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This is an important article to help you get your bearings on all this political hoopla in the Christian community. Christians must be non-political. That's what the Bible says, so start removing those bumper stickers off your car. Such things are inappropriate for Christians.
Christians who Propagate Political Poison
©2010 Earl Jackson
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.
I suppose it just comes with the territory, but because I receive such a large quantity of emails, I probably receive more politically oriented propaganda than most of you. Not a day passes that some Christian does not send me an email or two about how Obama is incarnate evil. how the left is plunging our country into moral ruin, how we need to turn our country back into the Christian land that it once was, how socialism has taken our freedom away, or some other nonsense like this.
Most of the people who send this stuff out are good, well-intentioned people, who don’t see anything wrong with what they are doing. Some on the other hand, are pastors and religious leaders, who should know that what they are doing is just plain wrong. When they e-mail a whole list of people, political invectives, political propaganda, and hateful speech against the leaders of our country, and material inviting us to participate in civil rebellion, they are not only hurting us, by trying to fill our minds with this pus of hate, but they are also irreparably harming the cause of God and truth. This is a serious problem, of major proportions and implications for every child of God.
Should Christians get behind political causes, and favorite politicians and rally their Christian comrades to do the same thing? Should Christians become political advocates of change? Should we use our talents and strengths to try to reform our governments, recreate our countries, and turn the tide of immorality in our world via political reform? These questions are vital to ask, because if this is indeed what Christians are supposed to be doing, then we all need to jump on the bandwagon, and start doing it. But I submit to you, that Christians are not supposed to be doing any of this stuff, and I will show you the reasons why from the Bible, which is the book that must govern all of our actions and thoughts.
When Jesus told the hesitant man to “Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God (Lk.9:60), He was making an important statement regarding a Christians attitude toward the world, and his proper mission in the world. The world is a dead and dying place. The dead are all around us in this place, and even most of the best politicians are “dead in trespasses and sins”, so WE SHOULD LEAVE THEM ALONE. Let the dead take care of the dead, that is not our job. Our job is to “preach the kingdom of God “. There is nothing difficult to understand here. Jesus was basically saying, because the world is dead, don’t waste your precious time trying to reform it, change it, improve it or anything else. The dead take care of themselves, and we are no longer involved with their death and darkness, when we become children of the light and life. Colossians says: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col. 1:13). We are all about, life and truth, about preaching God’s kingdom, and not about the kingdoms of this world. We must only take our cues from the Bible, and from no other source.
Please consider the following Biblical facts.
1. America is not God’s Country.
Don’t be deceived by speeches that make it sound as though America is a “Christian Country”. It is not now, nor has it ever been a “Christian Country”. There is no such as a Christian Country. Jesus plainly taught us: “MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD” (Jn. 18:36). He has no kingdoms on earth. America is not His kingdom. Israel is not His kingdom. Great Britain is not His kingdom.
Earthly countries do not qualify as belonging to the Lord, because they cannot qualify. Things that belong to the Lord are “holy”. Israel in the Old Testament met this qualification “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Ex. 19:6). They were the only earthly country to ever meet this qualification, and it was accomplished by the Lord sanctifying them. But when the New Testament was ushered in God to the kingdom status away from any and all earthly people and He turned it into a much higher order of kingdom…a spiritual kingdom. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy (1Pet. 2:9-10). God no longer has Christian countries on earth. Nor will he ever have them in the future. We are citizens of Heavens pure country (Gal. 4:26; Eph. 2:19; Heb. 12:22-23).
2. The Lost are Not God’s Ambassadors
For the most part, all of the political parties, and all of their candidates and seated politicians are lost men and women. There may be an occasional Christian here or there, but for the most part they are all lost people. This is important, because I hear members of the so-called Christian right touting Jesus’ directives regarding their favorite candidates. “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matt. 7:16,20). They see a candidate who is opposed to abortion, opposed to big government, opposed to gay marriage, as being the candidate with good fruits. So they argue that, as Christians, we should vote for that candidate, because they are for moral fruit.
