respect.
Thursday, January 7, 2021
America's True God
As a person reads through the Hebrew Scriptures it is easy to notice how Israel continually turned to idol worship. With all that God had done for them, Israel, time and time again, turned their back on God and worshiped the gods of the nations around them.
We think this is odd because we give no power to idols. We see them as nothing but objects of metal and wood that superstitious people worship.
Idols are not false gods, rather they are the images of false gods. While we may not worship a "statue," the spiritual forces behind those idols are still at work. This video from BibleProject will help you understand what is going on.
We have promoted democracy in our movies and books. We speak of democracy in our speeches and lectures. We even sing about democracy, from sea to shining sea, in our national songs. We have entire government bureaus devoted to thinking about how we can help other countries become and remain democratic. We fund institutions that do the same.
C. S. Lewis was right, we do venerate the word democracy.
I know you are skeptical and that you think I am crazy, but stop and listen to what we are being told. Look at these headlines.
- We need to commit ourselves to God and His Kingdom. I firmly believe that American Christians need to think through our relationship with the State. For far too long we have allowed an unhealthy relationship to exist between our loyalty to God and our loyalty to America. As a starting point I would recommend thinking through whether or not you should say the Pledge of Allegiance. If you are pledging your loyalty to America how loyal are you to God?
- We need think through our relationship with politics and political parties. This is another area where are loyalty to God and His Kingdom gets divided. A good place to start here is discovering the value you place on voting. Voting is the greatest way we can honor the god of democracy, and that is why I believe Not Voting is a Legitimate Option.
- Commit to treating other people with respect. One of the best ways we dehumanize people and rob them of God's image (at least in our eyes) is by name calling. Long ago, back when I was listening to Rush Limbaugh and calling President Clinton "Slick Willie," I was convicted of this point. Ever since then I have done my best to refer to people by their names and titles. It is what God expects me to do as His representative. This directly pushes back against the chaos and division the false god of democracy wants to plant in our families, churches, and communities.
I know you are probably thinking, "All this pondering stuff has made Paul a little nutty."
I am not denying that that is a possibility, so let me add one last thought.
This is not a plea to scrap the whole system or to say that Christians should not involve themselves in politics. Rather, it is a word of caution. Democracy is more than just a political system and there is a spiritual reality behind it. We need to be careful in our interactions with it.
God's people are commanded to only worship Him. So once again I will stand with Joshua and say:
“So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:14-15; NLT)
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
The Real Issue
- The President of the United States should not be "the most powerful human being on earth." Having a powerful chief executive was one of the fears our founders had when they created the Constitution. What Alexis De Tocqueville witnessed of the president during the early part of the 1800s was that the president "has but little power, little wealth, and little glory to share among his friends; and his influence in the state is too small for the success or ruin of a faction to upon his elevation to power." How times have changed. At one time the citizens of the various states would have viewed a powerful executive with suspicion, but now a president who is able to make things happen, both at home and abroad, is expected. Maybe it is time to question whether or not the executive branch should have as much power as it has.
- Since we accept the president as the most powerful person in the world, isn’t logical to assume that fraud and corruption a good possibility during an election? I am not saying that this election was "stolen" from President Trump, but I am saying, "I don't trust elections in general." There is nothing about what I know about corrupt human nature or a corrupt government that gives me confidence in our elections. There is too much at stake for too many people for them to truly let "the people" decide.
- Why is it okay to call President Trump obese when you would have an absolute hissy-fit if he said that (and he has and they did) about another person? This is one of the things I dislike about politics in general, the complete double standard people have. They are fine with giving their side a pass on bad things, but will go absolutely crazy when the other side does it. While both sides do this, from my observation, the left is much worse about it.
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Thoughts about the Future Post 2020
I shared this earlier on Facebook and thought I might expand on it here.
Just a few thoughts I have had about the future as we approach the end of 2020:
1. Historians will use 2020 to make the beginning of the end for the United States. I think in the next 15 years we will see at least one successful secession movement, which will change the make up of the country. The United States will continue to be a major player in the world, but things like debt and division will cause things to start to fall apart.
