Today’s reading is 1 Timothy 2:1-3:16.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings, be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peacefull and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

What a relief it is to know that I don’t have to have political opinions to be a Christian. What a relief it is to know that I don’t have to agree with everyone else politically to be doing what God wants about politics and legislation. What a relief it is to know that Christ’s church can have unity while the world breaks its head in political unrest. What a relief it is to know that I don’t have to be a political activist, filled with anxiety about the latest laws. What a relief it is to know that I don’t have to argue about healthcare, gun control, immigration, taxes, or even the legislation about homosexuality or abortion in Christ’s church.

All I have to do is put the nation in God’s hands, praying to Him that our leaders will allow us to live our Christian lives in peace. And, of course, trusting Him to care for me if our leaders refuse to do that.

What a wonderfully glorious principle it is to see that we can have unity despite political differences because God’s will isn’t about getting certain national legislation passed and we can keep all that arguing and divisiveness out of the church. Oh it is so good when a body of believers can have this peace and leave all that political pressure and posturing outside the relationship we have in Christ.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is 2 Corinthians 10:1-11:33.

Lately, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 has been very pointed to me: 

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

We all know this means we don’t take up arms against non-Christians or Christian with whom we disagree. Rather, we take the gospel of Jesus to them. We persuade with the grace and gospel of Jesus, not the force of weapons. Yet, today, it seems that many Christians are neglecting part of this passage. They think that there is one fleshly warfare that is part of our lives. Those who have followed some of my other writings know exactly where I’m going with this. 

It seems today that the new battlefield is no longer the spiritual realm, fighting against the rulers, the authorities, the cosmic powers over this present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12), but the political realm fighting against policy we don’t like. It is as if Christians are beginning to think the way to spread God’s gospel is to legislate it through our nation’s policies. 

Jesus said His kingdom is not of this world. If it were, His citizens would stand up and fight (John 18:36). Yet some Christians seem to be intent on denying what Jesus said as if the United States of America is God’s kingdom in this world. It is not. It never has been. It never will be no matter what our laws say. 

God has not asked us to take up political arms to spread His will. He’s asked us to take His gospel to our neighbor, loving them enough to talk to them about His grace and salvation in His name through His Son. If we do that, then it won’t matter what our national policies and laws are, we’ll have helped another person surrender to God and live by His will. Who cares what the nation’s laws are if we can convince individuals to live by God’s will? On the other hand, who cares what the nation’s laws are if we don’t convince people to live by God’s will? Have we accomplished any good if we get abortion and homosexuality outlawed but our neighbors are still practicing them?

Let’s not wage the war according to the flesh today. Instead, let’s ask for opportunities to share God’s gospel with someone. 

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

I know this post is a day late and a dollar short regarding its timing in world events. However, I did make these comments in a little more timely fashion on my other blog. However, I can only comment as the reading gets to these points and with the election so recent, this is the point that really stood out to me in today’s reading.

Paul told Timothy: “First of all then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (I Timothy 2:1-2, ESV).

You have now read the sum total of what God asks us to do to impact national policies. I guess I struggle just a little when every four years Christians act like voting is our Christian duty to God and then act like if we don’t vote for the “right” candidate then we are putting our souls in jeopardy. Since we are at this passage, I just have to repeat that God has never asked us to spread His will politically. God has never asked us to try to get people to obey Him by voting His precepts into national law.

Now, I certainly believe we are allowed to participate in the democratic process. I certainly believe we are allowed to vote if we want. I just don’t find the Bible saying we have to vote for a specific candidate in order to make sure America is more godly on any particular issue. We certainly shouldn’t be going around acting like a person must not be a real Christian because they are voting differently than we are.

I get two things from these verses.

1. If we truly want to impact some national policy, the thing God has asked us to do is pray.
2. If we want to pray about the one national policy God has directed us to be concerned about at a national policy level, then we will pray that our government will allow us as individuals to have peace and the ability to serve God the way He has commanded us.

That’s it. That’s the sum total of what God has asked us to do regarding national policy. So, let’s get the politicizing out of the churches. Let’s get the politicizing out of discussions about eternal destinies. Instead, let’s pray to God that those in authority will continue to let us serve God in peace and godliness.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

There are a ton of things that catch my attention in today’s reading. But one overshadowed them all. James 2:1 says, “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory” (ESV). It then goes on to describe  a form of partiality and expresses that to be partial is to “become judges with evil thoughts” (James 2:4, ESV).

This struck me because of Barak Obama and the recent election. Let’s face it, whether we like Obama’s politics and philosophies or not (and I assure you I do not), we have to be able to see the momentous occasion his election represents. Since November 4, however, I have been seeing a disturbing trend even among Christians. For some reason many are just honing in on race. Some white people are quick to rebuke black people for being excited about finally having a black president. If a black person says anything about how glad they are that it has finally occurred, some white person somewhere is going to accuse them of being racist. Well, it is always easier to take someone else’s inventory than our own. It makes us feel better about that little bit of prejudice that still remains if we can point out how “they” are just like us or possibly even worse.

The fact is, I’m not all that smart and I have a hard time trying to be philosophical. I cannot possibly articulate what the right amount of happiness is for black folks this week. But here is what I say to all the white folks who are desperately trying to pin partiality on black people, we should be just as excited that we have reached a point where a black man can become president. This doesn’t mean racism has ended. In a practical sense, it doesn’t even really mean that any issues black people have faced in their every day lives will change. But it least it says something about our country in general. Let’s face it. There really was a reason why a black man was not elected president in the 1700s. There really was a reason why a black man was not elected president in the 1800s. There really was a reason why a black man was not elected president in the 1900s. 

Frankly, based on politics, I can find so little to rejoice about regarding this election, I say we as white people should rejoice with our black friends and brethren who see this as a momentous, earth-shattering moment that is worthy of rejoicing no matter your political persuasion. I say we work to try to understand all that it means for our fellow men and women whose skin is darker than ours. The fact is, we white people cannot possibly understand what it has been like growing up black in America. Instead of tossing the joy of our fellow man in their faces and trying to act like they are sinning for being excited about the success of someone in their race, let’s work on being impartial. The fact is, if Obama had been a man from a particular college and everyone from that college was rejoicing, we wouldn’t be blasting them. If he was simply a man from a particular town that had not ever had anyone as president before and everyone in that town was rejoicing, we wouldn’t be pitching a fit. 

Frankly, I tend to think if Obama were a conservative Republican and had won the presidency, that few of the white people who keep blasting away at our black friends for their joy would be saying anything about it. So, let’s get over ourselves. Let’s be impartial. Let’s let folks rejoice at the great meaning behind having our first black president whether those rejoicing are black, white or some other race. Let’s quit trying to put everyone in their place and show them how wrong they are for some issue of race in this election.

Instead, let’s act like Christians and simply love our brethren, love our enemies, honor and submit to the governing authorities and let’s be impartial about it.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS: If you would like to listen to the sermon I presented about James 3:13-18 just this past Sunday, go here.