The problem here, is that such a use of Jesus’ words, is against their actual meaning. In fact, using Jesus’ fruit words like that is a direct contradiction of what He actually said. Jesus said that only a good tree could bring forth good fruit. “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” (Matt. 7:17-18). We must not ignore what Christ actually said. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. What he is talking about is the true nature of the tree, being reflected in the nature f the fruit. If the tree is lost, without Christ, alienated from the life of God…IT CANNOT BRING FORTH GOOD FRUIT! We cannot rip Jesus’ words out of context. No matter how moral it may sound, a lost politician is just bringing forth lost fruit. His moral nature is corrupt before God, and all the legalistic moral issues that he advocates, are just lost fruit…wasted efforts. The world is not changed morally, before God, even if every office in the senate and house has the ten commandments plastered on their walls. If every politician in Washington, advocated against abortion, and for prayer in public schools, our country would be just as wicked and Amoral as it has always been. Corrupt trees will always bring forth corrupt fruit, even if the fruit are all painted to look like apples! The lost are not now, nor have they ever been, God’s ambassadors, doing God’s work to make America God’s country. Forget it. The politicians are so corrupt, THEY CANNOT BRING FORTH GOOD FRUIT. This is the only conclusion that you can reach if you take sin and salvation, as taught in the Bible, seriously.
God knows the heart of man, that it is only evil continually, (Gen. 6:5). Rallying outside an abortion clinic, or marching with the ten commandments displayed on a placard, does not change the depravity of anyone, or any nation. Human self-righteousness, and attempts at reforming society apart from the transformation of the gospel, are a waste of time. You can paint sepulchers all day long, and they will still contain nothing but dead mens bones (Matt. 23:27). As Christians we should never endorse such things, because to do so is to say that corrupt men, if voted into office can save society from moral impurity, apart from Christ and His salvation. (Look up Proverbs 16:25 to see what results from man’s ways). When you support political notions and causes, you are denying that the only moral cure for any corrupt person, or any group of corrupt people, or any corrupt society, or any corrupt nation; is the salvation of Jesus Christ. The corrupt trees have got to be transformed into good trees, before they can bring forth any good fruits whatsoever. This is the mission of the gospel, and no amount of political activism or excitement can effectuate the necessary change. Our job is to “preach the kingdom of God “, and “Let the dead bury their dead”. We have no other commission or responsibility.
3. Christians are required to obey the verses concerning the Christian attitude toward government and governors.
There are no exceptions or private opinions allowed when it comes to how Christians must treat the governments of this world, and those political figures seated in them.
Caesar is to be given that which belongs to him (Matt. 22:21; Mk. 12:17; Lk. 20:25). We are not to assume that only tax money belongs to Caesar, because other verses inform us differently. Respect and honor belongs to Caesar (1Pet. 2:17). This means that calling the president hateful names (Tit. 3:2), and showing disrespect, is unacceptable behavior from anyone claiming to be a follower of Christ. He is our king, and he was placed in his office by God (Prov. 8:15; Prov. 21:1; Acts 7:10; Rom. 9:17). The King is to be loved (1Thess. 3:12; Matt. 7:12; Matt. 22:39; Rom. 13:8; Gal. 5:13-14). Kings and politicians are to be prayed for (1Tim. 2:1-2; Eph. 5:20). We are never to be activists in any way that could defame or damage someone else, or that would make us angry over them or their causes (Acts 7:26; 2Tim. 2:24; 2Cor. 10:4; Phil. 2:3,14; James 1:19-20; James 4:2). Our behavior is always to be that of love (Matt. 5:43-45; Matt. 22:39; Lk. 10:27; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8). It does not matter one bit how much you dislike a politician or what he stands for, you are commanded to love him, honor him, and pray for him. That is the plain teaching of scripture.