2. A viable 3rd party will emerge. Not from the place you expect. The Republican Party will become more conservative as it looses the Neocon wing of the party. The Neocons will join the Democrat party which will be viewed on the centrist party (and dominate elections). The progressive wing of the Democrat party (Bernie Sanders, AOC, and company) will break away and form a truly progressive/socialist party.
3. The average church size will continue to decline. There will be a time of transition for many local churches as they try to discover how to do ministry in a post-COVID reality. This isn’t a negative, because it will force churches become more creative in how to make disciples, but it will be difficult to say good bye to programs and ministries that we have come to believe are essential for church.
4. Denominational lines for churches will become increasingly irrelevant. There will be a greater emphasis and on “what the Bible says” and “Mere Christianity” with a diminishing emphasis on systematic theologies, Calvinism, etc.
5. Bivocational pastors will become the norm. Because of smaller church sizes most pastors will have to look for multiple streams of income to sustain their ministry. This can be a benefit as pastors get creative in how they leverage their “day job” for ministry.
6. The Church will have to be prepared to deal with ever evolving questions concerning sexuality, gender, race, and even things like transhumanism.
We are going to look back on 2020 as the year that everything changed. Some of those changes were already happening, they were accelerated because of what happened. Other things will change as a direct result of what happened this year.
Whatever the case, it is time to accept whatever change the future has for us and remain faithful to the calling God has given to us.
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
The Way of Jesus
We are told that we are living in a divided nation.
The corporate press tells us about the extreme differences of the right and the left and how it is impossible for them to see eye to eye.We hear about one group of Americans is telling another group that they are racist and sexist because of the way they voted. We hear the other group of Americans respond by saying the new president elect is corrupt and will further destroy the foundations of the country.
The deep divisions that make up the very soul of American political life are on full display. There is no getting around the reality that there are two vastly different visions for the United States.
On the one hand you have people on the left who declare that equality is the value that must guide us into the future.
On the other hand you have people on the right who declare that we must remain true to the principles and traditions that the United States was founded on.
Each side views the other with skepticism, derision, and intolerance.
If you have spent any time on social media you know the names and the accusations that are being flung back and forth: “You are ignorant!” one side screams and the other side fires back, “You are a bigot!”
It it is a fruitless exchange as nothing gets resolved and blood pressures rise.
All you want is unity, but you are told that unity is impossible because those people on the other side are terrible people.
What are followers of Jesus Christ to do?
As simplistic as it might sound we are to follow Jesus.
It may sound simple, but it is not simple to do.
There are going to be people on both sides of the aisle declaring that this or that is the most important thing and that is what deserves our attention. Many of these people will invoke the name of Jesus to try to convince us that their side is the one we must choose.
When we pick a side in this political war we simple give into the hate and the division that continues to tear apart relationships, families, churches, communities, and countries.
There is a better way, and that way is the way of Jesus.
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you. (Galatians 3:26-29; NLT)
This type of unity is flimsy and cannot survive the constant threat of division. This threat comes from the powers that constantly look to divide people into different groups.
There is only one power that is great enough to overcome these wall building powers, and that is the power of Jesus. According to the Apostle Paul, Jesus is to be the rallying point that brings true unity.
Jesus came to tear down walls. That can only be accomplished when we have our faith in him.
Within his small group of 12 disciples Jesus had at least two men who were on the opposite ends of the political spectrum. There was Simon the Zealot who wanted nothing more than to fight against the Romans and restore Israel's independence. There was Matthew the Tax Collector who believed that compromise with the Romans was the best policy.
Jesus united these men with a common purpose.
How did he do that?
Jesus rejected the politics of the world.
Satan offered Jesus the keys to all the kingdoms of the world, but Jesus held fast to God's way to bring redemption to creation (Luke 4:5-8). After his miracles of healing and feeding the crowd wanted to make Jesus king, but Jesus withdrew to the wilderness (John 6:15). The crowd shouted hosanna and proclaimed Jesus king as he rode into Jerusalem, but Jesus stopped and wept over the city because they missed his true identity (Luke 19:41-44).
