Biblical Truth and the Problems With the Christian-Political Arguments

There is no confidence for a Christian in either candidate for president. One practices a very liberal form of Christianity and the other is not Christian at all. More importantly however, neither of them has to share our values because we serve the God who created the universe! This brings us to the final flaw in this political rational. The notion that this country can be truly revived and repent is absolutely true. The notion that it can ever happen through the legislative process or governing is simply untrue. Realize that is the bill of goods we are being sold. That if we would just get together and vote for the Mormon candidate, that he will somehow govern the country back into repentance. Never mind that he fundamentally disagrees with all of our core doctrines as Christians! The reality beloved is that the nature of battle we are losing is not carnal, it is Spiritual.

Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. -- Colossians 2: 8 (NLT)

I use this verse to highlight what I think we always overlook. There are spiritual powers controlling this world. The Bible says the lord of the earth is Satan -- he leads the spiritual powers. Think of everything he has managed to convince the world of. Abortion is an economic issue and gay marriage is a civil rights issue. We come along and think that we can point to verses in a book they do not believe in and tell them they are wrong. Further than that, we actually think we can force them to accept what we believe at legislative gunpoint. Then we wonder why they have no interest in God. The truth of the matter is we are Jonah and this country is Nineveh. In the days of Jonah, Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrian Empire. They were ruthless in their warfare and decadent in their lifestyle. Sound familiar? Does God tell Jonah to run for office? Does he tell him to forge an alliance with the king or the opposition? No! He tells him to deliver a message to the people. That message is repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. Centuries later Jesus would find himself in the middle of another society that had become more political than Spiritual. The Pharisees were more worried about their power than their God. Did Jesus secretly support the Sadducees against them? Did He run for office Himself? No, He preached to them repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus did not have to scream it at people. He did not have to try and force His beliefs onto anyone. His message was delivered with love and gentleness. Jonah must have managed to convey his message effectively as well because Nineveh did actually repent and God spared them. Eventually they would return to their wicked ways and God would destroy them but for this moment in time, God relented.

God can also relent with the United States. Not because we somehow have turned our back on him as a country but rather because we have always given Him our back and our collective sin has risen with each passing decade. Make no mistake about it however, it begins with the church. We are the opposing warriors standing in the gap against the spiritual powers of this world. Instead whining about God not being in schools, we should be praying for our children to be salt and light to the other children. Instead of crying about political issues we should be preaching about the kingdom of God. People should see the grace and mercy of God within us not the judgment and condemnation of Christianity. Instead of thinking we need to turn to a man, any man, to solve the spiritual problems we are facing, we should be on our faces seeking God to do what only God can do. This is a spiritual war we are in and it will not be won at the voting polls or the ballot boxes. It will be won in our churches and at our altars. Likewise, it cannot be lost at the voting booths or ballot boxes. It can only be lost when the church stops being the church.

Should we vote? Absolutely because it is a civic responsibility. Is the collective soul of our country at stake based upon who we vote for? Absolutely not. The Book of Daniel assures us that God sets up all kings and rulers. God will use whoever wins for His plan and His glory. We should seek God, listen, and vote as we feel led. When we get home however, that is where the real work will begin. The work of Jonah. The work of Christ. Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. The problems this country faces are spiritual in nature and neither Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney will be able to solve them. To all the Christian leaders who fancy themselves as political operatives I beseech you to put away your talking points. Put away your bogus voter guides. Put away your anonymous YouTube videos and misguided Facebook posts. Pick up your Bibles again and get back to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Get back to what God has called you to do. That is how the nation is depending on you.

Reverend Anthony Wade -- October 26, 2012

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