4. Civil disobedience, uprising or revolt is unscriptural for a Christian.
The examples here are clearly the Lord and the Apostles. Jesus told Pilate, exactly where his power and authority came from “Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above (Jn. 19:11). While Christ acknowledged Pilates authority and power, and He submitted to it unswervingly, he nevertheless provided this subtle word of reminder to Pilate, that His destiny was actually in God’s providence and care, and Pilate could do nothing if it were not given to him. Jesus did not rebel. Jesus did not revolt against the evil powers that be, because he knew that they were 100% “ORDAINED BY GOD” (Rom. 13:1).
Tit 3:1-2 "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men."
Remind them to OBEY MAGISTRATES! There is no hint that disobedience and rebellion is allowable for Christians. As a matter of fact “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1Sam 15:23). Christian involvement in Tea Parties or other forms of protest or outward expressions of discontent, are not permissible behaviors, because we are commanded to be content in all things (Phil. 4:11; Matt. 6:31-34; 1Tim. 6:6-9; Heb. 10:34;, Heb. 13:5-6). According to these verses discontent is not a Christian attribute.
The Apostle Paul had every reason to be discontent, and to lead some kind of uprising against the evils of Rome. When he stood before king Agrippa in Acts 26, his testimony for Christ was so powerful that Agrippa said; “Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26: 28). Even when Paul languished rotting in the vile Roman prisons, He never stirred up rebellion or discontent. Such things are inconsistent with the mission and mannerisms of God’s servants. We should never appear like world-lings. But, when we take up their unholy causes we look just like them. All believers should shun such behaviors, and take up the non-politics of faith, and get as concerned about the Lord’s kingdom, as they are about the kingdoms of this world.
5. Encourage all Christians to become non-political witnesses for Christ.
Whenever I receive the typical hateful Christian emails or solicitations to join some march or protest, or to vote for some particular candidate, I always respond requesting my name to be removed from the list, and explaining why. I always try to show what the true Christian position of non-politics should be and why. Here is a sample of how I respond. This is an actual letter I received just today regarding some, hate and smear against President Obama, and some other figure. I don’t listen to this garbage, and if you are a Christian neither should you. Here’s my quick response. Perhaps you can pattern your responses along these lines as well.
Hi _______,
How are you and yours? Since I asked you a while back to not send me political drivel, I just wanted to point out the reason why. I did not read this whole article, because I don't want my mind drawn down it's whirlpool. I did however read the first sentence, and it was enough to show me that this kind of hate gush is not Christian in any way shape or form. "Obama is an amoral, mindless, IQ challenged marionette. He is controlled by the planet's most evil man who pulls the string. That man is George Soros."
To speak of our president as an "amoral, mindless, IQ challenged marionette" is a violation of the scriptures plain command to "Honor the King" (1Pet. 2:7). It also violates the important passage in 1Timothy "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior" (1Tim 2:1-3). God says that it is good and acceptable behavior for Christians to Pray to God and thank Him for the Kings and all who are in authority. This is how Christians are supposed to respond to politics. We are never to be disrespectful, hateful or unchristian in our behavior.
The second sentence shows another serious error in this kind of propaganda. "He is controlled by the planet's most evil man who pulls the string. That man is George Soros." This statement is not based at all on Christian thinking, and it directly contradicts the gospel. All men are equally evil, totally depraved and in need of Jesus Christ. I know that you believe these simple truths, but to propagate statements of hate like this diminishes God's truth. All men are just as evil as this man, and he is not the man "who pulls the strings", because only God pulls all the strings. We should never propagate ideas or notions which are founded upon the world's thinking. The world does not tell us how to think. The Bible tells us. People need to hear what God's truth says. All men are sinners, equally embroiled in evil. Their thoughts are only evil continually. The poison of asps is under their tongues.
I wish that you would join me in proclaiming "the non-politics of faith" and help turn people from worshipping the American flag, to worshipping Christ alone. You have great literary skills, and if you started publishing what God's words says about Obama and "all those in authority" you would be helping the cause of Christ, instead of making us look like damn fools.
