“I urge, then, first of all, that requests , prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.” I Timothy 2:1-3
A monumental change took place on Tuesday. A political revolution occurred via the ballot box. More than 120 million people went to cast ballots, and, as is the case in every election, many of them were disappointed in the outcome. Since Christians, and particularly conservative, evangelical Christians, have been involved and have played a high profile role in politics since at least 1980, the eyes of the world are watching us to see how we are going to handle the results of this election. We must, and I’ll emphasize this again because it is so important, we must make sure that our testimony is not damaged or destroyed by what we do.
As I was heading home from church last night, I heard a disturbing report on the radio about some apparently racially motivated incidents which took place on the Baylor University campus yesterday. Of course, most people in Texas know that Baylor is a Baptist-related university but if they didn’t, the reporter mentioned it at least once in the report. Someone hung a noose in a tree. Some students burned several Obama/Biden campaign signs. A group of students, some white, some black, got into a public shouting match on the campus. These are unfortunate incidents, and the fact that they took place on the campus of a noted Christian university with a long Baptist heritage makes them doubly so. But they illustrate a point that needs to be made. The church in America, especially what we might call the “confessing” church, is facing some critical issues upon which the credibility of its testimony, and its future effectiveness in evangelism and ministry hinges.
Extremists abound in every movement. In conservative American politics, the extremist message is largely articulated by half a dozen talk radio hosts and a few internet news pundits. Extremists take a few obscure details that are usually not widely known and attempt to inflate them into evidence that supports their message. They generally forecast “gloom and doom” scenarios that will happen if their opposition is elected, or somehow comes to power. They’ve rarely been accurate in their forecasts, but their goal isn’t accuracy. It is to influence people to vote in a particular way, or, on the losing side of an election, to stiffen resistance and put up any possible roadblock to the agenda of the other side. Their motivation for doing this is pretty clear, since those who got into this business when it was in its infancy have made fortunes from it. Their programs are broadcast on stations owned by large corporations who also have a vested monetary interest in influencing enough of the electorate to put politicians in office generally committed to policies which expand their profits.
In the political hothouse atmosphere that has developed in this country during this particular election, especially toward the end of the campaign when it became apparent that the Democrats were going to gain the White House, and expand their majority in Congress, Christians must walk a very delicate tightrope. It is no secret that there is a media bias against those who profess faith in Christ. Our priority must be our testimony of lives transformed by the saving power of God’s grace. That does not mean we must soft-pedal our political convictions, many of which come from our belief and trust in the Bible as the written Word of God. It means that, in expressing ourselves, we need to pay careful attention to the Bible, which does provide ample guidance regarding exactly how do to that and also make certain that the spiritual transformation we have experienced through Jesus is clearly visible as well.
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men; whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. I Peter 2:13-17 (emphasis mine)
“But in your hearts, set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” I Peter 3:15-16 (emphasis mine)
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves.” Romans 13:1-2 (emphasis mine)
This is by no means an “all or nothing” argument. Christians who are also Americans have every right to hold, and express, their political views. In doing so, however, we must also take care to follow the principles that have been outlined for us by God himself, through the scripture writers who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Doing this with gentleness and respect earns us the opportunity to be questioned about the transformation that has taken place in our lives. Conversely, venting our frustration and disappointment by words and actions perceived to be judgemental and condemning are a demonstration of immaturity and selfishness. We did not get our way so we will pout, let everyone around us know how we feel, and ignore the fact that the scripture says the authorities that exist have been established by God.
So, Tuesday’s election results disappointed you. What are you going to do?
1. Spend time in the Bible and in prayer. Isn’t that what you normally do when things are happening in your world that you can’t figure out, or for which you cannot see a good reason? Put President-elect Barack Obama and his family at the top of your prayer list, and leave them there for the next four years.
2. Turn off talk radio. The steady diet of negativity and extremism that you are going to hear there over the coming weeks and months won’t help, most of it is opinion and not fact, and most of what they claim as fact cannot be verified by any reasonable measurement, or it has had a spin put on it, and above all that, none of it glorifies or honors God, nor does it exhibit obedience to his word regarding respect for the governing authority. Few, if any, of the major daytime talk radio hosts profess Christianity of any kind, a couple claim to be Catholic, though they only use that when they need it to prove a point, and one is a Mormon. Get yourself a couple of nice, soft piano jazz CD’s for your car and relax.
3. Find a way to develop an understanding of why African Americans, and particularly African American Christians, see the election of Barack Obama as an answer to prayer. I have never engaged an African American my age or older in a conversation related to political issues in which the extreme pain and sadness they have experienced in their lives as a result of the status they endured before, during, and even since the Civil Rights movement was not clearly visible. I’ve never had to go through anything like that in my life, so there is no way I can see it the way they see it. Racism is a sin equal to abortion, or to any other sin. I think those of us who are not from that heritage have an obligation to make a genuine effort to understand their feelings on this matter and that may help ease fears about other things. Three names come to the top of my head–Dr. Kirby John Caldwell, pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston and spiritual advisor to George W. Bush; Dr. Condaleeza Rice, US Secretary of State, and Collin Powell, former Joint Chief of Staff and Secretary of State. These individuals, all Republicans, all with connections to the Bush adminstration, can probably give you an excellent perspective on the election of Barack Obama.
4. Make the testimony of the spiritual transformation that took place in your life when you received Christ your priority, and learn how to explain it. Become an apologist for the Christian faith and learn how to defend its beliefs and tenets to people who are atheist, agnostic, or backslidden. Learn how to talk to people about your faith without fear, and at the same time, learn how to defend your political, and your personal, convictions with gentleness and respect.
