Will politics save our nation?
I remember when the Moral Majority helped boot out many "liberals" from Washington. Then the Christian Coalition worked to put more "conservatives" in office years later. I am about as conservative as you can get. But, I have concerns that "conservatives" in politics is being mixed up with being a conservative Christian.
Years ago I was one of the rude people at Samford that heckled Senator Edward Kennedy when he spoke. I am ashamed to admit it now. I don't like his politics but he deserved my respect because he is a Senator.
I read this story "Religious conservatives worry about losing political control." Isn't that the problem--"Control." I worry that believers are more worried about changing our world politically rather than through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us! Jesus refused to change the world politically. Shouldn't His example be good enough for us. I do believe we should be active in government because we are citizens. But we can place the 10 Commandments in every courthouse and school in the nation and it won't change the hearts of criminals and those who don't know Christ. Romans 8:6-8 says : The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.See, people who don't know God can't please God because they don't have the Holy Spirit! Politics will never win our world to Christ--only His people who are controlled by the Holy Spirit changing the world by sharing Him with the world.
posted by Kevin Bussey at 4/30/2006 12:23:00 AM
5 Comments:
Very rarely, if ever, should a Christian, a true follower of Christ, be involved in mob-action of any sort.
Mob-action never reflects thinking for oneself.
Amen! Politics is all about my party vs. their party. It tends to make us regard those who support the other party as enemies, and I have known only a few very mature Christians who truly carry out the command to love their enemies. Most of us will disparage our enemies. How can be truly missional, if we are unwilling to regard all people (even the most flaming liberal) in the same way that Christ regards them. Many SBC pastors claim to be mssional, yet preach in a way that actively discourages the congregation from caring about and sharing Christ with liberals. The SBC will never be effective as a mission force in the US until we change this and become enthusiastic about reaching out to the almost 50% of Americans who do not support the party favored by most of us in the SBC.
Preached on this very subject Sunday morning from Eccl. 8. Our government isn't perfect- never been, never will be. Isn't it great to know that our hope doesn't come from a worldly "king" in Washington DC but from the KING OF KINGS whose heavenly power trumps anything this world has!
I have never been able to understand this need by some to focus on redeeming culture. The proof text is always Matt 5:13-16. I cringe everytime I hear the promo for a well known pastor/speaker's radio program encouraging us to take back our country for God. We can even get a Ten Commandments lapel pin if we join in!
When did God have our country? Have those liberals edited out of our history books the covenant we made with God in the desert?
David Rogers had some interesting comments on his blog regarding the same thoughts about Christendom versus Christianity in Europe: http://loveeachstone.blogspot.com/2006/04/end-of-christendom.html
Do the same basic principles apply to bringing about change within a church or denominational body?
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