I have several articles about this on my current issues page of my website. One of the articles is called "Does This Disturb You?" Do me a favor, check out this article, and the one called "True Patriotism" by John Newton. http://www.revearljackson.com/current-issues.html
I'm not trying to be rude,
But I really don't want to receive political invectives.
See Ya,
Earl
All Christians are called to heed Christ’s words and “preach the Kingdom of God” . His kingdom should be our concern, and as far as this world is concerned, it should basically not concern us. We are in it, but we are not of it.
6. The Salt of the Earth notion.
Jesus tells us that Christians are the salt of the earth. I heard a preacher preach a sermon about this and use it to say that it shows that we as Christians should be involved in political reform, because salt is meant to be a preservative influence in the world, and Christians are the salt. This is a horrendous and odious misuse of Jesus’ words. Lets look at exactly what Christ said.
Matt. 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Jesus did in fact tell Christians that we are the salt of the earth. But he did not leave it up to our imagination to come up with a sense in which we are the salt. He told us exactly what sense it is that we are salt. It has to do with the “savor”. We are the salt with respect to the savor of saltiness. “Savor” means taste. If salt does not taste salty it is not fulfilling it’s primary purpose. Salt added to things brings out their flavor. Salt has to taste like salt. That’s the exact sense in which we are the salt of the earth. Christians have to have the savor of Christ. Not the savor of the world. We have to be salty, because we are salt. If we are contaminated with the off flavors of this world, we are no longer salt. It is impossible to get from Christ’s clear words to the notion that Christians are supposed to be some sort of good moral or political influence on the earth. We are supposed to be what we are, A savor of Christ, not tea-party activists. The Christians who are taking up the world's causes and concerns are not acting like salt. They have lost their savor, because it is mixed with the savor of unholy worldly activities and motives.
If you are a child of God, please be the salt that you are meant to be. You are a “savor of life unto life”, and not “a savor of death unto death” (2Cor. 2:16).
God help the Christians of America to quit rallying beneath the American flag, and start rallying around the Cross of Christ. The Cross is the only thing that has power to change men, societies, and nations. It is our banner, our standard and our marching order. Any other activism is a total waste of time. “
©2010 Earl Jackson
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.
I suppose it just comes with the territory, but because I receive such a large quantity of emails, I probably receive more politically oriented propaganda than most of you. Not a day passes that some Christian does not send me an email or two about how Obama is incarnate evil. how the left is plunging our country into moral ruin, how we need to turn our country back into the Christian land that it once was, how socialism has taken our freedom away, or some other nonsense like this.
Most of the people who send this stuff out are good, well-intentioned people, who don’t see anything wrong with what they are doing. Some on the other hand, are pastors and religious leaders, who should know that what they are doing is just plain wrong. When they e-mail a whole list of people, political invectives, political propaganda, and hateful speech against the leaders of our country, and material inviting us to participate in civil rebellion, they are not only hurting us, by trying to fill our minds with this pus of hate, but they are also irreparably harming the cause of God and truth. This is a serious problem, of major proportions and implications for every child of God.
Should Christians get behind political causes, and favorite politicians and rally their Christian comrades to do the same thing? Should Christians become political advocates of change? Should we use our talents and strengths to try to reform our governments, recreate our countries, and turn the tide of immorality in our world via political reform? These questions are vital to ask, because if this is indeed what Christians are supposed to be doing, then we all need to jump on the bandwagon, and start doing it. But I submit to you, that Christians are not supposed to be doing any of this stuff, and I will show you the reasons why from the Bible, which is the book that must govern all of our actions and thoughts.
When Jesus told the hesitant man to “Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God (Lk.9:60), He was making an important statement regarding a Christians attitude toward the world, and his proper mission in the world. The world is a dead and dying place. The dead are all around us in this place, and even most of the best politicians are “dead in trespasses and sins”, so WE SHOULD LEAVE THEM ALONE. Let the dead take care of the dead, that is not our job. Our job is to “preach the kingdom of God “. There is nothing difficult to understand here. Jesus was basically saying, because the world is dead, don’t waste your precious time trying to reform it, change it, improve it or anything else. The dead take care of themselves, and we are no longer involved with their death and darkness, when we become children of the light and life. Colossians says: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col. 1:13). We are all about, life and truth, about preaching God’s kingdom, and not about the kingdoms of this world. We must only take our cues from the Bible, and from no other source.
