There is a right way and a wrong way for pastors to engage their flock in elections. It is wrong to be both silence in the face of evil and to weaponize Christ for political gain or purposes. Your advice is spot on.
Eric - I hear you but some times you get on your high horse and ride it until it drops. We may not be of this world but we are in it. As Christians tasked to spread the Gospel, we have a responsibility to shape the culture that we must cultivate. I agree that we must not make flawed politicians into idols, but we should vote Christian values as best as they are reflected in the candidates. Too many Christians use your argument as an excuse not to vote in this we fail in preparing a soil fertile for the Word. “Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads.’” Deuteronomy 1:13
This would be a good time to remind people that cults of personality, authority, and power are idols and will NEVER fill that "God-shaped hole" in yourself.
What we want,if men become Christians at all, is to keep them in a state of mind I call 'Christianity And'. Christianity and the Crisis, Christianity and the New Psychology, Christianity and the New Order, Christianity and Faith Healing, Christianity and Psychical Research, Christianity and Vegetarianism. If they must be Christians let them at least be Christians with a difference.
... Christian-political writers think that Christianity began going wrong, and departed from the doctrine of its Founder, at a very early stage. Now this idea must be used by us to encourage once again the conception of a 'historical Jesus' to be found by clearing away the later 'accretions and perversions' and then to be contrasted with the whole Christian tradition.... to direct men's devotion to something which does not exist, for each 'historical Jesus' is unhistorical.
I guess we should be glad that the zealous boys didn't decide to stage their abortion protest by burning down buildings, injuring cops and looting stores. Instead, they chose to yell about Jesus. I bet they were as surprised as the rest of us at her response. After a few years of more growth in their walk of faith they could wonder why they ever did it. They may wonder why they didn't do more. Who knows.
I have family members who think that if Trump wins, it's going to be a Handmaid'sTaleProject2025 dictatorship. I have other family members who think if Harris wins, the country will be run by immigrants and wokeness from sea to shining sea.
Frankly, I think both candidates are the worst I have seen in my lifetime. They literally make Jimmy Carter look like Ronald Reagan or FDR.
But America WILL survive. J6 was ugly but not one protestor got what they ostensibly wanted. The country held.
God is in control, our time here is comparatively short, and that's an eternal relief.
Faith is when you quit believing in miracles and start relying on them.
I almost always agree with you wholeheartedly Erick, today not so much. I do not understand your criticism of the two young men who proclaimed “Jesus is Lord”. Please however consider this as friendly critique from one who has been blessed over and over from your insight.
Consider the words of Martin Luther
”If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except that little point which the world and the Devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.
Martin Luther
Do our country’s pulpit’s suffer from too much distinction between the holy and the profane or too little? I would argue too little. As a result, our churches are full of those who profess Christ is the Way, The Truth and the Life yet vote for the Democrats who’s main platform is to take innocent life. The Missionary Baptist Church where Kamala was speaking is a classic example. Shouldn’t a Pastor cut through the weeds of misinformation and clarify which candidate is more in line with biblical truth? I would remind you that Satan doesn’t mind if we preach Christ as “High and Holy” as long as our His loftiness stays in the church house and doesn’t transcend to the nasty now and now. The two young men who boldly proclaimed “Christ is Lord” cut through the “reproductive rights” weeds and did what the so-called “Pastor” hadn’t done for his flock. I say this as a Pastor, and may God help me to be bold as well. Blessings
I am so glad you wrote this. I wanted to, but just did not know how to really say it. I felt that these two boys that were at her talk, really did say the right thing and I believe they said it for the others to hear so they could get her remarks, just as she did it. She should NOT even be considered for President of this Nation. And that just really added to things we can point out to anyone that is even thinking that way.
Blessings to you Pastor Bill and all you stand for.
That was an inspired commentary!! Thank you! YES! We need to focus on the living God! YES! The current election will end on November 5th, but God WILL prevail regardless of the outcome! I LOVE your advice to Pastors. A little common sense is just what we all need today!
C.S. Lewis during his time was a voice helping to explain God in the context of profound social strife and conflict. Might that profound social strife and conflict been mitigated had more of the people involved embraced these messages and ideas? I always think of the parable of the sun and wind competing to disrobe the man. The wind attempted to blow his clothing off his body, but he only clutched his clothing tighter. The sun shown brighter and the man shed his clothing. The lesson is human free will vs forced authoritarianism. The later does not work in the context of human nature and there are both religious and secular people are authoritarian windbags that should be stopped.
I read and watched interviews with those young men. Before they were recorded they yelled out against abortion and abortion being satanic. They are opposed murdering babies. Fox News interviewed them. Worth a listen to.
There is a right way and a wrong way for pastors to engage their flock in elections. It is wrong to be both silence in the face of evil and to weaponize Christ for political gain or purposes. Your advice is spot on.
Preach it!! A true Biblical, eternal perspective will keep us from falling for the apocalyptic claims of politicians.
