10.16.07
Posted in Biblical Reflections, Theology, Controversy at 9:05 pm by Pastor Bill
I want to introduce you to a unique journey through the 13 letters (epistles) written by Paul which are in the New Testament of the Bible. The form of journey is musical. The purpose of this music is for edification of believers. The musicians explain it this way…”The lyrics in this album are an attempt to bring God’s Word to life. This is a resource to help you learn, not to replace your study of God’s perfect word (2 Timothy 3:16). Each artist has carefully crafted their song based on intense and thorough Bible study and believe that Scripture is the absolute truth. They encourage each of you to faithfully study the Word with humility in a community of believers, relying on the Holy Spirit to bring change to your heart.”
Oh yeah, as per the previous post, the genre of this album is hip-hop. If that offends you, continue surfing…if you don’t stumble over it, read on or listen to the album and be blessed by God.
Since Paul’s letters start with Romans, and I am currently preaching through Romans on Sunday mornings, it was awesome to see how they treated it on the album. They did a great job (as with all the tracks) of walking you through the teaching and application of the letter. If you learn the lyrics to the song, you now know the theme of the book, it’s major characters, and all the relevant themes of the book. It’s like having a concordance or commentary in your head.
Showing that their heart is for the church, for Christ’s followers and their growth, there is a continual reminder throughout the album that God’s Word is our source of life, our source of God’s wisdom and guidance through life along with the Holy Spirit’s leading. At the end of the Romans track, the artist encourages us to get some good Bible commentaries to help us in our understanding of the scriptures. And then he recommends commentaries by John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, and James Montgomery Boyce. How awesome to think that a rapper off the street reads and enjoys the men that have mentored so many of us in our study of the word, and encourages all of us to follow suit.
The only other track that I will comment on is the one for First Corinthians. The artist did it in a very creative and impactful way. He tells us the story of a guy named Corey, who acted like he was still in a gang. He tells us about all the hangups and distractions in Corey’s life, and then goes on to tell us that Corey is not a guy, but a body of believers in Corinth. Very impactful and compelling.
Well, I have to mention just one more…the remix for Galatians…”Get Loose”…reminding us to pursue the Spirit and live out our liberty in Christ…Awesome!
p.s. I just noticed in their lyrics on the album cover, they give credit for the first verse of ‘Colossians’ to D.A.Carson! Woo-hoo! He’s my man. I hope you can check out some of his writings…’The gagging of God’, ‘Exegetical Fallacies’, and ‘From Sabbath to Lord’s Day’, along with all of his N.T. commentaries. Too cool that the rappers are checking his stuff out! God bless!
Oh yeah, the music is not the only focus of this album. If you read the lyrics on the CD sleeve, they list the chapter and verse for each line of the song, to let you connect it with the scriptures that inspired it. They have also put together a Bible study course available on their website, designed to get you into the Word and to profit spiritually from it. Awesome!
The album is produced by Reach records, and the website for the corresponding Bible studies is www.reachrecords.com. The curriculum is currently under development and should be available soon.
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10.12.07
Posted in Theology, Controversy, In The News... at 8:45 pm by Pastor Bill
I’m going to try to treat this subject with honesty, and with compassion for fellow believers who may disagree with my viewpoints about music, and it’s acceptance by God.
The exploded stereotype for ME…is “Christian hip-hop music”! Now I know that I’ve turned off a lot of you already…you say “There is no such thing as ‘Christian’ hip-hop or rap music…the 2 are incompatable!”. Now, why am I bringing this subject up for discussion?
First, I am not advocating this style of music for church worship. Our church will not be swinging to a rap beat on Sunday morning. Second, I am not switching all of my listening to hip-hop, it is not my preferred style of music. Third, I want to make you aware of the differences in depth of theology and message in contemporary music styles. I have for quite a while been dissatisfied with what is being offered in the CCM arena. Most of the lyrics (the vital part of music to me) of the songs played on ‘Christian’ radio stations are so ‘fluffy’, ‘mindless’ or ‘unbiblical’ that I can’t endure them.
