Should Christians be involved in earthly politics, given that Christianity focuses on spirituality and eternal life?
Christians should always check the Holy Spirit’s leading before they choose the different paths of life to walk upon. All decisions can be approached as “prayer communication” with the Holy Spirit. Some decisions have much greater [far-reaching] consequences than other decisions. Some far-reaching decisions, like marriage and work choices, will have lifetime consequences.
Because the world is presently controlled by the devil, including its political kingdoms, a Christian would need to have very positive assurance from the Holy Spirit to become politically involved in any culture or system of government.
We are taught to pray for the leaders of our countries. We are NOT taught to attempt to make changes in governments by joining organizations to bring about political change.
– 1 Timothy 2:1-6 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
Why do we adopt this belief after serving Christ for many years?
Politics at its very core foundation involves compromise. Politics tend to move on the wheels of compromises between sin-filled individuals rejecting God’s absolute righteous commands while attempting to order societies using human reasoning [a devil-created worldview].
Political decisions are usually based upon one group[s] in direct opposition to another group[s]. Both groups use flawed, unrighteous minds to implement fallen human reasoning, built upon the evil worldview of the devil and corrupt cultures.
Why does the political arena work in this flawed fashion?
Mankind does NOT want to be ruled by a Sovereign God exercising perfect righteous commands. We human creatures ENTER this world always wanting to be our “own gods” and conduct our lives however “we think is the most advantageous manner for us personally”.
Thus, all human authorities attempt to INFLUENCE public opinion and gain enough political power to accomplish their selfish objectives. Nearly all political objectives are for the most part self-centered attempts to gain personal power, glory or wealth.
From our vantage point, we can hardly imagine a more difficult and tension-filled occupation than engaging in the world’s political systems! For us, a far greater reward is found in seeking first God’s everlasting, eternal kingdom and His righteousness as we await Jesus’ 2nd Coming to rule and “make right everything which is currently wrong”.
As human beings we have NO capacity to bring about GODLINESS in the lives of others, be it a person, culture or nation. As Christians we are to be “salt and light” to those around us. The very foundation of earthly politics is the rejection of God’s Kingdom. His kingdom is Absolute Truth and Pure Light. When we are involved in politics we will be rejected and persecuted [just as Jesus Himself] because the kingdom of darkness CANNOT stand the Kingdom of Light.
The kingdom of darkness is against the pure Light and Truth of Jesus in the life of a Christian. It will NOT repent and turn from its evil ways. Instead it will attempt to destroy the individual who insists on living righteously.
This is exactly what was carried out against Jesus. The political / religious authorities could not stomach Jesus’ purity and light, so they were determined to destroy Him because His righteousness condemned their unrighteousness.
– John 3:17-21 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
Summary: In past days, on occasions, God has used certain Christians in different political realms and positions [see Daniel 1:3-21, etc.] For us, we have not been called and equipped to work in or against the evil political systems of this world. Thus, we definitely find our time is much better invested in the simple task of declaring to the world that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus will soon return to take over the control and rule over the earth. He will banish Satan, his demons and followers to the Lake of Fire.
Commentary:
Truth No. 1: There exists only two kingdoms in the universe, God’s Kingdom of Light and the devil’s kingdom of darkness.
- Colossians 1:13-14 . . giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
- John 8:42-47 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
Truth No. 2: All humanity is born into the devil’s kingdom of darkness and are slaves to the devil who hates the Light. The light is Holy God and His words which are true. As a result of Adam’s rebellion, all people of every nation and culture are the offspring of Adam and Eve and are born with a sin-damaged nature inclined to follow the devil’s leading to rebel against Holy God. This is done in the futile attempt to become our “own gods”. We are born selfish, self-
centered creatures, determined to rule as much as possible our own circumstances. We have NO capacity to understand spiritual truth since mankind lost its spiritual illumination with Adam’s sin. Because we have NO capacity to understand spiritual truth, we do NOT agree that God’s love should govern our lives. All this continues UNTIL we are “born-again” with Christ’s Spirit.
What is God’s Royal Law of Love which every person is commanded to obey?
- Mark 12:29-31 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
These two Laws are inviolable. Any and all violation of these Laws subjects lawbreakers to the just punishment of death.
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul who sins shall die.
To become a Christian, one must be “born-again”. This term is a description of a factual occurrence when the very Spirit of Christ comes into the spiritual nature of a man/woman and begins the process of changing the person into the very likeness of Christ,
- John 14:16-18 [Jesus said] And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth [Christ] whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
- John 16:7-1 [Jesus said] Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper [the Spirit of Christ] will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
What exactly did Jesus accomplish by His death on the cross outside of Jerusalem some 2000 years ago?
- John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Jesus’ death defeated the power of DEATH.
- Ephesians 1:19-22 . . and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him [Christ] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion [all governments], and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Conclusion of the Great Tribulation: Satan bound for 1000 years.
The devil’s certain defeat and end is clearly described in Revelation 20:1-3 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
At the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ: Judgement of Christ rejectors:
Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Now only one question remains: Have you believed, trusted, received Jesus Christ as your perfect Substitute in death and your personal Savior? Jesus lived the perfect life you and I should have lived and did not. Jesus then died the perfect Death in our place and received in His own body the death we should have received.
Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, ascension to the Father’s Right Hand to Judge and Rule is the Greatest Love Story Every Told!
We trust you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord, Savior and Friend. If so, please write to us and encourage us with that news. If you have not, oh, we urge you NOT to wait even one minute longer before crying out to Jesus to save you and send His Holy Spirit to seal you into God’s eternal family.
At just the perfect God-decreed time, Jesus Christ will return and set up His eternal kingdom. There will be no more sin, death or tears. We desperately desire and most sweetly look forward to seeing you in heaven one day soon.
- Revelation 21:1-5 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away [including all governments]. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
All our love to All,
in Christ
Jon + Philis + Friends
@ WasItForMe.com
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