So, so good! Shared it everywhere I could!
Very, very well stated. Thanks for proclaiming the truth.
Eric - I hear you but some times you get on your high horse and ride it until it drops. We may not be of this world but we are in it. As Christians tasked to spread the Gospel, we have a responsibility to shape the culture that we must cultivate. I agree that we must not make flawed politicians into idols, but we should vote Christian values as best as they are reflected in the candidates. Too many Christians use your argument as an excuse not to vote in this we fail in preparing a soil fertile for the Word. “Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads.’” Deuteronomy 1:13
I believe you successfully made the argument to Eric that was trying to get sorted out in my head, but remained muddled.
This would be a good time to remind people that cults of personality, authority, and power are idols and will NEVER fill that "God-shaped hole" in yourself.
What we want,if men become Christians at all, is to keep them in a state of mind I call 'Christianity And'. Christianity and the Crisis, Christianity and the New Psychology, Christianity and the New Order, Christianity and Faith Healing, Christianity and Psychical Research, Christianity and Vegetarianism. If they must be Christians let them at least be Christians with a difference.
... Christian-political writers think that Christianity began going wrong, and departed from the doctrine of its Founder, at a very early stage. Now this idea must be used by us to encourage once again the conception of a 'historical Jesus' to be found by clearing away the later 'accretions and perversions' and then to be contrasted with the whole Christian tradition.... to direct men's devotion to something which does not exist, for each 'historical Jesus' is unhistorical.
~The Screwtape Letters, 25 & 23
I guess we should be glad that the zealous boys didn't decide to stage their abortion protest by burning down buildings, injuring cops and looting stores. Instead, they chose to yell about Jesus. I bet they were as surprised as the rest of us at her response. After a few years of more growth in their walk of faith they could wonder why they ever did it. They may wonder why they didn't do more. Who knows.
I have family members who think that if Trump wins, it's going to be a Handmaid'sTaleProject2025 dictatorship. I have other family members who think if Harris wins, the country will be run by immigrants and wokeness from sea to shining sea.
Frankly, I think both candidates are the worst I have seen in my lifetime. They literally make Jimmy Carter look like Ronald Reagan or FDR.
But America WILL survive. J6 was ugly but not one protestor got what they ostensibly wanted. The country held.
God is in control, our time here is comparatively short, and that's an eternal relief.
Faith is when you quit believing in miracles and start relying on them.
I almost always agree with you wholeheartedly Erick, today not so much. I do not understand your criticism of the two young men who proclaimed “Jesus is Lord”. Please however consider this as friendly critique from one who has been blessed over and over from your insight.
Consider the words of Martin Luther
”If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except that little point which the world and the Devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.
Martin Luther
Do our country’s pulpit’s suffer from too much distinction between the holy and the profane or too little? I would argue too little. As a result, our churches are full of those who profess Christ is the Way, The Truth and the Life yet vote for the Democrats who’s main platform is to take innocent life. The Missionary Baptist Church where Kamala was speaking is a classic example. Shouldn’t a Pastor cut through the weeds of misinformation and clarify which candidate is more in line with biblical truth? I would remind you that Satan doesn’t mind if we preach Christ as “High and Holy” as long as our His loftiness stays in the church house and doesn’t transcend to the nasty now and now. The two young men who boldly proclaimed “Christ is Lord” cut through the “reproductive rights” weeds and did what the so-called “Pastor” hadn’t done for his flock. I say this as a Pastor, and may God help me to be bold as well. Blessings
I am so glad you wrote this. I wanted to, but just did not know how to really say it. I felt that these two boys that were at her talk, really did say the right thing and I believe they said it for the others to hear so they could get her remarks, just as she did it. She should NOT even be considered for President of this Nation. And that just really added to things we can point out to anyone that is even thinking that way.
Blessings to you Pastor Bill and all you stand for.
Oh my goodness, Erick!!
That was an inspired commentary!! Thank you! YES! We need to focus on the living God! YES! The current election will end on November 5th, but God WILL prevail regardless of the outcome! I LOVE your advice to Pastors. A little common sense is just what we all need today!
Great article and a very nice reminder for all of us.
If sin is the problem, there is no human remedy. Neither of these men can fix the problems our country has. The only solution is Jesus.
C.S. Lewis during his time was a voice helping to explain God in the context of profound social strife and conflict. Might that profound social strife and conflict been mitigated had more of the people involved embraced these messages and ideas? I always think of the parable of the sun and wind competing to disrobe the man. The wind attempted to blow his clothing off his body, but he only clutched his clothing tighter. The sun shown brighter and the man shed his clothing. The lesson is human free will vs forced authoritarianism. The later does not work in the context of human nature and there are both religious and secular people are authoritarian windbags that should be stopped.
I read and watched interviews with those young men. Before they were recorded they yelled out against abortion and abortion being satanic. They are opposed murdering babies. Fox News interviewed them. Worth a listen to.
Thank you.