Keeping
Cool During Hot Elections
Rush Limbaugh is
famous for saying that “everything is political.” To this we may
all say together, “Oh no!” As we begin to see hundreds of TV
ads from Trump vs. Clinton, it is important for Christians to not
loose composure (2 Thessalonians 2:2) and remember what is truly and
eternally important.
It's important to
think about the relationship between Christians and their government.
We find this in God's Word. We know that God has some requirements.
First, we are to
occupy positions in our government if we can do so. You will recall
that Joseph was appointed to positions, and eventually was a very
powerful person in Egypt (Genesis 42:6). Next, we are to pay taxes to
our government. Jesus famously said, “Render unto Caesar the things
that are Caesar, and unto God the things which are God's.” (Matthew
22:18-21). Next we are to pray for our government. This means
praying for people individually, even those politicians we don't like
or agree with (I Timothy 2:1-3). Christians are to be promotors of a
“righteous peace,” and this begins with prayer. Next, we are to
obey the rules of government. The basic formulation of our obedience
to law is found in Romans 13:1-7. Here Paul gives a perspective that
we should cherish ourselves. We don't control everything, but we
know that God does! Finally, I'll remind you that we are called to
obey God first. Gov. Mike Pence famously says, “I'm a Christian
first, an American second, and a Republican third- in that order.”
To most Christians that sounds like good priorities. In Acts 5:29
you see that people “must obey God rather than men.” Obeying God
is our first priority. This is where the idea of God-given rights
comes in our Democratic Republic form of government.
Whatever your
political beliefs, always remember to try and let them be influenced
by God's Word. While we may be moved to tears by our nation's
problems, or frustrated by the decades of social decline and
injustice, we can always show others that our hope is in God and not
man. Further, we must always recall that our enemy is not other
people, but the evil one who wants to deceive the whole world, the
enemy of God, the devil.
If you're going to
watch TV or hear the news, there is really no telling what we are in
for this time. With all of you, I'll be hanging in there. While
everything may have a political aspect, what is most important is the
mission of Jesus and of Rolling Roads Baptist Church!
Happy Because of
Jesus,
Pastor James
