“Obama is driving our country straight into the hole.”
“I almost wish they (Obama & Biden) would just die. I think the country would be a lot better off.”
“I was listening to Fox News this morning before church and they were interviewing some stupid democrat who doesn’t know what’s going on…”
“I really hope [insert Republican candidate name here] gets elected. We need a good Christian as a president so they can stop the evil stuff that’s happening and so that God can continue to bless us.”
Every time I hear Christians talk like this I cringe. Something has happened in the last 20 or so years where we as Christians believe it’s our right and duty to be deeply (and physically) involved with political issues, opinions and actions. We quickly give and share our opinions about our governmental leaders. We curse them and speak negative of them thinking that because we live in a democracy, that we are allowed to speak our minds as Christians, but that’s not what the Bible says. This is what the Bible says about the issue:
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4 ESV)
Paul states that a Christian’s place in politics is in the place of prayer and that the end result is more peace in the believer’s life.
In America, Christians tend to forget what kingdom they are a part of and where their power lies. Thanks to years of manifest destiny teaching, many believe that the kingdom of God and America are one and the same. This is not true. In fact, many times what is good for the nation (or any nation) is in direct opposition with what the Kingdom of God needs. American Christians also tend to believe that if the right people are in charge we can have a theocracy – where laws and rules are put in place to help all people morally please God. While these are good things, God doesn’t just want people acting good. He wants them to passionately love Him and only Jesus’ rule can accomplish that.
My own opinion is that no governmental leader can regain the ground already lost – not that God can’t, but people in their own power cannot. I’ve watched candidate after candidate, moral or not, talk about the amazing changes they would make morally to our nation. Twenty years of watching politicians say great things and nothing dramatic has happened. If anything, more and more ground has been taken in the land of social moral compromise.
The problem lies in that no man or woman or group of people can help make America a theocracy, moral, or to love God. The only person able to do that is Jesus Christ and He will only do that when He returns. But instead of Christians crying out to Him for justice, change, and for Him to move on the hearts of governmental leadership, we decide to complain, whine, and backbite the people we elected to office. We, as the church, need to pray that the Holy Spirit would move and soften hearts of our governmental leaders. One encounter with Him and everything can change. For example, my friends and I pray that Jesus would meet with President Obama and his wife in such a way that he becomes the greatest pro-life advocate president in history. It can happen, if we pray!
I encourage you to also watch what you listen to. Complaining begets complaining. Refuse to listen to news networks that consistently complain about government (most 24-hour news channels). Choose to be around people who don’t bash the government but are consistently praying for them. Choose to speak life about our leaders above us, no matter how corrupt they seem. Paul’s instructions were sent to churches where the government was torturing and murdering Christians. If they can do it, so can we!
The Manchester Family 