Can I be frank? I absolutely hate election season. Hate it. Hate it.
And it's not because I'm apathetic. And it's not because I'm a cynic. I'm neither.
We were attending a Presbyterian Church during the last election. For those of you who don't know, Presbyterians preach Reformed Theology, which, at its core, stands on the unequivocal sovereignty of God. My pastor summed it up this way: "God takes what he wants, and he keeps what he takes."
During the election, however, my pastor worked overtime to make sure his congregation got their butts in gear to elect God's man into the White House. He was sure to wear his "I VOTED" sticker to church the following Sunday. When he preached on Evangelism, he was adamant that God was in charge of electing men to salvation. It is God's work, not ours. But when it came to electing a man to lead our country, the pastor presented a very different message. Apparently this kind election is up to us. This a Democracy after all.
He didn't seem to recognize the contradiction between his view of Reformed Theology and his view of Democracy. In fact, so many Christians that profess a strong belief in God's sovereignty also place a high premium on the voting process. Can someone please explain that to me? I can understand why an Arminian would want to help God out, but a Calvinist?
I see another serious contradiction. How do we know God's political strategies? Why do we assume that God always wants a level-headed Republican sitting in the White House to protect unborn babies, keep His name on our money, and preserve young minds from the knowledge of homosexuality. Here's a thought: Maybe things are supposed to get worse before they get better. Maybe by supporting the Republican Party we are actually voting against God.
Some people are saying that Obama is the Antichrist. Then they vote against him, as if their vote could change the book of Revelation. Amazing. It reminds me of the Christians that believed Hitler was the Antichrist and made plans to murder him. You can't change prophecy!
What right do we have to assume God's will for the world? Are we just trying to make this world a safe and moral place? The frenzy of election time can bring out the worst in Christians. Fear. Worry. Anger. Division. Sometimes I wonder how much of our hope in Democracy stems from a lack of true hope, hope in our current, spiritual Monarchy.
My friends, we have a King, though we may not always think of Him that way. Earthly rulers will come and go, men will make their plans and policies, the world will change, for better or worse. But our King will reign forever---unchangeable, full of wisdom, power, and authority.
Why are we so afraid? Let God do what He will with the world, and let us fall in line with whatever He may ask of us. It may be political. It may be educational. It may be financial. It may be spiritual. But all in all, we need to be about our Father's business.
And we shouldn't assume what that is . . .
28 comments:
Good points all. What about Rees Howells? He assumed he knew God's will about the political and military forces involved in WW2. Did he get a "supervote" of sorts with God?
Rees Howells was a prime example of the right way to do politics.
It's not that politics are not the business of the Church. If we are truly the body of Christ, and Christ's mission is to glorify his Father, and God is intimately involved with the nations of the earth (as scripture testifies), then we are involved with politics.
But just as Jesus didn't try to rule Jerusalem, so we are not to try to set up Christian governments. As we have seen in church history, that doesn't work! God works on a spiritual level, commanding those that will listen to action. In the case of Rees Howells, we see a man that was willing and prepared to intercede for the state of the world in WWII, so God used him in a mighty way. That is the kind of politics I can get behind.
But the kind of politics where men are trying to "put in a vote for God," is like a hand trying to "do the right thing" for my head.
"Hey hand. Just do what I tell you WHEN I tell you and everything will be fine."
John,
Where do we learn that we are not to set up a Christian government? I can't think of any governments that have existed in this world that have not been based upon a religious background... Ancient Egypt, Israel, China, Russia, England...whether a belief in religion or a lack of religion it formed the background of the government.
This government was set up by our founding fathers to be a Christian government. Does it work...mostly for the last 230 years it has...will it always??? Has any government worked that long? Does that mean that we are to stay at home on election day knowing that God's will will be accomplished? Does God care who runs our country? I don't know - I don't think so...I think He cares about what happens to His people under government. I think that we are instructed to be good citizens (Romans 13). Is being a good citizen sitting at home waiting for the rest of the world to make decisions that effect your life? Isn't that one of the reasons that we have so many people on welfare? People that are unwilling to lift a finger and want everything given to them?(not everyone...I understand but there are some including my sister)
We do not know where we are in the grand scheme of things - the second coming could be before you read the rest of this message - or it could be 1000 years from now. Because it could be today doesn't mean that yesterday I shouldn't have planned for tomorrow. Getting out and voting and preparing for our and our children's future that is always in God's will...God has already declared the day/time of His return and whoever the antichrist is, God already knows, all it means is that we are one minute closer to being in His presence.