What a shock I received when a great friend of mine loaned me his hip-hop CD’s and told me to take a listen. Although I don’t normally listen to that style of music, when I listened to what the artists were saying, I was blown away. I’ve NEVER heard theology or truth proclaimed so clearly, accurately and passionately in any other form of modern hymns or praise music! If you won’t ’stumble’ over the ’style’ of music, I challenge you to listen to some of the artists that are believers and who are using their music as a platform to Glorify God and encourage and challenge believers to grow into Christlikeness and to live-out a true faith in Christ.
The approach I will take in this series is to spotlight a particular artist, and give you a sampling of their message. I hope it causes you to examine this form of music by these artists based on what they communicate. Keep in mind, I do NOT endorse the secular brand of hip-hop, rap or any other form of music that does not glorify God.
The first album I will review is “Rewind”, by Flame…produced by Cross Movement Records.
The theme of the album seems to come from the track titled “Give us the Truth!” This is their cry for pastors and teachers to return to the truth of God’s Word, and to stop with all the craziness and hypocrisy that comes from the pulpits of our churches. Their call is for believers to immerse themselves in the Word, and to learn to discern truth from error by knowing the God of the Word, and His ways, made clear to us through Jesus. It is a desire for true, genuine discipleship, self denial, and wholehearted living for Jesus! Awesome!
Track #2…”No Silence”. This is his testimony that in spite of ‘persecution’ from the rest of the music industry, they will continue to preach Jesus on their albums and concerts. Why would he endure ridicule for living and singing of Jesus? The last line of the song tells us, “The price that was paid, the nights in the grave, and the resurrection is our reflection, to not be afraid. So let’s go.”
Track #3…”Uh-Oh”. The last verse says it all…”So in conclusion I offer this album to God, while at the same time I offer this album to y’all. And that may mean that I go out like Peter and Paul, for preaching Jesus to the point where I’m socially martyred. But my rewards and my treasures will never be stowed on this earth, but in a place where they can never be stole…In heaven where I know the saints most definitely go, cause our inheritance is imperishable and incorruptible. (is this a shock…to hear this truth of God on a rap CD?) And as I wait I pray with fervency, cause the world and the church are in a human emergency…see it’s a war and I done stepped into it, and I’m on the team of the rescue unit, for the following people… 1) Ones who caught up in false doctrine 2) Non-believers ignoring the sin problem 3) And new saints, so while my mic is on, all I’ve got is truth and a warning…’The real Truth is coming out!’”.
Track #5…”Rewind”…deals with the contrast between what the Bible says and what the televangelists are spouting. He demonstrates how one preacher misuses Isaiah 53 to guarantee all believers health and wealth. Some lines in the song are “Is that in the Bible…that God’s people shouldn’t suffer…that we all should be rich?” What is so cool is that on this hip-hop track, the artist goes on to explain what Isaiah 53 is really about…putting these false preachers to shame. The truth and theology from this artist is better than what is heard from most pulpits on any given Sunday!
Track #7…”We need you”… a song thanking God for salvation, deliverance from the bondage and curse of sin, for the fruit of the spirit, and our need for daily reliance upon Christ…and the blessing of deliverance from the wrath and judgment of God. (Try catching a CCM song with those realities!)
Track #9 (you preachers will love this one)…”Context“... Imagine this, a rap song dealing with the need for believers to interpret scripture within the proper context. The chorus reads “With this skill , this should keep you from heresy and keep you from going though theological therapy, The words of God will change your life…if you keep that text in it’s context!” (This is sound advice that many preachers do not heed…too bad it takes a rap artist to challenge them with it!) In this little rap ‘ditty’ he presents the need for proper…sit down now…hermenutics, exegesis, bible commentaries and concordances, avoiding eisegesis. What does he say about eisegesis? “A text could never mean what it never meant before to it’s original readers or authors…so if you run into a difficult passage and you know the bible never contradicts itself, then turn the pages to a parallel passage and just let the scriptures interpret itself!. (All this from a lowly rapper from the hood!)
Track #10…”War of the minds”…this is an incredibly touching examination of God’s role in the lives of those who suffer from depression and the like. It’s not a fluffy…’cheer up, God loves you’ ditty, but a heartfelt questioning and appreciation of those who suffer. He mentions depression, mentally ill, sexually abused, schizophrenia, anxiety, bi-polar…those who are seeking relief through clinical and medical therapy…and that all of those bound by these ailments must ultimately look to God- our healer from suffering, knowing that He sees and cares. (There’s nothing like this on the CCM charts that I’ve ever heard!)
Track #11…”Give us the Truth!”…a raw, truthful look into the artist’s journey from superficial Christianity, into a self-centered life, finally rescued by Christ into a genuine faith and relationship. He talks about his adventures in bible college, and back at his non-discerning home church, to his doubting his own salvation. How did God work to bring him into the truth…in His words…”I met this girl named Beth who told me about a church home, first I visited, became a member, and then it was on! Then the pastor gave me a stack of books, now I’m back with rap and hooks, took a summer and spent 300 DOLLARS on tapes and books and learned from these biblical scholars, now I’m back and I’m walking in light…living my life…glorifying Jesus Christ!” (now before you blast the rappers, when was the last time you spent 300 dollars on sound biblical materials and devoted your time to studying them and the bible to increase your knowledge and faith and lifestyle for Christ?????)
Track #12 (another one for you preachers)…”The Godhead”… dealing with trinitarian theology. The artist covers “dynamic monarchiasm, modalistic monarchiasm, and finally the hypostatic union”! Get your head around these theologies! And from a rapper? Awesome teaching and challenges here!
Track #14…”Racial diversity”…he hits on the need for our churches to reflect our communities diverse makeup….”have you visited Hyde park baptist lately”?
Track #15…”To my heart”… a very humorous and cutting conversation between the author and his heart, in which he proclaims to his heart…”I’ll never trust you again”. Too much truth here…sometimes it hurts!
Track #18…”Sola Scriptura”…for all you R.C.Sproul fans! This track is about the necessity for realizing that Scripture is our only authority, based on 2 Timothy 3:16.
Track #21…”We preach Christ”… another great challenging message, closing with the solemn reminder…”Seek Jesus now, you can know him as savior…see him later- you’ll know him as Judge.”
I hope this post will cause you to reexamine your stereotypes, and if so inclined, to listen to these lyrics and be blessed and challenged. I will present another artist in another post.
God bless! Pastor Bill ><>
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06.29.07
Posted in Biblical Reflections, Theology, Controversy, In The News... at 5:06 pm by Pastor Bill
I read an excellent article about Hollywood’s complaining that Christians aren’t coming out to support their ‘Christian’ family oriented movies, like the recent “Evan Almighty”. You can view the article here. The author gave many of his ideas on why these movies aren’t supported by Christians. I would like to add a few of my own observations and ideas on this topic.
Although each movie must be based on its own merits or ‘de-merits’, it is clear that Hollywood doesn’t really understand Christians, nor do they respect us. They only see us as a means to increase their profit margin. That is the wrong basis on which to produce ‘Christian’ movies. A reason why I had no interest in seeing ‘Evan Almighty’, is because it is associated with their earlier movie, ‘Bruce Almighty’, which was full of incredibly blasphemous statements and actions which were antithetical to Biblical Christianity. Even the titles of these 2 ‘almighty’ productions smacks of blasphemy…there is none who is almighty except God himself. Even if the intent of the film was to show that Bruce and Evan aren’t almighty, the title implies otherwise and that is an affront to all honest believers.
Did I go to watch ‘Evan Almighty’? No, because what I saw on the commercial for the movie was enough to convince me that it would be a total waste of time, and would be disrespectful to God. I know I sound like a ’stick-in-the-mud’ prudish fundamentalist here, but there is a shocking and shameful loss of respect in our ‘Christian’ community today for God himself, and it has a deadening effect on God’s spiritual work among us. We have lost the proper sense of awe and fear of God. In the comercial for the movie, I saw the main actor who represents Moses, walk out of his house naked. Great Christian values there!
Other clues that Hollywood, in not understanding the Christian faith, produces ‘Christian’-themed movies that actually misrepresent Christianity and the Biblical message? 1) portraying conservative politicians as fighting against the will of God, by trying to destroy the environment. I obviously don’t vouch for all conservative politicians, but many of them are Christian and serve God in their positions. 2) The inane statements that ‘God is in everything’ is contrary to Scripture, but is the belief of non-Christian pagan pantheists, and is their grounds for the importance of ’saving the environment’, on which they place a higher value than human souls and life. Hollywood constantly portrays ‘Christians’ as being pantheists, and as being more absorbed with all the new-age spiritualism instead of the clear Biblical message that salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone, through faith and by God’s grace. I don’t want to see “christian’-movies which misrepresent the beliefs of Christians! 3) The major theme of this movie is that ‘God is not primarily concerned with sin, salvation and redemption, but with encouraging us to perform random acts of kindness’. Come on! This is a total distortion of God himself and His interests. Yes God does want humans to be kind to each other (and to animals) but His primary major ‘concern’ is with the salvation of sinners (all of humanity). The death of Christ on the cross and His resurrection is not an act of random kindness, but is the determined plan of God to rescue us from sin and death. When they totally misrepresent the Christian message, why are they surprised when Christians won’t run to support their misguided and misleading productions?