Jesus came to establish God's Kingdom, but he rejected politics as the way to accomplish this task. He called his followers to make disciples of the nations, not by the power of the sword (the true power behind politics), but the power of sacrificial love.
The way for the Church to be the starting point for unity is for Christians to follow the way of the Lion, who became a lamb, who was slain (Revelation 5:5-6).
We are saddened by the deep divide that exists in our country.
Healing can only happen if we reject politics and follow Jesus.
Will you join me?
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Understanding the Trump Moment
President Trump represents an interesting moment in American history. Because we are living through it I think we should take some time to understand what is going on.
Thursday, November 5, 2020
We Can’t Go Back
On Monday evening I posted a screen shot of a tweet from comedian and libertarian Dave Smith to Facebook.
- We need to think smaller rather than bigger. This is true for the church, where we need to concentrate on smaller gatherings. Smaller gathering are not only helpful in discipleship, but they are also helpful when limitations are put on gatherings. When things are smaller our plans are not as easily disrupted. I also think going smaller is the key to moving forward politically. One of the overlooked checks to the federal government’s power, and I believe the most important check, are the states. Washington’s power is rendered useless when the states decide not to comply with the Feds wishes. We see this as individual states legalized marijuana. The federal government doesn’t have the resources to enforce its laws across the individual states. Washington depends on the states to enforce its laws. As one of my favorite podcasters, Brion McCallahan, says, “Think locally, act locally.”
- We need to diversify our thinking. Too many people think in binary terms. Republicans and Democrats, progressives and conservatives, racist and inclusive, etc. As someone who tends to live outside the binary bubble, I can tell you things are not that simple. When it comes to following Jesus we need to move past the tendency to judge a person’s faith and commitment to Scripture based on a few pet doctrines like the age of the earth or a premillennial interpretation of the end time. We need these different perspectives to gain a greater understanding of the Bible and following Jesus (now, this doesn’t mean everything is open to interpretation, but it does mean that when there are different perspectives we should be able to listen to them). When it comes to politics we need to break away from the strangle hold of a two party system. Having only two major parties lead to corruption as people hungry for power manipulate the system. Also, there are thousands, if not millions of people who do not line up with either a Republican or Democrat view of the world. I am one of them, and consistently we go unrepresented. Let’s bring more voices to the table and spread the responsibilities of governing to many different parties, rather than just two.
- We need come to an understanding of the role social media plays in our lives. This is a new technology, and we don’t understand all the different ways it is effecting us. It is certainly shaping our opinions of things and making it seem like there is a greater divide between people than really exists. That is one of the reasons for the hostility that we are seeing. Social media is being used to divide us and cause us to see the other side as evil. The responsible use of social media is key to moving forward.
Monday, November 2, 2020
Voting Advice
One of the great questions that I have wrestled with in my adult life is the relationship Christians are to have with politics. I think politics hold a danger for followers of Jesus that isn’t widely talked about or even acknowledged. It is just assumed, at least in the United States, that Christians should be politically active and vote.
To merely suggest that there might be a different way to look at things invites comebacks such as, “Elections have consequences.”
That is true, but that doesn’t answer the question about the proper role politics is to play in the lives of Christians.
Remember, what we think most about naturally becomes the most important thing to use. Thinking too much about politics and allowing it to become the most important thing about life (which it has, because we live in a culture where every things is political) is just one of the real dangers Christians face when getting involved in politics.
When thinking through these questions I find it useful to go back and discover what earlier questions thought and taught. Recently I came across the above advice from John Wesley and thought it was worth considering.
What can we apply to our lives from this advice from John Wesley?
First, our vote must be a principled vote and not given because of what a candidate has promised. Government in the United States is based on constitutions. There are the individual state constitutions and there is the federal constitution. Rather than voting for the person who promises to do the most stuff (which I would consider voting for a reward), we should cast our vote for the person who promises to remain true to the Constitution.