Rees was praying in accordance with the Spirit's plan and direction. And the goal of those prayers was to keep the world open so that every creature would be free to hear the gospel. Obviously an anti-Christian dictatorial reign would hinder that. So Rees Howells' ministry in prayer was still primarily about the kingdom of God, and not merely influencing history for the sake of getting rid of evil rulers.
Also, its seems God's goal was to get Israel back into their land through all of those events. So I see that as always, God is working through the politics to achieve His ultimate ends for HIS kingdom on earth. God always has a spiritual goal in these big things, though God cares for peoples momentary needs and suffering as well.
And may I add a hearty "I agree" and "Thank, you, John" for preaching it so boldly. Friends, our citizenship is REALLY TRULY in Heaven; we are subjects of the King of kings, children of GOD. And Obama has been appointed by God. I am confident and peaceful in the knowledge that this man is who God has placed in leadership of this nation. If that is a hard reality for you to accept, take joy in knowing Who your Savior is.
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all."
Maybe it is hard to take comfort in being a part of God's kingdom because it isn't the reality we walk in daily; it seems like a far off reality for the hereafter. But I am learning everyday that God's Kingdom is now; it has always been and in Christ we are welcomed into it. There should be a perspective shift with that--no more focus on the temporary things, the perishing things, on earth. Suddenly we are part of a kingdom--a sphere of authority--that has always been and will always be. We now have fellowship with God Himself, fellowship that is now and goes on every minute from this one into eternity.
That is our day to day reality, but we have to pursue it. We have to consciously lay aside pursuing the things of earth and pursue God and His kingdom, His will and desires, first and foremost. "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all of these things [needs, "daily bread"] will be given to you as well." This must become our daily goal. When it is, we will know precisely what He wants us to do regarding current affairs, because we will know Him, and He discloses Himself to those who love Him, who obey Him.
His goodness and love will drown out all fears and fearful actions.
For me, the sadness isn't that a Republican isn't in the White House. I'd consider myself more independent than anything, but most definitley a conservative by today's standards.
It's the state of the American people - or Western culture in general - that is disheartening. We're on a downward slide and I see God's judgement coming (unless we have a revival, which has already happened twice in U.S. History). I feel sad for my kids and grandkids that they might have a harder time in the future going to church or homeschooling their children, if they so choose, or praying at a restaurant (let's pretend forecast 50 years from now). Things happen slowly and incrementally; it's not overnight for sure (unless we get invaded b/c we're too weak to defend ourselves - whole other subject!!!). Europe is ahead of us in this moral decline and you can already see these types of things happening. So that's what is "scary" about all of this. It's not who the person in the Oval Office is. It's that the people themselves are slowly adopting skewed views (abortion, gay rights, marriage, creation, prayer, redistribution of wealth, proper roles of family vs. government vs. church, the list goes on).
When the people's hearts turn away from God, bad things happen (witness all of human history); when they return to Him, or at LEAST to His ways, good things happen (witness all of human history). It's about the hearts of the people. Noone wants to "rule Jerusalem" - we just want to live in a God honoring society b/c that's best for everyone. Everyone gets good stuff out of that, even if they don't believe it themselves.
Good points on God taking care of salvation and also taking care of elections. Kind of obvious that He's in charge of it all, yet He's laid out pretty clear guidelines on how we should think and act during our time here on earth. That includes the great commission AND being good citizens and neighbors. In fact, we should be the BEST citizens and neighbors to shine our light to all men. They aren't mutually exclusive, for certain. Both and...