Sorry Hollywood, true Christians will never support your flimsy excuses for Christian entertainment. You don’t know our message. You don’t respect our Savior. You blaspheme our God. You continually bash us in all of your other movies.
Please, start the show without us.
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05.16.07
Posted in Biblical Reflections, All, Theology, Controversy, In The News... at 2:18 pm by Pastor Bill
So many people in our world are confused about gender and the ‘proper’ roles and responsibilities of men and women. Some see great differences between the sexes, but the trend in our day is to deny any distinctions or differences of roles, labeling them as a product of society or culture.
What does God say about this? Does the Bible indicate that God has established various responsibilities and roles to male and female? He certainly does, from Genesis to Revelation, but unfortunately many well-meaning but “issue driven” religious people have ignored or distorted the scriptures to develop an egalitarian perspective on the sexes.
Fortunately, there is a great website dedicated to clearly explaining what the scriptures truly express on our God given roles and responsibilities. You can access them by clicking here or from the links section on the right of this page. They are the ‘Council on Biblical manhood and womanhood”. These godly men and women have waded through the issues and rightly apply scripture to the society in which we live today.
Make no mistake, these are not simple issues. We are constantly bombarded by the media and our culture to accept any and all forms of sexual expression. Our children are taught in school that there are no proper roles for men and women, and that there are no ’standard’ forms of families or relationships. We are told by sociologists and psychiatrists that our gender is not determined by our physical makeup, but by what we choose to be.
I encourage you to check out this excellent website that lovingly presents the Biblical model that God has established. I also encourage you to carefully examine the Bible passages that are used to present various view on these issues, and pray that God, by His Holy Spirit will give you wisdom and insight to comprehend how He has formed us and how He desires us to live in the relationships and roles that please Him.
God bless you in your journey!
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04.17.07
Posted in All, Controversy, In The News... at 4:15 pm by Pastor Bill
By now surely you’ve heard the news or seen the footage of the mass murder by a student at Virginia Tech University. So many people are stunned and shocked, wondering how this could happen, and why someone would do this. As believers, what should be the Christian response to a tragedy like this? I would like to offer a few suggestions.
One…Grieve with those who are grieving…we are told to ‘weep with them that are weeping’ in Romans 12:15…and this is the Christian response. Most of us cannot imagine the pain and sorrow that the families of those that were killed are experiencing, but we are to share with them as best we can. This is a time to come to the side of those who are hurting, and to share with them in their loss.
Two…We must offer comfort, assistance and support over the coming days and weeks. To share one’s pain is only partial help, we must be available to assist physically and emotionally whenever they need our support and love.
Three…We must understand this event and others like it in harmony with God’s revealed truth. We must face the fact that this violent rampage is normal human behavior. Although the world may view this as unnatural or aberrant behavior, we understand that all of us would behave this way were it not for the prevailing grace of God, exerting restraint against natural human behavior in our world. These acts are a result of sin, pure and simple. We live in a sin-cursed world, and should not be shocked when horrible events occur.
Four…We must not look to place blame on everyone and everything beyond the individual which committed this horrible travesty. Guns are not responsible for this murderous rampage…the police used the same weapons to guard the safety of hundreds of additional students and residents. The school is not the cause. The police are not the cause. This young man’s parents are not the cause. His relationships and friends are not the cause. His religion and economic status are not the cause. Only one person is responsible for this horror, and that is the young man who systematically pulled the trigger and purposefully took the lives of 33 human beings. Our society is too quick to look past the guilty party and assign blame to ‘extenuating circumstances’. This is to minimize guilt and personal responsibility. Whatever problems this young man was facing, others have endured much more than him and did not resort to mass murder of innocent bystanders. As Christians we must develop and share the Biblical worldview in explaining actions such as this one.
