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 Acts 9:1-10:48.

“And he said to them, ‘You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean’” (Acts 10:28).

I should not call any person common of unclean. It doesn’t matter if they are black or white, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, employee or employer, upper or lower class, southern or northern, Democrat or Republican, whatever or whatever else.

It doesn’t matter if their hair is painted green, if their pants are hanging low, if they have tattooes or nose rings. It doesn’t matter what they have done. They may have been idolaters, coveters, adulterers, or homosexuals.

Peter’s statement is not saying the person is holy. They need to be in Christ for that. The point is I must not believe that somehow I’m so good and someone else so bad that he can defile me by simply being near me. The point is I must not look down on anyone as if they cannot be saved by the blood of Jesus. I must not look down on anyone as if they need to be saved more than I do. I must not look down on anyone as if they are so bad I must not share the freeing message of Jesus with them.

I am so glad Peter learned this lesson, since I am a Gentile and not Jewish. I would be upset if anyone viewed me as common or unclean. I must not do the same for others.

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?

Today’s reading is Acts 17:1-18:28.

The Thessalonian Jews made an interesting accusation against the Christians in Acts 17:7. They claimed the Jews were rebelling against Caesar because they believed there was another king, Jesus. On the one hand this was true. The Christians did believe Jesus was their king. They did give their allegiance to Jesus over Caesar. However, we all know this charge is bogus because the Christians were not rebelling against Caesar. In fact, their king had claimed they should render to Caesar what was his due. 

The Christians were not fighting against Rome, rebelling against Rome, or even encouraging folks to break the laws of Rome. This accusation was pointless. The Christians were not taking up arms against Rome. They were not trying to overthrow Caesar. They were not even working to change the laws of Rome, at all. The most they did to impact their government was to pray (cf. I Timothy 2:1-2).

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to say that individual Christians are not allowed to participate in the political process. I encourage you to vote. I encourage you, if you have a heart’s desire for it, to be political. But please, recognize that Christian is not a political party. God did not establish Christianity to impact national politics. Jesus did not die so nations could become Christian. Jesus died so we could carry the gospel message to one more person and let them be forgiven.

Can this message change the social and political world? Sure it can. As we get the message out to more and more people and more people become God’s children, that will impact what happens at every level of our government. But please, please recognize this very simple point. Voting is not your Christian duty. God does not have a candidate in any election. God does not have a side on any law. He wants us to surrender to Him no matter what our government does. He is not asking us to bring our government in line with Him.

Sadly, the world could probably bring an accusation against Christians and churches today that they are trying to change the political structure of nations. Let’s give that up and just get back to surrendering ourselves to God and carrying God’s message to others.

***Question: Why is it so easy for Christ’s church to lose sight of its real mission and get distracted with things like politics?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC