Brown offers up an intriguing argument with the battle to end slavery. What I always find a smidge hypocritical when people take this angle is they overlook that there were more Christians arguing for slavery than against and using the Bible to defend the practice. Perhaps the larger point is that slavery is something imposed upon another person, like war. Today's hot button issues are legal choices that sinful people make. That is simply comparing apples and oranges. One could also make the argument that even in the 19th century; the leaders of the church were better served tending to the sheep and preaching the Gospel. Is God sovereign or not? What has He commissioned us to do? We are not charged with reviving this country. We are not charged with installing a theocracy. Quite frankly, most people who would insist on legislating their faith would not survive a theocracy. The same people often screaming against abortion are the same ones screaming at poor people to get a job. One of the other things God requires of us is to love mercy. Not just be merciful but to love mercy. Some of the most unmerciful people hide behind stained glass while hurling their stones at the very people who need the Gospel the most.
"Or course we can get involved in politics in a partisan way, becoming appendages of a particular political party, which is a real mistake." -- Dr. Michael Brown
In typical Brown fashion he states something that is a definitive as something that might happen. This statement is ridiculous. The church is not only an appendage of the Republican Party it is a whore to it. Just look at who Dr. Brown defended this time! A thrice married billionaire who bragged about moving on married women like a b*tch and grabbing them by their genitals. Now you can decide he is the best choice or the lesser of two evils but do not try and make what is clearly evil, good. We noted last month that Franklin graham took $125,000 from Donald Trump in 2012 and then voila! He endorses him when he runs and paves the way for him to get his Pentecostal street cred. Before you get all weepy about Graham being a benevolent overseer of two charities realize those charities pay him in excess of $850,000 annually in salary. The larger point here it to pretend that this mistake has not already occurred is silly. In 2012 Graham removed the Mormons as a cult on the Billy Graham website because Mitt Romney was running for the GOP. That is what happens when people who claim to represent Christ get involved in politics and it is why we should not. Brown concludes:
"I am confident I am not alone in sensing that it pleases God and helps His people when we, as ministry leaders, bring the Word of God to bear on every area of life, politics included." -- Dr. Michael Brown
Well, I am confident that Dr. Brown will not be alone in making this mistake but a mistake it remains. He has not brought to light one scripture supporting his NAR beliefs because there are none. If you think ministr y leaders getting involved in politics helped the people of God this election cycle then I wager you were not paying any attention. It divided the church sharply and it remains so to this day. It elicited a brutal and wicked hypocrisy from believers, who spread lies and gossip like it was the Gospel. Oh, and what about the Gospel? Where did Christ finish in this election? The last bit of irony that escaped Michael Brown is found in one of the only Scriptures he referenced, Philippians 3. Verse 20 clearly states that our citizenship is in heaven. It starts however with the word "but"; indicating a contrast that can only be found in the preceding context. That context can be found in our key verses today. If verse 20 says "but we are citizens of heaven," then these people in verses 18 and 19 must be citizens of the world. They walk as enemies to the cross. Their own end is destruction. Their god is their belly -- whatever fills them. Not only that but they glory in their own shame and their mind is set only on the things of this earth. That might as well be a definition of politics beloved.
But we are citizens of heaven. Let that resonate. One of the biggest absurdities in the church is every four years we turn to a carnal world, select a carnal man, and think he is going to solve all of the spiritual problems we face. Then we ascribe righteousness to him that he does not deserve. We pretend he is God's choice. So called Christian leaders have likened Donald Trump to Elijah, David, and King Cyrus. Abortion, the Johnson Amendment, war, social justice -- all deck chairs on the Titanic. The ship is still going down and Jesus is still the lifeboat. We are not called to get involved in who the next king of Sodom will be. To take sides and confer false righteousness to evil. No matter how you try to dress it up. If you are called to ministry then you are called to the Gospel. It is time we get back to it.
Reverend Anthony Wade -- December 16, 2016
