Keeping the Main Thing: Politics

Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts

Monday, November 4, 2024

A Pastoral Perspective on Politics from Jonny Ardavanis

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Being a Good Steward in Your Citizenship

Christians are citizens of heaven as Philippians 3:20 says. We are also citizens of the country we live in. Here in the United States, there are some Christians that do not want to get involved in politics whether it is not paying attention to the news or not voting.

I heard a statistic recently that 1 out of 5 Christians are registered to vote. Many do not want to vote because they feel their voice does not matter. How are Christians supposed to engage the political sphere especially here in the U.S.

I appreciate this discussion from the Redeeming Truth Podcast which features pastors from the Redeemer Bible Church in Gilbert, AZ as they address being a good steward in our citizenship which includes politics:

Monday, October 7, 2024

Book Review: Let Men Be Free by Brandon James Crawford

Christians have said that America is a Christian nation. To be honest, it is really not. Yes, this nation was found on godly principles, but it does not mean we are a Christian nation. America did not enter into covenant with God like Israel did.

There has been great discussion about Christians and politics these days to the point where there are huge disagreements especially on the topic of Christian nationalism. Should Christians be involved in politics? Should Christians be involved in anything when it comes to the laws of the land?

Brandon James Crawford looks at a healthy balance of Christianity and politics as well as an alternative to Doug Wilson and Stephen Wolfe's ideals for Christian nationalism in his book, Let Men Be Free: A Christian Vision for Ordered Liberty

This book begins with a look what Crawford states a better way in system of government that reconciles public order and personal freedom. he dubs it "biblically-ordered liberty" where the church and state are "regulated and relating to one another in the ways prescribed by the Lord Jesus Christ as articulated in Holy Scripture." This is must different from what Stephen Wolfe was considering because he based his case for Christian nationalism on philosophy and Thomism.

Crawford goes on to remind his readers that Christ is King. He still rules even when the governments of the world do not seek to honor Him as Lord. He continues to state that every man in a nation with a balance of government and church working together has basic fundamental rights such earn a living, be a family man, and also equal rights under the law.

Crawford then addresses the mandates for the state and the church. The state is to be as God intended. The state is to make laws where evil is punished, and everyone is protected. The church is to do what Scripture dictates and that is to worship God and be salt and light to those who are lost. The church is not to go back in the days where the Roman Catholic church did where they ruled the land and was extremely involved in the government which included the punishment of those who were not part of the church, which is something, according to Crawford, Christian nationalists want to return to.

At the end of the book, Crawford reminds his readers there will be a day when the King of Kings will rule this world, and His laws will be established everywhere which there will be no debate. That will be a glorious day from all Christians to witness.

I will confess this is a tough book to review because I want to be fair and make sure that I have communicated what this book does communicate. I will say that I found this book more Biblically based over Stephen Wolfe's book on Christian nationalism where he gave no biblical support for his claims. You may not agree with Crawford's writing, but I challenge everyone to grab a copy and see for yourself.

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review.

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Practical Advice Regarding the Upcoming Presidential Election

In this video, Richard Cardwell, pastor of Founders Baptist Church in Spring, Tx, offers some guidance for Christians as the 2024 Presidential Election is upon us in the United States:

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Two Articles in Regard to the "Evangelicals for Harris" Movement

As this presidential election starts to heat up in the United States, there is a group of Christians who are jumping in the Kamala Harris ship for various reasons. It is sad to see many who consider themselves as followers of Jesus to vote for someone in a political party that is so left wing that one has to wonder how they sleep at night.

One such group of Christians has dubbed themselves as "Evangelicals for Harris." This group is made of Christians who want to persuade other believers to vote for Harris in the 2024 presidential election. There are number of Christians who are calling out this movement as unbiblical. Two of them are Darrell B Harrison and Samuel Sey who have two well-written articles on this matter:

The Hypocritical Duplicity of ‘Evangelicals for Harris’ by Darrell B Harrison

Evangelicals For Harris, Evangelicals For Satan by Samuel Sey

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Book Review: Empowered Witness by Alan Strange

What is the mission of the church? Does the church supposed to have any political position whatsoever? Is the church supposed to be neutral when it comes to the issues of our day? Alan Strange in his book, Empowered Witness, takes a look at the church in regard to its mission and its impact on culture as well as politics.

