I believe that there is intense spiritual activity that is taking place today - there is a conflict in our land today, centered over ideology. People have been making decisions for weeks and even months concerning the state of our nation, and we have to make sure that we are being spiritually-minded about the situations that are confronting us. The Bible says in Ephesians chapter 6:
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness...
If voting is an act of worship, which I believe it is, then we have to consider how informed our choices are by the Scriptures. We have to make a Biblical case for our vote. I shared this over a year ago:
The question is not "what do we think," but "what does the Bible say?" And, when we encounter God's truth, then we can make it our aim to align with it; but we should always strive to make sure that God's Word is informing our beliefs - not allowing our beliefs to govern an incorrect rendering of the Word.
Well, we made it! Election Day has come and gone, and Americans have exercised their right as citizens in this incredible, free nation to make their voices heard. And, believers, just as in other decisions of life, have the responsibility to pray and be informed. We can rely on the leadership of the Holy Spirit to give us answers in life. Jesus said in John 16:
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
It was October 2019 - the nation was in the midst of an "impeachment inquiry," which culminated in the following February with an acquittal for President Trump. I shared a Front Room commentary at the time which played off some words of Franklin Graham, as well as Faith Radio programmer, Dr. Robert Jeffress. Here is a portion of what I shared at the time:
Prominent evangelical leaders are voicing concern about the nature of the action against the President and the response to it. Religion News Service did a piece on Franklin Graham, in which he is quoted as saying: “Our country could begin to unravel if an elected president is thrown out of office because of lies and the media,” adding, “It could be a devastating thing. We’re in very dangerous territory. I would encourage all the politicians to look very carefully at where we are and first of all make sure that truth is told.” He believes the impeachment inquiry to be "nothing about nothing." The article notes:
Graham’s defense of the president echoed that of fellow evangelical Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church Dallas, who has warned of a potential civil war if the House votes on impeachment and who has accused Democrats of worshipping the pagan god Moloch.
Well, let's examine that just a bit. Ruth Graham, who is not to be confused with Franklin's sister of the same name, which she shares with their mother, wrote a comprehensive piece on the Slate website, albeit with a liberal slant. The story was centered on Pastor Jeffress, and she writes that the Dallas pastor "warned that if Democrats remove Donald Trump from office, it would lead to 'a Civil War–like fracture in this nation from which this country will never heal.'" She goes on to say:
The Civil War comments took off when Trump repeated them on Sunday evening, threading them into a four-tweet warning against impeachment. The specter of a president obliquely predicting violence in response to an investigation caused predictable consternation in Washington. But Jeffress, for his part, has only doubled down. The next day, in an interview with Todd Starnes on Fox’s Todd Starnes Show, he said he had chosen his words carefully, and was neither predicting nor advocating for a new civil war.
But, I did write that we are in a "a war of ideas that have polarized our nation. The culture war is certainly not over, as some have contended, and Biblical truth has not been vanquished. But, let's just look at the dynamics and the ideas at play." Regardless of the outcome of the election, these issues remain unchanged. Here are some of the areas I listed:
There's the sanctity of life vs. abortion on demand...that is key; in fact, we see that people who are in favor of abortion tend to be more liberal and less Biblical on other positions, as well. But, we are in a day where the taking of the lives of pre-born children has been redefined into a woman's right, and politicians and influencers have completely gone off the deep end in making sure this so-called "right" is preserved up until and perhaps even past the moment of birth. A living human being cannot be reduced to a human right and this issue has generated passionate conflict in our nation.
Also, you see that God's view of sexuality is being challenged by the attempt to legitimize homosexuality and other forms of perversion, such as transgenderism. Those that pursue the LGBT agenda do not wish to consider the truth of the Bible and in fact, are attempting to soften the Church's stance on these sinful practices. The legalization of gay marriage and other so-called "reforms," such as the Equality Act, stand in direct contrast to the Biblical worldview perspective, causing deep division in our nation. Civil war? Not bloodshed, but certainly a war of ideas and rhetoric.
The enemy recognizes that if he can keep Christians divided, then our witness is diminished. There is a fierce conflict between identity in Christ and identity politics. Our unity in Christ is threatened by division based on race, gender, and more. Southern Baptists, at their annual convention this year, had a chance to repudiate Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality, which are ideas that divide people into oppressed and oppressor, victims and victimizers; rather, in a hasty procedure, they affirmed that these could be used as "analytical tools" that should be submitted to Scripture.