Second, we judge a person's worthiness for political office by two factors. The first factor is whether or not they follow the constitutions that are the restraints placed on the government. Romans 13:1 says, "Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God." I believe that in a Constitutional Republic, the governing authorities are the constitutions. That is why a person's worthiness to represent you should be based on their willingness to uphold and defend the constitution. The second factor is their integrity. A person's character is an important factor to consider when determining whether or not they should represent you.
Third, it is crucial to remember that everyone is created in the image of God and therefore deserves our respect. You may not agree with the other side, but that does not give you the right to talk evil about them. In the long run, it is far more influential to provide a reasonable defense for your ideas then it is to declare the other side's candidate as evil.
Fourth (which I think is the most crucial piece of advice on the list), guard your heart. There is a danger that is lurking in politics for us who follow Jesus. We have to be very intentional to not dehumanize people or see people who disagree with us as the enemy. This happens all the time on Facebook, people who follow Jesus, yet when it comes to politics, they call people who disagree with them politically idiots, mentally ill, and even demonic. This is wrong. Christians need to do what we can to avoid falling into the trap of making enemies out of our political opponents. Not only does it damage our ability to demonstrate God’s character in this world, it also opens our hearts and minds to the corrupting influence of Satan.
Politics, like all things of this world, needs to be approached carefully. Followers of Jesus need to remember that there is a danger in putting an emphasis on voting and politics, because when they are mishandled they end up warring against our soul. This is why it is important for each of us to think through the role politics has in our lives.
John Wesley provided good insight for how we should vote, may we have the ears to hear what he has to say.
Saturday, October 24, 2020
Following Jesus and Politics
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Not Voting is a Legitimate Option
Therefore it is not surprising that many of us have equated voting with freedom.
With this being a fundamental belief, for someone to even suggest that is is okay not to vote is viewed as heresy.
With that being said, let me offer a dissenting view. It is okay not to vote.
Our God -given rights are not protected through the process of voting.
In fact, I would argue that voting has been the process that has enabled our rights to be taken away.
What happens is that whatever party wins the majority, they believe they have a mandate from the American people to run the country. Rather than protecting the individual rights of citizens and upholding the Constitution, they embark on a mission to do what is "best for the nation."
I believe that it is through the protection of personal liberty, following constitutions (state constitutions and the federal constitution), and adherence to free markets that create the best society this world can offer. In fact, there is a connection between freedom and prosperity .
By saying it is okay not to vote, I am not advocating laziness or disengagement from the political process, rather, I am saying "don't compromise your beliefs."
Here are some reasons that justify not voting:
- I don’t want to endorse the actions of another person. One of my fundamental beliefs is that everything is spiritual. When I vote for some one I am giving that person authority, both politically and spiritually, to act on my behalf. When the candidate I voted for supports an illegal war then I am supporting that illegal war. When the President I helped get into office uses drones that kill innocent people, even accidentally, that blood is on my hands. Too often, I see people justify the unconstitutional and immoral actions of their elected officials rather than condemn them. There are also the unintended consequences of government action that lead to real life tragedy. This is seen in economy policy, for example how the housing policy promoted by the government was responsible for the housing crash of 2008. Too often politicians, and thus government, act as if they have the answers to all the world’s problems, and those actions lead to more hurt and suffering.
- All governments are under the corrupting influence of Satan. As Americans it is easy to think that God has uniquely blessed our country and that our system of government is insulated from corruption. To think this way is to be deceived. C. S. Lewis in his essay Screwtape Proposes a Toast has the older devil, Screwtape, addressing the newest graduating class of devils, and this is what he told them about using the word democracy; “You are to use the word purely as an incantation; if you like, purely for its selling power. It is a name they venerate” (The World’s Last Night and Other Essays; p. 60). As a nation we do venerate the word democracy. Since we find our form of government superior we don’t even consider that the very process of our political system could be under the influence of Satan. This isn’t about electing the right candidates, rather it is about a worldly and corrupt system. Electing the right people to office won’t change that reality. In Revelation 20:2-3 we discover that Satan is the deceiver of nations. Is it not possible to think that he has deceived us a nation? In John 12:31, 14:30, and 16:11 Jesus identified Satan as the ruler of this world. Isn’t it possible that Satan uses our politics and our government to prevent us from doing what God has really called us to do? Maybe we should rephrase what Jesus told the man who wanted go home and bury his father before following him: “Let the dead govern the dead.” We don’t need politics to bring God’s Kingdom into this world.