Please consider the following Biblical facts.
1. America is not God’s Country.
Don’t be deceived by speeches that make it sound as though America is a “Christian Country”. It is not now, nor has it ever been a “Christian Country”. There is no such as a Christian Country. Jesus plainly taught us: “MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD” (Jn. 18:36). He has no kingdoms on earth. America is not His kingdom. Israel is not His kingdom. Great Britain is not His kingdom.
Earthly countries do not qualify as belonging to the Lord, because they cannot qualify. Things that belong to the Lord are “holy”. Israel in the Old Testament met this qualification “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Ex. 19:6). They were the only earthly country to ever meet this qualification, and it was accomplished by the Lord sanctifying them. But when the New Testament was ushered in God to the kingdom status away from any and all earthly people and He turned it into a much higher order of kingdom…a spiritual kingdom. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy (1Pet. 2:9-10). God no longer has Christian countries on earth. Nor will he ever have them in the future. We are citizens of Heavens pure country (Gal. 4:26; Eph. 2:19; Heb. 12:22-23).
2. The Lost are Not God’s Ambassadors
For the most part, all of the political parties, and all of their candidates and seated politicians are lost men and women. There may be an occasional Christian here or there, but for the most part they are all lost people. This is important, because I hear members of the so-called Christian right touting Jesus’ directives regarding their favorite candidates. “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matt. 7:16,20). They see a candidate who is opposed to abortion, opposed to big government, opposed to gay marriage, as being the candidate with good fruits. So they argue that, as Christians, we should vote for that candidate, because they are for moral fruit.
The problem here, is that such a use of Jesus’ words, is against their actual meaning. In fact, using Jesus’ fruit words like that is a direct contradiction of what He actually said. Jesus said that only a good tree could bring forth good fruit. “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” (Matt. 7:17-18). We must not ignore what Christ actually said. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. What he is talking about is the true nature of the tree, being reflected in the nature f the fruit. If the tree is lost, without Christ, alienated from the life of God…IT CANNOT BRING FORTH GOOD FRUIT! We cannot rip Jesus’ words out of context. No matter how moral it may sound, a lost politician is just bringing forth lost fruit. His moral nature is corrupt before God, and all the legalistic moral issues that he advocates, are just lost fruit…wasted efforts. The world is not changed morally, before God, even if every office in the senate and house has the ten commandments plastered on their walls. If every politician in Washington, advocated against abortion, and for prayer in public schools, our country would be just as wicked and Amoral as it has always been. Corrupt trees will always bring forth corrupt fruit, even if the fruit are all painted to look like apples! The lost are not now, nor have they ever been, God’s ambassadors, doing God’s work to make America God’s country. Forget it. The politicians are so corrupt, THEY CANNOT BRING FORTH GOOD FRUIT. This is the only conclusion that you can reach if you take sin and salvation, as taught in the Bible, seriously.
God knows the heart of man, that it is only evil continually, (Gen. 6:5). Rallying outside an abortion clinic, or marching with the ten commandments displayed on a placard, does not change the depravity of anyone, or any nation. Human self-righteousness, and attempts at reforming society apart from the transformation of the gospel, are a waste of time. You can paint sepulchers all day long, and they will still contain nothing but dead mens bones (Matt. 23:27). As Christians we should never endorse such things, because to do so is to say that corrupt men, if voted into office can save society from moral impurity, apart from Christ and His salvation. (Look up Proverbs 16:25 to see what results from man’s ways). When you support political notions and causes, you are denying that the only moral cure for any corrupt person, or any group of corrupt people, or any corrupt society, or any corrupt nation; is the salvation of Jesus Christ. The corrupt trees have got to be transformed into good trees, before they can bring forth any good fruits whatsoever. This is the mission of the gospel, and no amount of political activism or excitement can effectuate the necessary change. Our job is to “preach the kingdom of God “, and “Let the dead bury their dead”. We have no other commission or responsibility.