The Bible is a book of justice, but it is certainly not social justice. Social justice seems to be based on blame and hostility, rather than the Biblical concepts of mercy and forgiveness. You cannot legitimately people and groups alive today accountable for actions that were taken decades ago. Rather than relive the past, we can seek God's help and apply His principles for the future.
The view of government is also a key issue. As it's been pointed out on The Meeting House, the government does not grant rights, those are determined by God. The government, through our Constitution, protects those rights that have been granted. That's the beauty of that founding document. However, there are those who, for some reason, believe that we need to try something else: socialism, which is a system that removes the concept of God our Creator and concentrates power in an authoritarian way. Again, someone has to call the shots to determine how the resources are to be shared. The Bible assigns government two responsibilites: to maintain order and to punish evil - the principle of limited government is consist with the Scriptural view. However, there are those who would advocate for an overreaching government that would attempt to enter our lives in seemingly countless ways.
Back to the concept of the protection of rights now. The Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of religion; not freedom of worship, as some have described it, where faith is practiced in the four walls for church. No, we are called to have a robust practice of our faith, which has been so influential in our nation. But, there are those who would want to suppress the practice of faith or to suppress Christianity, because the teachings of Christ stand in stark contrast to the ideas that are being pushed that do not value the worth of the individual or the sanctity of marriage. Again, a civil war, you might ask? Not with bullets, but with bullet points.
That is a part of my overall commentary from that day in October of last year. These are all important areas. I remember the Manhattan Declaration's commitment to uphold life, marriage, and religious liberty. People of faith in America and abroad should have a desire to express their faith convictions freely, without government interference. We have seen instances, including a Supreme Court case that was heard earlier today, where faith-based individuals and companies are pressured to compromise their convictions. Think about Jack Phillips. Barronelle Stutzman. Aaron and Melissa Klein. Little Sisters of the Poor. All currently or previously involved in legal action just because they wanted to be free to live according to their convictions. There are aspirants for elected office who have shown they would like to use the heavy hand of government to infringe on your religious liberties. And, the U.S. has become more devoted to exporting this Biblical idea of freedom of religion around the world.
I also outlined "other areas of contrast in this war." This was my list:
Responsibility vs. Entitlement
Freedom of Conscience vs. Forced Submission
Belief in God vs. Belief in Humanity
Unconditional Love vs. Intolerance and Hostility Toward Faith
Limited Immigration and the Rule of Law vs. Open Borders
Surrender to God's Law vs. Redefinition of God's Law
Respect for Authority vs. Disrespect for Authority
Support for Israel vs. Opposition to Israel
Since then, we have seen a marked rise in lawlessness and advocating of anarchy, which stands in contrast with a commitment to law and order.
The election has come and gone, and the God who raises up and deposes kings, according to the book of Daniel, has established a slate of leadership, for which we are called to pray. So, what do we do now? Plenty. I was inspired by what my wife wrote several days ago, and I quote it with her permission:
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4 is coming.
How will God’s people face that day regardless of the previous day’s outcomes?
*By remembering that God is sovereign. He appoints leaders for His time and His purposes. Whoever wins this election is God’s choice (Romans 13:1). Railing against the results is shaking your fist at God and His sovereignty.
*By committing to not criticize, condemn, or slander any leaders in word or in deed (Ephesians 4:29). Where in the Bible are toxic words commended?
*By committing to pray for our leaders, no matter who they may be. Everyone is a soul for whom Christ died. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
*By showing the world that we are different because of God’s role in our lives by refusing to engage in worthless debate, chest beating, whimpering and whining, and utterances of despair, and an “all is lost” attitude. Instead, we model a quiet acceptance, a humble submission, and an attitude of hope and trust in the one Who is really in control. We continue to pray for God’s will to be done and ask Him to show us our place in His plan for this country and what we can do to bring Him glory and show His love.
If Christians go berserk, what hope can we offer the world?
God has a plan, and we are called to seek after and follow His will. The election of a President, Congress, or other leaders is important, but how we live our lives in the spheres of influence to which we are called - that is far more important; through the faithfulness of Christians, that is how we can change our nation and change the world that Jesus died to save.
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