I encourage you to engage your Pastor or Elders in a conversation about your points from your post. It sounds like you're a bit miffed about some sermons, but my guess is you might hear a different, more well-rounded view if you allowed them the chance to dialogue with you about it. That would only be fair and kindly of you, eh?
In any case, Christians ought to always vote for (and think/do/act, etc.) however God tells each one of us. So make sure you hear what He's saying to you (whatever it is). You sure don't want to screw up and get it wrong!
PS: Can I be frank? The Bible has A LOT to say about the best forms of gov't and economics government for people to enjoy freedom, success, and peace. Most of us just don't like to read those "Old" parts so we don't know about them!
Yep, Obama was appointed by God to be our President.
It wouldn't have occurred if it wasn't what God wanted.
But it could very well be to bring judgment to us for turning away from Him (or at least be the beginnings of judgement) - ie. all of human history.
So just because it happened, doesn't mean it's a good thing.
Great points everyone. Feel free to vent.
Anonymous, I actually did dialogue with my pastor at length about the issue, but he never really understood what I was getting at. It was like he had this huge disconnect when it came to theology and politics. Not sure why.
And I did leave one point off of the blog that I think is important: You can't legislate righteousness.
As Paul points out in Romans 13, government is necessary and good. It keeps criminal behavior in check. It provides aid and protection for people. But it does not do anything to change human hearts. That is for a spiritual government. And I think sometimes we forget that.
Who are we to decide for non-believers what they should do and not do with their lives? There is no such thing as a "Christian nation." If I wasn't a Christian, I would be offended by that term. Separation of Church and State is a good and necessary thing. If you spend any time studying church history, you should be able to understand the pitfalls of trying to impose religion on non-religious people.
What if the government imposed other faiths on our children? I would much rather not be allowed to pray in school than for my child to be forced to participate in Eastern meditation rites every day in class, just to be fair to all religions.
In truth, we are a spiritual (and global) kingdom, and as Jenn so aptly wrote, we need to keep that kingdom firmly in mind. I think, because it's invisible, we tend to forget our true king and who we really are.
I wouldn't compare the theocracy of Israel to the democracy of America. This is a very different place and time. God always wanted to govern his people directly. He was rejected, so he set up a monarchy (it was fair and had guidelines, but it was not God's first choice), with the promise that someday someone would sit on David's throne forever. We are in that period now, but we still want a man to rule over us.
Things are better for people, believing or unbelieving, when they live under law and rule that is based on what God has called good (His Law). We were made to function as righteous creatures, and while the Law cannot make us righteous, it does enable us to live some semblance of peaceful life while on earth. That's certainly why any government established in God's Laws will be a better one than a government that, say, doesn't acknowledge the wrongness of murder, theft, etc.
Anonymous--you said about Obama's election "So just because it happened, doesn't mean it's a good thing." I am not sure what sense you mean for "good" but the fact is that even if it leads to hardship for us, if that is what God knows is best for bringing about His plan, drawing men to Himself and purifying His people, then it most certainly is a good thing.
You are 100% correct about our citizenship being in heaven.
I see our right to vote as the same thing as voting for a class president for our school. We vote for some one who has our values and that we think will run the school they way we want to see it run. If we don't vote then we have no right to complain when things don't happen the way we want them to. We have the privilege [for now] of living in a country where we can choose what schools we send our kids to, what college we attend, what church we want to go to [or not] what career we want, and all the other freedoms we have in the United States of America. What other country allows you as much freedom? We can't change what God has purposed in the Bible [and who would want too?] Prophecy will and is being carried out in His time and under His supreme control. Obama is not the "Anti-Christ" but he clearly is "Anti" Christ, so hold on to your seat we are in for some radical changes in the way our government is run but we have nothing to fear [if we belong to Jesus] God is the same today as He was yesterday and He is still on the Throne. Hallelujah!
"Contradiction" #1: I'm not reformed, but I'll attempt to answer your question about your pastor. While reformed believers seem to see the world in a deterministic way, they acknowledge that they do not know the pre-determined outcome. Therefore, they still preach to the lost, not knowing who God will save but believing that it is entirely his work. The logic is likely the same for politics and all other aspects of life. In addition to voting, I'm sure your pastor also places a high premium on honesty, obedience, consideration, love, preaching the word, etc.; being reformed doesn't mean throwing your hands in the air and saying, "Why bother?"--it's not fatalistic.
