Exchanging God For a Lie

 

Sam walked into the church on a Sunday morning thinking he was familiar with what he would hear. After all, the church was affiliated with the one he had attended before he relocated to this community. When the service began, the lights in the sanctuary were dimmed and a man walked to the pulpit and greeted everyone. He then introduced a political candidate and informed the church that he would be the guest speaker that morning. Sam was shocked at this. The church he had attended prior to his relocation would have never taken up God’s time with a political candidate. But he decided to wait and see if the man was going to talk about politics or Jesus.

There was no musical worship or song and the guest speaker stepped into the pulpit and began to speak. There was no prayer. He simply jumped right into what he had prepared to talk about. And his topic wasn’t about Jesus or God’s word, it was about his political campaign. Sam couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The man was careful not to mention his opponent but did heavily criticize the opposing political party. He went through a list of policies and agendas he was opposed to and slammed those who supported them.

Sam listened to this rhetoric for about ten minutes and decided he had heard enough. This wasn’t a church service; it was a political rally and that’s not what he had come to church for on this Sunday morning. Sam stood up and moved to the end of the row of chairs he was sitting in and walked out. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing on a Sunday morning in a so-called church service.

And so it is in many local churches across this county today. Far too many Christians have exchanged their faith in God for a political figure. They have more faith in a person being more capable of providing a way out of their current situation or hardship then they do in God. Maybe they don’t agree with the way their government is being run regardless of local or national. So, they have bought into the divided political climate and have chosen a side. They seem to have forgotten that it is God who has placed these politicians in the seats of authority.

 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.   Rom 13:1

Politicians are very savvy and know exactly how to win people into their camp. A recent president has done that with parts of the Church. He has many Christians believing he is actually a Christian, but his conduct doesn’t show any signs of that. He can’t even explain salvation or when he was saved. He invited pastors and Christian leaders to surround him in his attempt to try and prove his devotion to the Christian church. But he has done more damage to the church than good and has brought more hate in the direction of Christianity that any atheist organization has.

When Christian pastors spend more time concerned with and talking about the politics of this nation than the word of God, it brings no glory to God and it provides no equipping of Christians. What it actually does is move his followers farther away from Jesus and God’s word. God’s word tells us to pray for our leaders who are in positions of authority.

 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.                

1 Tim 2:1-2

This is the proper way to voice our concern. We do it in prayer to God and we ask him to work on the hearts of those who are in authority. If these people are not saved, that should be our first petition when we pray for them. We must remember we were just like them before we were saved. We were all deserving of death and eternity in hell. We are quick to criticize and blast these people but fail to go to the Lord on their behalf. That’s a sinful attitude and it brings no glory to God. We have to remember God is our sovereign God. He is in control of all things. This shouldn’t be a scary thought but a comforting one. When we step back and seek God in everything, we will realize He only wants our best for us. That doesn’t mean He is a sugar daddy and will provide your every want. But He does provide for our needs.

It’s no different when we seek His guidance concerning the election of political candidates. Turn off the rhetoric you here on the 24-hour news outlets. Ignore the social media and internet bickering and fighting. Ignore the news media in general because they have all taken a side and are paid to influence you in that direction. You might have been looking for a red wave or a blue wall to make your life more pleasant but that is an empty bucket when it comes to the Christian life. There is no eternal hope in a political candidate or the person’s agenda. There is only hope in our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Yes, I hate and detest the thought of millions of babies being killed before their birth. They are defenseless and are brutally killed in the womb. And just as bad are the people who march around screaming for the right to kill those babies and disguise it by calling it women’s health or reproductive rights. It’s brutal and demented thinking. But that doesn’t mean you go out and shoot a doctor performing these procedures. The person who does this is just as guilty of murder as those killing the baby. So, what’s the proper way to stop this nonsense? Only God can bring a stop to it. Even following a recent ruling from this nation’s supreme court, abortion is still allowed legally in certain states. But to show the depth of the depravity of the human mind, people who support this issue are still not satisfied. The hateful remarks and comments continue.

From a conservative standpoint, this nation’s morals are in the toilet. Just thinking about what has been allowed in the past twenty to thirty years is proof of that. And every one of these immoral and demented issues has found their way into the political divide in this country. From my Christian perspective, the Church has not managed these issues correctly. Instead of seeking God in prayer and bringing these issues before Him, the Church has entered into the political divide. It has ushered the culture and all of its garbage right in the front door and welcomed it. There is only one way for Christians to fight the evil of the world and that is by prayer and seeking God’s guidance and not that of people.

-Bill Petite