I love Jesus. My desire is to serve Him while I am here. I want to serve others in His name and encourage my brothers and sisters as they live out their Christian faith. I want to be a disciple.
I love my country. Many men and women have shed their blood for the freedoms that I enjoy. I have been blessed beyond all understanding to be a citizen here.
Hearing the decisions that are coming from our government in Washington D.C. today is alarming. Seeing the direction that the United States is moving is unbelievable. It's like watching a slow motion train wreck. If Jesus was incarnate in 21st century America, would He be concerned?
What does the Bible say about government or politics? What is our role? What did Jesus say about government?
Romans 13:1-7 - 1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Titus 3:1 - 1Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work
1 Peter 2:13, 14 - 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
I don't think that Jesus was concerned with politics. I only know of a few instances where Jesus spoke of anything that resembled a political statement. The first one is Matthew 22:17-22, "17Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" 18But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. 20And Jesus said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" 21They said, "Caesar’s." Then he said to them, "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s." 22When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away."
The other is Luke 13:31,32, "31At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." 32And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course."
The last being John 18:33-38, "33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 34Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" 35Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" 36Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." 37Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." 38Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"
Based on the previous verses I had to come to a conclusion. I am concerned about the direction of the United States. God has put in place our current form of government I will involve myself in the voting process. As of now, I have a right to speak and petition our government. I will do so when necessary. However, I will not do so at the expense of my ministry or the great commission! 2 Timothy 2:3,4, says, "3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him."
Barak Obama, Nancy Pelossi, Newt Gingrich, and Ron Paul are powerless in God's Kingdom, just as Pilate was powerless.
My aim is to please the one who enlisted me. God bless y'all real good.