"Contradiction" #2: (What's the contradiction?) I will answer your question personally. I do not assume whatsoever whom God wants to lead this country. I vote for candidates based as exclusively as possible on their ideas of what constitutes sound government and policy without consideration of their religious views.
And where do you get the idea that "we" support the Republican party, anyway?
Well put. I appreciate the clear analysis.
I suppose what bothered me most about the way my pastor went about it was that he seemed so concerned, as if he believed that the outcome would be determined by his efforts.
The whole thing was strange to me, like a coach telling a football player, "the game is rigged, you're going to win, so go out there and give it your all!"
Sometimes people assume that I don't care about our country, that I don't follow the developments in the world, or that I don't believe in the democratic system. It's not that at all. I just get bothered when Christians try to merge our spiritual kingdom with our "Christian" nation. Lines get blurred.
What makes something "Christian"? Good morals? Following Biblical principals? We would all agree that it takes a spiritual transformation for anything to become Christian. In essence, it takes GOD HIMSELF to be Christian. Morality is a side effect of spiritual life and growth, which is why it's called the Fruit of the Spirit. Anything less is a sad substitute, the efforts of our flesh.
To call America a Christian nation just because it started with certain values is a bit of a stretch. But it is a GOOD place to live, there is no denying that. We are free to worship according to our beliefs. I would much rather live here, in a Democracy, a free country, than anywhere else. But I am also part of a different kingdom, a global kindgom, that is not based in moral codes, but in the life of God Himself.
It would be an interesting study to look deeper into where and why these lines get blurred.
Carrie,
Ours was one of the first (if not THE first) government set up on a non-religious basis. Sure, many founders where Christians. Many were also Deists (not Christians). Others were atheists. Our government is specifically designed not to favor any one religion over another so that our country could be a place of religious freedom.
I agree that Christians should vote, that we should engage the society and the culture. Christians in China are in a different situation, probably more like the early Church, so it makes sense for them to avoid involvement in politics (overbearing, oppressive government). In America, however, the government wants our input, so we ought to voice our support for just laws and just leaders. Yes, John, God works on a spiritual level, but he also works on a physical level, and I am not aware of a Christian principle that justifies willful irrelevance. We are not voting to "help God" as you put it. Also, voting is not inherently independent of or acting apart from God any more than breathing. The idea that either I vote or I let God work is an example of a fallacy called false dichotomy. Both can and should happen simultaneously.
God's Plan and Legislating Morality
Not everything that happens in the world is good or God's plan, so it doesn't follow that Obama's election is necessarily God's choice or plan or that it is good (although it could be). Unless you've all become Reformed and didn't tell me. Jesus prayed, "Let Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven," implying that God's will is not always done on Earth. I doubt (but could be wrong) that the genocide happening in our country is part of the greater plan.
John, when you say, "You can't legislate righteousness," do you mean it in the same sense as when people say, "You can't legislate morality"? Morality is the only thing that CAN be legislated. Societies come to some conclusion about what is right and wrong and make laws to enforce those views. Murder? Wrong, make it illegal. Choosing a career? Right, don't restrict it. Worshiping whomever you want? Right, don't restrict it. Monopolies? Wrong, make them illegal. You get the idea.
John, your poll is lacking the correct answer as a choice. It would be nice if you left it as "yes", "no", and "maybe" instead of inserting hypothetical reasons for those choices.
I would prefer to choose "I don't know" but would answer "no" as a second choice, but not because I think it was His will; I do not think God CAN be disappointed because he knows all things. Disappointment comes to humans when we expect one thing and get another; God already knows all outcomes. Duh.