- Jesus consistently rejected the way of politics. In Luke 4:5-7 we read that Satan tempted Jesus; Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me” (NLT). Satan declared that the kingdoms and the nations of the world are his and he uses them any way he wants to use them. Jesus did not challenge his declaration, rather Jesus rejected the way of earthly kingdoms, the way of politics, as the way to usher in God’s Kingdom. Again in John 6:15 Jesus slipped away from the crowds when they came to make him king. Later on in the chapter Jesus told the crowd that only in him would they find satisfaction. The satisfaction they longed for, the satisfaction that we long for, cannot be found through a form of government or the policies of government. Instead of the path of political power Jesus chose the path marked out for him by his Father. That path was the path of sacrificial love. It is seen in the lion who became a lamb and who was slain (Revelation 5:5-6). I would suggest that the way of the Kingdom is ultimately found when we reject political power as the way to change the world.
- Politics are of this world. Politics rely on two things: propaganda and force. We know that politicians and governments never tell us the whole truth. They always put their own spin on reality. Spin and propaganda are meant to deceive people so we will continue to support what politicians do through the government. Force is felt through the consequences of not obeying what the government says is right or wrong. Yes, God has allowed the government to carry the sword, but often government goes to extremes. Because the government carries the sword it can force you to do anything it wants. The apostle Paul taught that we should take a different approach; We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do.We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5; NLT). What are those mighty weapons? They are things like unconditional love and uncompromised truth. In short it is following the way of Jesus and it is the way the early Church brought change to the world. For a detailed account of this you can look at Rodney Stark’s book The Rise of Christianity. The way of Jesus certainly changes the world.
- Politics distract us from our true calling. Paul told Timothy; Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them (2 Timothy 2:4; NLT). The task I have been called to do is to make disciples and I cannot do that effectively if I am concerned about the politics of the nation. One reason is because my attention and time is divided between following Jesus and promoting a political cause. A second reason, and one that I know all too well, is that politics divide. One of the goals of the Kingdom of God is to bring people together, and time and time again we see that politics causes division. I don’t want anyone to remain outside of the Kingdom because of a political stand I took. I like what Alexander Campbell wrote; “To compel men destitute of faith to observe any Christian institution…is commanding duty to be performed without faith in God and therefore ‘anti-evangelical’ or contrary to the Gospel” (The Political Ethics of Alexander Campbell; p. 46). If we are to please our commanding officer and be true to the Gospel, then our main responsibility is not getting the government to support a certain standard of morality, but to invite people into God’s Kingdom. As people mature in faith and learn how to be led by the Spirit, they are led to do the right thing, regardless of what the laws of the land might be (Galatians 5:22-23).
I am not saying voting is evil, nor am I asking you not to vote.
What I am saying is that there is no reason for a Christian to support a party or a candidate that doesn't adequately represent them.
It is also important to note that an informed non-vote is still a vote. When I don't vote I am saying, "You don't deserve to represent me."
If you feel that you should vote, go ahead and vote, but don't belittle those who have made the choice not to vote. After all, that is their vote.
The Spiritually Mature Life: Having the Fruit
On Sunday, April 7, 2024, I started a new sermon series at Bethlehem Church called A Spiritually Mature Life. This sermon series is focused ...
-
Dear Jesus, I love you. I worship you. I trust you. I want to bear the image of God in this world and I come to you, Jesus, so my connecti...
-
On Sunday, April 7, 2024, I started a new sermon series at Bethlehem Church called A Spiritually Mature Life. This sermon series is focused ...