3. Christians are required to obey the verses concerning the Christian attitude toward government and governors.
There are no exceptions or private opinions allowed when it comes to how Christians must treat the governments of this world, and those political figures seated in them.
Caesar is to be given that which belongs to him (Matt. 22:21; Mk. 12:17; Lk. 20:25). We are not to assume that only tax money belongs to Caesar, because other verses inform us differently. Respect and honor belongs to Caesar (1Pet. 2:17). This means that calling the president hateful names (Tit. 3:2), and showing disrespect, is unacceptable behavior from anyone claiming to be a follower of Christ. He is our king, and he was placed in his office by God (Prov. 8:15; Prov. 21:1; Acts 7:10; Rom. 9:17). The King is to be loved (1Thess. 3:12; Matt. 7:12; Matt. 22:39; Rom. 13:8; Gal. 5:13-14). Kings and politicians are to be prayed for (1Tim. 2:1-2; Eph. 5:20). We are never to be activists in any way that could defame or damage someone else, or that would make us angry over them or their causes (Acts 7:26; 2Tim. 2:24; 2Cor. 10:4; Phil. 2:3,14; James 1:19-20; James 4:2). Our behavior is always to be that of love (Matt. 5:43-45; Matt. 22:39; Lk. 10:27; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8). It does not matter one bit how much you dislike a politician or what he stands for, you are commanded to love him, honor him, and pray for him. That is the plain teaching of scripture.
4. Civil disobedience, uprising or revolt is unscriptural for a Christian.
The examples here are clearly the Lord and the Apostles. Jesus told Pilate, exactly where his power and authority came from “Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above (Jn. 19:11). While Christ acknowledged Pilates authority and power, and He submitted to it unswervingly, he nevertheless provided this subtle word of reminder to Pilate, that His destiny was actually in God’s providence and care, and Pilate could do nothing if it were not given to him. Jesus did not rebel. Jesus did not revolt against the evil powers that be, because he knew that they were 100% “ORDAINED BY GOD” (Rom. 13:1).
Tit 3:1-2 "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men."
Remind them to OBEY MAGISTRATES! There is no hint that disobedience and rebellion is allowable for Christians. As a matter of fact “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1Sam 15:23). Christian involvement in Tea Parties or other forms of protest or outward expressions of discontent, are not permissible behaviors, because we are commanded to be content in all things (Phil. 4:11; Matt. 6:31-34; 1Tim. 6:6-9; Heb. 10:34;, Heb. 13:5-6). According to these verses discontent is not a Christian attribute.
The Apostle Paul had every reason to be discontent, and to lead some kind of uprising against the evils of Rome. When he stood before king Agrippa in Acts 26, his testimony for Christ was so powerful that Agrippa said; “Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26: 28). Even when Paul languished rotting in the vile Roman prisons, He never stirred up rebellion or discontent. Such things are inconsistent with the mission and mannerisms of God’s servants. We should never appear like world-lings. But, when we take up their unholy causes we look just like them. All believers should shun such behaviors, and take up the non-politics of faith, and get as concerned about the Lord’s kingdom, as they are about the kingdoms of this world.
5. Encourage all Christians to become non-political witnesses for Christ.
Whenever I receive the typical hateful Christian emails or solicitations to join some march or protest, or to vote for some particular candidate, I always respond requesting my name to be removed from the list, and explaining why. I always try to show what the true Christian position of non-politics should be and why. Here is a sample of how I respond. This is an actual letter I received just today regarding some, hate and smear against President Obama, and some other figure. I don’t listen to this garbage, and if you are a Christian neither should you. Here’s my quick response. Perhaps you can pattern your responses along these lines as well.