You're right, Kurt. We can't just assume God's will is always being done. We DO need to be praying that it is. It matters. I have been bringing my fears and concerns about this election to the Lord for awhile now, and praying the Lord's prayer very sincerely. I know He has heard, and He has assured me in no uncertain terms that His will WAS done in this election. I know that is not really "admissible evidence" since it is only my own interaction with the Lord and cannot be proven to anyone else to be true, but that is the perspective I was writing from. I am at peace because the King has assured me that all is well, and has challenged me not to allow myself to be discouraged at an outcome I didn't personally want.
That is why I feel so passionately about our placing our focus on the Kingdom of God and not on this earthly kingdom. There is joy and certainty in trusting our Father with our lives, and only fear and uncertainty looking at the earthly means. "Some trust in chariots..."
John,
You keep mentioning a "democracy" in America...very technically we are not a "democracy". A democracy would be determined by the straight popular vote. We are more a "Representative Republic" - meaning that the people in Wyoming are equally represented as those in California hence the Electoral College.
It really doesn't have anything to do with this conversation but I just really think the distinction is extremely important.
Kurt,
One thing you wrote is really important for me to clarify. Righteousness and morality are HUGELY different.
Righteousness comes from God. In fact, it is God's nature and character being seen through a man. Righteousness can only be seen in living, functional believers.
Morality exists in all religions and even with non-religious people. It cannot be legislated (you can't make a law that MAKES people moral, they can still break the law) but it can be directed and enforced.
Here is one of those areas where lines can be blurred. Some people mistake "nice" people for Christians. That's like mistaking a turtle for a rock. They may look similar, but one is alive and one is dead.
I'm glad the blog stimulated a lot of thought. But I don't want to lose the forest for the trees. The main point of the blog was to address the fear and anxiety that I saw in so many believers when it came to this election, which made me wonder about the source of this fear.
I wanted to encourage Christian Americans to see that our true allegience is to our eternal, spiritual, global kingdom. I realize that we live here, and have certain rights and obligations. I do value those things. But someday America (along with baseball, hot dogs, Randy Travis, and the Grand Canyon) will be no more, and we will be standing on a very different stage concerned with the battles between light and darkness, not Republicans and Democrats. It's important to always keep those things in perspective.
Hi John,
I agree with your view of righteousness, but it renders your statement "You can't legislate righteousness" irrelevant. Who says that you can?
By the way, to "legislate morality" does not mean to "make people moral". Here is what my friend said about it: "I think it was Aristotle who said that law rests upon the necessary foundation of morality. In this view, any law which doesn't have a moral rationale is an illicit law. Some might say, 'you can't legislate morality.' If Aristotle is right, morality is the only thing you can legislate. If the power of government is used to secure benefits to a select few rather than the common good, that's an illicit use of law."
I understand and agree with what you're saying, but you're not exactly in line with my thought, so let me try to write it more clearly:
Any true change on a moral level must happen from within a person. We, as parents, often tell our children to say "Thank you," though this does not make them thankful. Can we make them thankful? No. And no amount of rules can do so. Maybe when they get older, their words will match their heart. I guess it depends on the kid.
I think we are all aware of this basic concept.
However, when it comes to a larger, more political stage, I think that some Christians forget. Many believe that more "righteous" policies will make us a more "righteous" nation in God's eyes. As if laws against gay marriage, abortion, or murder can somehow make Americans less prone toward such sins.
It is good that, with law, we are in a position to take action against such travesties. And we can assume that God would be pleased with those laws. But we must never forget that God is not impressed with white-washed tombs.
Jesus was intimately concerned with the hearts of the people. Individuals. Not their government. Government is important, there is no denying that, but I think so many Christians get their perspectives out of line by thinking that they can produce internal change with external polices.
Maybe you would't agree, but I'm not talking about you specifically. I'm speaking in general terms. And it's only an observation.
John,
I agree with you that "Any true change on a moral level must happen from within a person," and your bit about children.
I agree with you that, "Many believe that more 'righteous' policies will make us a more 'righteous' nation in God's eyes," but I'm not sure that idea is wholly untrue, looking at examples of God's dealing with nations in the OT.
I agree with you that, "Jesus was intimately concerned with the hearts of the people...not their government."
