Jesus is Our King

Sharing is caring!

Every four years, increasingly it seems, our country is whipped into a frenzy during the months leading up to the November presidential elections. Both sides dig in. Positions solidify. Name calling and ad hominem attacks are thrown around. Politicians promise life will be rosy if you give them your vote.

Here are three principles for evangelical Christians to remember as we head to the polls.

It’s good and right for Christians to get involved in the political process

You are not godlier if you stick your head in the sand. Evangelicals should be well-informed and understand the issues. We should be like those in 1 Chronicles 12:32. This passage of Scripture describes the Tribe of Issachar’s characteristics as “men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” (KJV)

The eighteenth-century Irish philosopher and statesman Edmund Burke in his Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents (1770) said, “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Evangelicals should vote, lobby, campaign, and run for office.

Let us not idolize any particular politician … Jesus is our King

It’s easy to become enamored by a specific party, campaign, or politician. “If only he/she wins, my life will be so much better,” we falsely believe. Politicians and political parties will disappoint and let you down … Jesus never fails. Remember Jesus who said, “…I will build my church; and all the powers of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18 The Living Bible) We get off track when we assume a particular party or politician holds more power or influence than the organization Jesus is building … His church.

So, this is not an issue of either/or, but rather one of both/and. The issue is not, “Okay, so I won’t vote or get involved in politics in any way!” But rather, “Yes, I will strive to become an informed and active voter. But I will keep in perspective the current man-made programs which will one day pass away.”

Don’t lose hope if your particular candidate or party loses an election

The politicians are trained to repeat this mantra: “If my opponent wins, our country/state/county/city will be destroyed!” No, as Annie sang, “The sun will come out … tomorrow.” By God’s sustaining grace life will go on. Do not let politicians or the political process lead you into a type of depression. Your world will not become perfect if your candidate wins, and your world should not fall apart if your candidate loses. Again, keep your eyes fixed on King Jesus. It’s true the times are getting worse.

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “But you must realize that in the last days the times will be full of danger. Men will become utterly self-centered, greedy for money, full of big words. They will be proud and contemptuous, without any regard for what their parents taught them. They will be utterly lacking in gratitude, purity and normal human affections. They will be men of unscrupulous speech and have no control of themselves. They will be passionate and unprincipled, treacherous, self-willed and conceited, loving all the time what gives them pleasure instead of loving God. They will maintain a facade of “religion”, but their conduct will deny its validity. You must keep clear of people like this.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 J.B. Phillips)

Keep in mind Jesus and his coming Kingdom will ultimately solve these spiritual problems and not politicians or political parties.

© Dr. Paul Pettit

This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.

_______________________________________________________________

Learn how to form teams of men for every widow, single mom

and fatherless child in your church at NewCommandment.org.

_______________________________________________________________