Five…We must pray for healing and comfort for everyone involved. We must offer the support and salvation that comes only through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. True peace is found only in Jesus, and His life and work for us. I encourage you to read Billy Graham’s book…’Peace with God’ if you do not have this abiding peace which carries us through life’s disappointments.
Six…We must daily ‘live out’ God’s message of Peace through Jesus! Only in Christ is there victory in death, and stability in life’s storms. Be His hands and feet and voice, as you carry the message of God’s love and forgiveness into a dark and dangerous world.
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03.28.07
Posted in Biblical Reflections, All, Theology, Controversy, In The News... at 6:16 pm by Pastor Bill
This is the season when Christians all around the world remember and celebrate the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. The idea of the bodily resurrection of Jesus is the thrust and power of the Apostles sermons. Peter and Paul constantly forced their hearers to deal with the truth and implications of Jesus’ resurrection and subsequent functions of reigning and judging over all of mankind.
Our society, as well as that of Jesus’ day, holds little regard for the claims of resurrection and life after death. But this is still our message, that our Savior lives and reigns, and that eternal life comes only through faith in our risen Lord. To get an idea of our generation’s rebellion against the message of the Bible, read this article from the London Times which reports the Popes pronouncement that Hell is real, but also hit the link below the article to read the vitriolic comments by responders to the article…it is sad and disturbing to see how Satan continues to deceive and mislead people away from the truth.
For those of us who truly know God through His Son, the resurrection of Christ is our foundation for hope, our inspiration for the future, our message of eternal life for all who will come and receive the free gift of salvation.
Rejoice in the knowledge of your salvation and future glorification! “The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” 1 Cor.15:45,49 (ESV) “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” Rev.1:17b-18 (ESV)
HE LIVES!
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03.01.07
Posted in Controversy, In The News... at 4:54 pm by Pastor Bill
WOW! I guess we had better throw our Bibles away since they “must be” wrong, seeing how the Bible claims that Jesus was buried temporarily in a borrowed tomb and then resurrected from the dead. Or could the ‘reporters’ have it wrong…that this is NOT the tomb of Jesus and his family? Well, instead of listening to the Hollywood version of this discovery, why don’t you check it out here and see what an expert has to say about it, one who is really in the know. Why is it that the world is so quick to jump on any story that attempts to discredit the Bible, but ignores all the findings that verify what God’s Word says? I believe that it is because if they accept the Bible as true, then a lot of people are going to be really sad, finding that they are responsible to the God of the Bible, and they don’t want to be.
Well, don’t lose any sleep about the recently discovered ‘lost tomb of Jesus’, just enjoy the show and realize what the media is trying to do with it…and pray for them, they need Jesus…the living one.
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01.23.07
Posted in Biblical Reflections, All, Theology, Controversy, In The News... at 8:40 pm by Pastor Bill
Please let me begin by stating that I am not coming down on other preachers from a ‘holier than thou’ position, or trying to be legalistic about this. But I have some honest questions, and a lack of understanding how profanity used in the course of a sermon can be God honoring and an example of godly self-control that we pastors are supposed to model to the flock.
You may be aware of John Piper’s use of the phrase ’sometimes God kicks our a**’ in one of his conferences recently. He has issued a ‘kinda’ apology for it, which you can read here…but this is not the first time he has cursed from the pulpit. He mentions his tendency to do that in his apology letter. So why has it suddenly become ‘hip’ or ‘cool’ to use profanity from the pulpit to try to make your point? Does profanity exude the image of being ‘with it’ or ‘relational’ to our generation?
There is another preacher of old that I have been enjoying reading and listening to lately, Len Ravenhill. His sermons are fiery and confrontational to pastors and believers that have become worldly and left their first love. He calls us back to revival and total commitment to our Lord and Savior. But just recently in a great sermon on Psalm 51, while confronting the false belief that we can live any way we like and still expect to be welcomed warmly by our savior, he told the audience to ‘go to hell’. I’m not sure if he was saying that this would be the natural consequence of a false profession, or if he was pronouncing a curse on those deceived hearers. It was a shock to me to hear him say that but he definitely was not doing it to play up to the crowd, like Piper admits he was.
Why am I making a big deal out of this? I ask myself the trite question…’what would Jesus do?’. And if his words in the scriptures are any indication, along with his personal example, I believe that if I were to resort to this kind of coarse language, at home, in front of my children or coworkers, or in the pulpit, I would be shaming Him and hurting the testimony of His church.
Ephesians 5:4 ‘let there be no filthiness or foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving…’
Tell me, what do YOU think??????
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12.05.06
Posted in All, Controversy, In The News... at 8:12 pm by Pastor Bill
Another Christmas season is upon us, bringing with it all the ususal commercialization and secularism we are all too familiar with. For the marketers, the hope is that this Christmas will break all sales records, resulting in record profits. For the justice system, the hope is that churches will downplay the ‘religious angle’ of this holiday, thereby sparing them from numerous legal challenges to free speech in the public forum. The general public hopes for a season of generosity and hedonism, allowing us to enjoy the materialistic aspects of the holiday in a self-gratifying indulgence.
But what does God want from this Christmas season? Probably the same thing He wants from every day of the year (although God wants and wants for nothing). I’m sure that God would be pleased if His creation took some time to acknowledge Him, and His right to be Himself…you know, Sovereign ruler of the universe. He surely wouldn’t be disappointed if we humans took the time to question our values, our importance, our destinies, by seeing what He has to say about these things in His book, the Bible. I’m sure that God would want us each to remember WHY He sent His Son into this world so long ago, and for us to respond to Jesus appropriately. What is an appropriate response to Christ, now or at any time of the year?
Perhaps we could respond to Jesus in the same manner as the Magi who came seeking Him 2000 years ago. They proclaimed to the king Herod, ” Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him”. Matthew 2:2.
What a novel thought, we could worship Jesus at Christmas instead of seeking our own pleasures! I mean, after all, isn’t that what the angels in heaven did on the day of his birth into our world? That is what we read in the book of Hebrews, chapter 1 verse 6, “And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him”.
What would a Christmas look like if people worshiped the Son of God instead of spending the holiday indulging themselves and their desires? Less shopping-more singing Christ’s praises? Less parties-more grateful prayers? Less marketing-more ministering to the poor and needy? Less commercialization-more coming together to express our gratitude to God for sending the gift of eternal life and forgiveness of sins? Less receiving-more giving…giving of ourselves and our worship to the only one who is worthy of all that we are, and all that we posssess…The Lamb of God, who brings light and life into our world!
With all the hustle and bustle of the season, it’s easy to miss the real meaning and purpose of Christmas. Take time today to reflect on God’s greatest gift to you…and help someone else to worship Him also! Recognize that Christ is still on His throne, at Christmas, and on every day of the year….and bow before the newborn King!
God bless you! Pastor Bill <><
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11.08.06
Posted in All, Controversy, In The News... at 5:39 pm by Pastor Bill
Did the local and national results of the Nov. 7th election bring you depression, joy or confusion? For many Christians, the results of the past election are grounds for concern and pessimism. Many people feel that if ‘their party’ or candidate was defeated, then life will be bleak for the next 2 to 4 years. Others who found that their ‘party’ came into power once again, are elated and comforted, believing that now life in America will finally get back to the way it should have been all along.
Interestingly, our view of politics are often a reflection of our theology. Is God a Republican or a Democrat….or an Independent? Your view probably coincides with your personal political affiliation. Unless of course you realize that God is ‘none of the above’. Although one particular political platform might align more closely with Biblical principles, no political group can claim God, or Jesus, as their own.
It is clear from God’s word that He has established governments and that He is the one who puts people in office, and removes them. We just don’t always understand why. Daniel 4:17…(we) may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will, and sets over it the lowliest of men. (Remind your victorious opponent that he is described as ‘the lowliest of men’) God also works through various governmental powers, in various ways. Proverbs 21:1…The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. You see, when we get too worked up or worried or excited about who is in office, we are disparaging the Lord’s work. Our future is not determined according to which party is in control, or who sits in the oval office. Our God works all things out according to his perfect will, and according to the apostle Paul writing in Romans 13:1-2…Let every person be subject to the governing authorites. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
That’s why we cannot bomb abortion clinics or curse the president. We understand from scripture that even if we become a communist controlled nation, that is what God desires for us at that time. This is not fatalism, it is believing and accepting what God tells us about his power and his working in our world.
What do you think about it?
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