My point of disagreement is that "many Christians...[think] that they can produce internal change with external polices." I know many Christian groups are heavily involved in politics and lobbying, but I have never heard them state that a goal of that activity is internal change. Remember, you are admittedly not that interested in politics and are looking in from the outside, and I think your "observation" about Christians' motives is actually just an assumption. I have actively worked on a variety of political campaigns, subscribed to Christian political newsletters, and read Christian political blogs and have never heard or witnessed the motive you ascribe to Christians desiring political change.
I know you aren't talking about me specifically, and I think your generalization is incorrect. Some Christians might think laws produce internal change, but they are certainly only a tiny minority. I might be wrong about this, and if so, please give me an example (like a Christian website, not anecdote) that supports your generalization.
We need to remember that Christ paid for all our sins past, present, and future. By this, we have left the Old Covenant of the Law and we have entered into the New Covenant of the Spirit. Paul writes about this to the Hebrews in chapter 8. The Law is obsolete. When the Ten Commandments are proudly displayed in the halls of government, it should be remembered that these are guidelines as to what God wants for us.
It should be clear that the nation of Israel must continue to uphold the Law in order to find favor with God under the Old Covenant, while the USA can indulge a more liberal tolerance and interpretation of the Law. Our salvation is in Christ…not the Law.
In chapter 6 of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he makes the point that “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful.” Again, in chapter 10, Paul makes the point that all things are lawful, but not all things are helpful to the Church. The point is that we are bound to the body of Christ and not the law of the World.
I (Rick Mugele) am greatly encouraged by the voters who continue to see past the intellectual and legal arguments, and party lines, and vote what they believe. We have that right.
Hey Kurt,
Maybe your experience has only been with solid, level-headed Christians that clearly understand that their efforts, though in response to a love for the world and a desire to see God's creation bettered, are working hand in hand with people of all faiths and causes. Even Athiests.
Politics is not, in essence, Christian. And my point was that many people (maybe a different crowd than you see) see political agendas as Christian crusades. At least that was what I was reacting to on the "day after" when I wrote this blog.
And that was also what prompted the talk of "blurred lines" and legislating righteousness. "God and Country" can start to seem like the same thing for some people. Maybe that's why Christian music and Country music sounds so alike. :)
Hi John,
As always, I enjoy your intriguing curosity and the way your mind works....which s much like my wife's...31 years of Marriage and I still haven't got a clue how that girl can think at a level a bazillion degree's deeper then my brain takes me...
I especially enjoyed your thoughts about the whole election process.
I've always tended to vote issues, and not along party lines...and yes, I've voted for Republican/Conservative most of the time, i.e., protecting the Sanctity of Human life, Protecting the Sanctity of Marriage.
(I Recently heard "Sting" describe himself as a monogomist...But he he qualifed his statement by adding, "I'm just a Serial Monogomist!"...Ha!)
But here's my quandry, John:
History has taught us that, generally speaking, the Church/Christians Turn TO God during times of hardship and Persecution, but turn away from God, growing larthegic, during times of Prosperity.....
Which brings me back to your statement...How do we know when we are REALLY voting as GOD would have us vote?
This is Definitely a most interesting Season to be living in!!!
It's also a Time when we Definitely need for God to dail us into His Spirit and give us the Mind of Christ!
Blessings John,
Tim Harrison
Tim!
Great points. You're absolutely right in saying that we need to stay spiritually sensitive in these times, and not move with the flow of culture from comfort/lethargy to distress/faith. It was amazing how "Christian" everyone was after 9/11.
We should not only be asking God HOW we should vote, but also IF we should vote. I'm not assuming either one, but I think sometimes we don't even allow ourselves the option of approaching politics from a more spiritual direction. We tend to go through the front entrance doors without even wondering if there is a members-only rear entrance.
I'm speaking of poilitical intercession. However, I definitely believe that God appoints and develops those people for that invisible work. He appoints others to vote, or move to Washington DC and get out there with the other suits.
I (Ted Tyman) have read this entire blog with all of it's thoughtful comments and have been prompted to contemplation. Thank you.
I do, however, have to take offense to one thing you said, John.
Baseball will not last?????!!!!
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