Hi _______,
How are you and yours? Since I asked you a while back to not send me political drivel, I just wanted to point out the reason why. I did not read this whole article, because I don't want my mind drawn down it's whirlpool. I did however read the first sentence, and it was enough to show me that this kind of hate gush is not Christian in any way shape or form. "Obama is an amoral, mindless, IQ challenged marionette. He is controlled by the planet's most evil man who pulls the string. That man is George Soros."
To speak of our president as an "amoral, mindless, IQ challenged marionette" is a violation of the scriptures plain command to "Honor the King" (1Pet. 2:7). It also violates the important passage in 1Timothy "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior" (1Tim 2:1-3). God says that it is good and acceptable behavior for Christians to Pray to God and thank Him for the Kings and all who are in authority. This is how Christians are supposed to respond to politics. We are never to be disrespectful, hateful or unchristian in our behavior.
The second sentence shows another serious error in this kind of propaganda. "He is controlled by the planet's most evil man who pulls the string. That man is George Soros." This statement is not based at all on Christian thinking, and it directly contradicts the gospel. All men are equally evil, totally depraved and in need of Jesus Christ. I know that you believe these simple truths, but to propagate statements of hate like this diminishes God's truth. All men are just as evil as this man, and he is not the man "who pulls the strings", because only God pulls all the strings. We should never propagate ideas or notions which are founded upon the world's thinking. The world does not tell us how to think. The Bible tells us. People need to hear what God's truth says. All men are sinners, equally embroiled in evil. Their thoughts are only evil continually. The poison of asps is under their tongues.
I wish that you would join me in proclaiming "the non-politics of faith" and help turn people from worshipping the American flag, to worshipping Christ alone. You have great literary skills, and if you started publishing what God's words says about Obama and "all those in authority" you would be helping the cause of Christ, instead of making us look like damn fools.
I have several articles about this on my current issues page of my website. One of the articles is called "Does This Disturb You?" Do me a favor, check out this article, and the one called "True Patriotism" by John Newton. http://www.revearljackson.com/current-issues.html
I'm not trying to be rude,
But I really don't want to receive political invectives.
See Ya,
Earl
All Christians are called to heed Christ’s words and “preach the Kingdom of God” . His kingdom should be our concern, and as far as this world is concerned, it should basically not concern us. We are in it, but we are not of it.
6. The Salt of the Earth notion.
Jesus tells us that Christians are the salt of the earth. I heard a preacher preach a sermon about this and use it to say that it shows that we as Christians should be involved in political reform, because salt is meant to be a preservative influence in the world, and Christians are the salt. This is a horrendous and odious misuse of Jesus’ words. Lets look at exactly what Christ said.
Matt. 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Jesus did in fact tell Christians that we are the salt of the earth. But he did not leave it up to our imagination to come up with a sense in which we are the salt. He told us exactly what sense it is that we are salt. It has to do with the “savor”. We are the salt with respect to the savor of saltiness. “Savor” means taste. If salt does not taste salty it is not fulfilling it’s primary purpose. Salt added to things brings out their flavor. Salt has to taste like salt. That’s the exact sense in which we are the salt of the earth. Christians have to have the savor of Christ. Not the savor of the world. We have to be salty, because we are salt. If we are contaminated with the off flavors of this world, we are no longer salt. It is impossible to get from Christ’s clear words to the notion that Christians are supposed to be some sort of good moral or political influence on the earth. We are supposed to be what we are, A savor of Christ, not tea-party activists. The Christians who are taking up the world's causes and concerns are not acting like salt. They have lost their savor, because it is mixed with the savor of unholy worldly activities and motives.
If you are a child of God, please be the salt that you are meant to be. You are a “savor of life unto life”, and not “a savor of death unto death” (2Cor. 2:16).
God help the Christians of America to quit rallying beneath the American flag, and start rallying around the Cross of Christ. The Cross is the only thing that has power to change men, societies, and nations. It is our banner, our standard and our marching order. Any other activism is a total waste of time. “