“Daniel answered and said: ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.’” ─Daniel 2:20-21
Following up on my last sermon of what our country is headed straight long into, I have impassioned many people to send me emails either pro or con. It seems this political season brings out strong responses from the left and the right. Affirmations became the majority of opinions concerning my belief of what convictions are─that as Christians what we must wrestle with in this time of uncertainty in this once great country.
I say once great as she is slowly being taken apart, freedom by freedom right before our eyes. Sadly, people have deep seeded prejudices against one religion over another. Can a man be judged in the secular forum by his church? If so, then we should look at his record for details of his convictions that play out in his ability to govern.
We should also look at his family history, his public and private life and weigh his morality compared to our guide, the Bible. In this last election, one man was elected because the religious evangelical community would not even get out and vote their conscience and we ended up with what we battle today, further moral depravity.
Remember one thing, my fellow believers, God is in control, as the above verse confirms. We can do nothing to thwart the plan of God for this world we live our final days on. God will put in place men who will fulfill His will and bring final judgment about their heads for transgressing His laws and His Word.
It is guaranteed by the prophesies found in your Bible. But here is the rub. Can a Christian sit on their laurels and do nothing but wait for the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Do we stand against blatant evil amongst the public forum or turn a blind eye and say “God will do it. I need not lift a finger?” I pray you know the answer to that one.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT
Case in point. We have a struggle in our country on who should be leading this nation in the next four years. I believe we are bumping up against the end of the age, and the next leader will either hasten that end and cause more suffering and misery for the masses, or the alternative, a leader that will fight evil in this land and stand for the principles of our founding fathers that made this nation great in the first place.
Can a leader restore our national pride in God and country? Can any one man do anything to stem the tide of the tsunami of turmoil that is headed our way? To a point, yes. But only if he relies on the moral principles that were put in place when this country was founded. Can he convince a nation to turn back to God? No, it’s not his job.
I believe we are past that as half the country is about liberal policies that fly in the face of the God of the Bible. But he can put in policies that spur economic growth, rid this nation of immoral laws that pervert human life and the foundation of the human existence the family. He can put a temporary brake on our moral decline. The rest is up to the masses at large, either religious or secular.
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Romans 1:31)
We are to submit to the laws of the land, except when the laws go against the laws of God. God has clear commands over the issue of homosexuality found in the first chapter of Romans, and what constitutes a family, based on a covenant relationship between a man and a woman to become one flesh, even as Jesus and the church are to be one in a covenant relationship.
That is why I am appalled at our current president who came out in support of same sex marriage and the homosexual agenda. No president past has ever taken this liberal stance. It speaks of the depravity of conscience the man in the White House holds onto.
Then there is abortion. We all know that since Roe Vs. Wade was upheld by the Supreme Court, that greater than fifty million little ones have been butchered on the altar of convenience. Where is our president on this issue? His record speaks volumes about his value of human life.
His voting record has upheld partial birth abortion numerous times, and even voted to deny medical attention to a fetus who is born alive after an abortion attempt….Folks, that’s voting for murder. We have become the society with the same values of ancient civilizations that sacrificed their children to the fires of pagan gods.
Which candidate will best support the ideals necessary for the flourishing of our society: religious liberty, economic freedom, respect for life, and a proper ordering of the spheres of society? Prudence dictates that we take such political decisions into account when deciding how to cast our vote. Is it this president? I think you know the answer to that one!!
CRIES FROM THE CULTURALLY BLINDED
I had a lady who came from her former LDS circle that blasted me with a long email the evils of that religion. Is it mainstream? No, they are outside of biblical understanding. Sadly, she couldn’t see the forest for the trees and will most likely vote for Obama, or not at all.
We have ministers that rail against voting for a man who doesn’t conform to their model of a Christian leader and even on this forum that proclaim that we are abandoning Jesus Christ by voting for the man with the wrong religion. Say what? Have any of these pastors and Christian bloggers even voted in the last 40-50 years? Old timers like me remember a man by the name of John F. Kennedy.
What was the fear back then? Most of the Christian community was afraid that we would be beholden to the Vatican, because an Irish Catholic had never been elected. Did it happen? No, and the man is revered to be one of our greatest presidents.
How about Reagan? Was he a Christian man? Not in the way most Christians believe that faith in Jesus Christ makes you a Christian, not just a moniker tied around your neck. Was he a great president? Probably one of the most conservative of all presidents that restored our economy from the brink of disaster.
Remember the interest rates? The unemployment figures? I do, and they larger and more disastrous than what we face now…Reagan was a man who held morals of clarity, who had doubts about Jesus Christ, but performed in the secular circle most brilliantly.
In our history it is noted that a Christian that holds onto that narrow view of our world would not have voted for George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, or the afore mentioned Ronald Reagan as none fit the mold of being a Christian first and a leader second.
DECISION TIME, CHOOSE WISELY
It comes down to one question of our lifetime and this period in human history. Can a Christian vote into office men who professes a religion that is in conflict with their own? A quote from a piece done by Professor Bywater of Oxford University states this in an article I will preface:
As Summit President Dr. Jeff Myers points out in the new “Political Animal” course, this is a misguided objection, because it misses one crucial point, Romans 3:10-11: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
So all of us, not just particular political candidates, are shot-through with sin. If taken to its logical conclusion, this objection would disallow Christians from being involved in any civil or social activity, politics or otherwise. We also must not forget that in the United States, voting is only one of our civic responsibilities. If candidates are elected and do evil, it is the citizens’ responsibility to hold the officials accountable through exposure, protest, the judiciary, and the next election.