Strange hold nothing back in regard to the mission of the church. The first sentence of the introduction says that the mission of the church "is to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth, not to be another merely (or even chiefly) political, social, or economic institution." Strange goes on to say that Jesus made it clear that the church is "to go to every people (often translated 'nations') and to evangelize and disciple them (Matt. 28:18-20), enfolding them into his kingdom, which is 'not of this world' ((John 18:36), a kingdom that does not have the transitory but the eternal at its heart (2 Cor. 4:18).

By now, this should be the end of the book. The mission of the church is to make disciples. The church is not to be engaged with the culture, right? This book dives deeply into the mission of the church to be preaching the gospel to everyone while not being some form of political power. As Strange has said, everyone has a political opinion, but they are not gospel truth that should be proclaimed from the pulpit as gospel truth.

This book also takes a look at Charles Hodge who opposed the spiritual mission of the church. He sought to get the Presbyterian church away from the mission of the church to just proclaim the gospel to become more of a political power during the time when slavery was legal in the United States. Strange goes on to show what will happen if the church neglects it mission of proclaiming the gospel to the ends of the earth and becoming something Jesus never commissioned his church to do.

Strange concludes to remind his readers that the gospel is not a political message, but a spiritual one. Many in our day who have embrace the social justice narrative want the church to be more active in the political sphere or even being more involved in social issues.

There are even some that have rejected the Bible because it did not abolish slavery. Strange wrote, "While it is true that Christ and the apostle did not abolish slavery, it is also the case that the consequences of the gospel would tend to ameliorate if not eliminate it (as seen in Paul's letter to Philemon)."

I strongly encourage all believers to read this book especially if you hold to the Christian Nationalist view.

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for a review.

Friday, February 10, 2023

Ascol and Baucham address Christian Nationalism

Seems over the past couple of years, the term Christian Nationalism has been tossed around in various blogs and social media posts. It is also the subject of a book, which has been gaining a lot of attention. To be honest, I have not heard the term until the last few years, but it seems to be increasing in various discussions.

In these three videos, Tom Ascol and Voddie Baucham address the issue of Christian Nationalism. These messages took place at the Institute of Public Theology Pre-Conference prior to the 2023 Founders Conference:

Friday, November 18, 2022

Another Election Happened, Now What?

I know I am a little late to the game, but we had another election in the United States. In fact, there are still some elections that haven't announced a winner just yet. I am not sure how some of you voted so you are either happy or sad. I know who I voted in my state elections, and I am content with the results. I think there are one or two that are still counting votes, which makes us wonder if we jumped back to the 2000 President Election.

Maybe you are in state where the election did not go what many thought it should go. Many thought there was going to be a Red Wave, which did not happen, and probably said by those who claimed Donald Trump was going to win the 2020 Presidential Election.

Now that the midterm elections are over for most races, now what? Well, for starters, brace yourselves for another round of campaigns especially since Donald Trump announced he was running for 2024. More importantly, trust in God. No matter what results any elections may bring, Christians are to trust in God. The psalmist wrote, "Trust in Him at all times, O people" (Psalm 62:8). Not just when things are good, but when things are not going your way.

As we truth in the Lord, we need to remember that in God providence, He has placed leaders in their positions of power. The Bible says, "For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist have been appointed by God" (Romans 13:1). Jesus even said to Pontius Pilate just before He was crucified, "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above" (John 19:11).

All authority to earthly governments has been given to them by God even though they were elected by the people. God used an ordinary means to accomplish His will. We may not understand it, but all we have to do is trust in Him. God has not lost control of this world and that includes politics. The Bible says, "For the kingdom is Yahweh’s and He rules over the nations" (Psalm 22:28). Psalm 46:10 says, "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." God will be exalted no matter what.

Finally, take time to pray for you elected officials. The Apostle Paul said, "First of all, then, I exhort that petitions and prayers, requests and thanksgivings, be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity" (1 Timothy 2:1-2). I know it can be difficult to pray for politicians, who clearly do not have Biblical standards in mind as they run whatever they were elected for, but Christians are to pray for them. Pray, if they do not know Jesus, will come to know the Lord and repent from their sins. Pray for those who are believers in a political office that they will grow in the grace of Christ and not compromise the Word of God for the sake of progress.

The midterms are over, and another presidential race is coming. So, get ready and fasten your seats belts. Let us pray for the next round of elections that are coming up in the next couple of years.