With that being said, can we abstain from political or religion debate and sit on our laurels and wait for the return of Jesus Christ? Is that what God expects of us? He said, “occupy” until He comes. “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8b, emphasis added)
“Faith” in what? Faith that He is in control and we must do what is right individually concerning the evil around us and make a stand for righteousness.
It’s an individual battle of conscience in synch with the leading of the Holy Spirit. Are we any man’s judge outside of our own church body? God says He will judge the world. It is above our level of authority to do otherwise.
Again, people object that we must elect only Christian men and women to higher office of this land. It would be so wonderful if more men and women would make a political statement and run for office, but to be a politician is an exercise in compromise of basic principles. No where in the bible does it say that only Christian must be elected to office by other Christians. We must remember that we are not electing a Pastor in Chief, but a Commander in Chief of the armed forces and protector of our common good.
Take for example the following biblical heroes: Joseph in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, or Esther in Persia. The apostle Paul, in Acts 25 appeals to Caesar as a Roman citizen.
These biblical heroes were asked to work for the good of others in the confines of often-hostile government leadership.
Yet God did not ask them to overthrow or only support believing leadership. He taught them to live justly and to promote societal justice. That is what we are faced with in a growing sea of abominations that must stink in the nostrils of our great God and Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ.
By a man’s actions, you will know him. Do we know our current president? Oh, yes, we know him and he can’t hide from his record, as he has hid his past from the eyes of a nation that might not appreciate where he came from or what he stands for. To continue doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of “insanity”.
THE PROPHET JEREMIAH SPEAKS
In Jeremiah, the prophet reminds the people to seek welfare of the city they dwelt in being taken captive to another land: Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished
Jeremiah 29:6-9:
“Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished.
And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord”
In other words, we are to be preserving agents, not just of cultures but also of good political processes. And in our own Republic, sometimes preserving the political process involves voting againstsomeone as much as voting forsomeone. Therefore, if a candidate would not be our first choice to fill a political position, we can vote for that candidate in the hope that a worse candidate does not win.
WHAT ABOUT THIS CURRECT CYCLE
Another case in point; our current choice of two political candidates. You may not agree with either of the candidates positions. You might find one’s religion offensive. But can that religion be more offensive than the religion or the lack of it, of say JFK and Roman Catholics who have killed millions in the name of the Pope?
How about Islam? Can Allah be offensive to you? Would you vote for a Muslim sympathizer? If you voted for the current president, you just did. It is well documented. His record shows his loyalties and where his passions lie. Not to say he is a closet Muslim, I’ll leave that for your determination.
The point here is, who is in the best interest of the country in the secular forum and forgetting religious differences? For that we must look at their political record. I invite you to look at each man’s accomplishments, or the lack thereof and make a informed decision, not an emotional one.
POLITICS IN A WORLD FALLEN, DEMANDS PRUDENCE
In this world we live in, we must look at the practical results of any one man’s victory this coming November. Who will the man surround himself with to execute the responsibilities of his office? As the Supreme Court ages, more justices will retire and the next president will make appointments based on either our values, or an alternative value system that we will pay for in the generations to come long after his term runs out.
In the case of our current president he has surrounded himself with radicals and left leaning progressives, including one self-proclaimed Communist and maybe more hidden in the closet and czars that account to no one, not even Congress. What about circumventing the law by making executive orders that overrule going to Congress for approval?
Who has the president been appointing to take the vacancies of the Supreme Court? Liberal leaning justices that have an eye on changing America to something other than what we have held dear in times past. In what we have discovered of this man called Mr. “Hope and Change,” is that there is a shadowy parallel government that is set to change the direction of this country. When Mr. Obama ran on hope and change, all we got is a change in this country that leaves us with no hope.
How will a President Romney govern? We can only look at his record in Massachusetts and his business dealings and successes that propelled him to a level of success that only a handful of men will experience in this country. Will he uphold the principles of what our country was based on? I pray he will, as his record says that he is more right leaning of center than the current far left president who resides there now. Will he apply what he has learned from his business experience and do the same for the national stage?
If he uses the same principles to rebuild this nation, as he rebuilt failing businesses and rescued a failing Winter Olympics, the likelihood is great. Will he limit government and scale back the over reaching authority of an ever-increasing government intrusion on our lives? We will hold his feet to the fire and demand its delivery, as we must hold this current president accountable for where we are today and where we are headed. We will demand repeal of laws that were made above the objections of the American people.
In closing, can we stand four more years of what we have experienced thus far? I say a resounding “NO!” Naturally, objections may be lodged against any candidate’s policy positions. The careful consideration of these questions is what political prudence is all about. God will hold us each accountable for either standing up for what is right, or turning a blind eye to blatant evil. As English philosopher Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.”
I pray that the Lord will lead each of us by His Holy Spirit to do what is right in His sight and take a stand for righteousness and principles that stand on His Word and His Law: “The Ten Commandments.”
This is Pastor Mike Taylor praying God’s salvation comes into our life through Jesus Christ our Lord. If you need counseling, prayer, or just a friendly ear, email me at: realteam1999@sbcglobal.net, or visit me online for sermons for Christian living in these perilous times at: www.churchofgod-usa.org. God bless you all, till we meet at Jesus feet.