Dear Lord, please help me to remember that nothing is going to happen today that you and I together cannot handle. Amen.
11 Comments
November 6, 2008 at 2:06 pm
[...] His post on politics, the recent election, and the truth of God being in control is not only calming, but is the only way a Christian should respond. Cooler heads should prevail. Lee is a man of integrity, honesty, and like other Christians that I will be pointing to, is leadership material in my opinion. The type of leadership that more churches could learn from instead of the Dobsons, Coliers, or a number of other well known people I could name. [...]
November 7, 2008 at 11:07 am
Timely words of wisdom, Lee.
I recall some more words of wisdom that say, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.”
Then it’s commanded in Jn 13:34, 15:12 and 15:17 and implied in many, many other places. How in the world can we miss this?
Then in Jn 17 Jesus says that our unity will result in the entire world knowing that God sent Jesus for them.
If we first love people, then when we talk about why we do, they’ll listen.
November 7, 2008 at 5:03 pm
The part about “turning off talk radio” is a bit myopic. We are called to be IN the world but not of it. It is appropriate to view ourselves as part of Christ’s efforts to transform our culture and draw people to the Gospel.
Isolating ourselves or intentional obliviousness to the grave and emerging moral and political errors of our time is not unlike living in a virtual monestary. Our usefulness as “salt and light” is fully dependent on our continued willingness to engage in the grand struggles of our day — including political struggles.
Therefore, we simply cannot sequester ourselves from all information that might create cognitive dissonance or contemplation of “negativity” on topics of civic and moral concern. Instead, we must leaven our intellectual intake with prayer and meditation on the Gospel.
I’d suggest Richard Land’s “For Faith and Family” radio program as a helpful alternative to some of the commercial talk radio, except I know how far that will get me on a BGCT dominated site . . . .
November 7, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Land’s credibility sometimes comes into question because he often parrots the same misinformation that the corporate controlled radio announcers do. If I knew where and when his program was on in the Houston area, I’d probably listen but I am not aware of a local station that carries it.
Turning off commercially supported talk shows on corporate owned radio stations is not sequestering one’s self from emerging political and moral issues. Those programs offer nothing that is factually verifiable, and only offer one sided opinion about things that are often not realistic threats. They are simply propaganda. Why subject yourself to being influenced by something that is neither spiritually or intellectually redeeming, and is not true?
November 7, 2008 at 5:54 pm
While a great deal of what’s on commercial talk radio is mere opinion (i.e. conclusions derived from contemplation of selected, reported facts about which reasonable minds can disagree), I disagree that talk radio programs offer “nothing that is factually verifiable.” Most talk radio programs are generated from items widely reported in the press. These items are usually cited by the hosts and are easily found in this electronic age.
Given the decayed state of modern journalism (which often contains a mixture of fact and “propaganda,” filtered through the values, opinions, beliefs and politics of the so-called journalists), talk radio can be a helpful analytical discussion tool to promote critical thinking and a counterweight to the ideological biases of the general media.
Some talk programs also feature guest interviews with relevant and important newsmakers. Hearing from these people directly and without the “media filter” is often beneficial and enlightening.
Thoughtful Christians have nothing to fear from the vast majority of talk radio programs. As with any other legitimate secular media source, we must test every proposition heard against the teachings of Scripture and the leadings of the Holy Spirit.
A large number of faithful Christians are edified and strengthened for the civic battles in our culture from talk radio. Thus, I cannot concede to its universal condemnation.
November 7, 2008 at 8:37 pm
I don’t understand how Christians are edified and strengthened by talk radio announcers who are not professing Christians, and who may consult some outside source, but put their own spin on any factual information they may find.
There may be some Christian talk radio hosts who do this, though I’ve found that many of those are too politically biased to be of much use as far as edification goes. But the regular diet of individuals like Limbaugh, Hannity, and Beck (a Mormon) who do not acknowledge God’s word as truth, nor are influenced by the Holy Spirit does not provide anything edifying or beneficial to Christians.
So perhaps I should distinguish “secular” talk radio from “Christian” talk radio. I would hope that the Christians, regardless of their political bias, would be committed to truth over spin. Unfortunately, many are not.
November 7, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Good post. There are bloggers on the internet, some self-identified as Southern Baptists, who are way over the edge in terms of their reaction to the results of this election. I suspect that they really thought God thought like they thought, and that ultimately, their view would prevail. Maybe some of them have gone out on a limb from the pulpit. I’m glad you pointed to some scriptural instructions regarding how Christians are to handle issues related to the civil government officials. There have been some rather vocal arguments and conflicts around the campus in the past few days, and I’ve heard some really ignorant stuff from people who are identified as conservative Christians. I was wondering how I should respond to that, and now I know.
November 8, 2008 at 9:44 am
Thank you for including the paragraph about attempting to understand how African American Christians feel about this. I think it is insulting and offensive for white Christians to call Obama the antichrist, or speak of this as a sign of the end of the world when, from a historical perspective, it is the most significant social and racial advance that this nation has ever seen. Not only are some of these Christian critics ignoring the scripture in their opposition to his election, they are also ignoring it by attempting to judge someone else’s spiritual condition and relationship with Jesus.
I get the feeling that a lot of this is racially based. There is still a segment of the population that just can’t stand the fact that a black man has been elected President of the US. You mention talk radio, and I’ve heard several of the big time, well known shows mock African Americans, because of their perspective in politics. I’ve also heard some of those “water cooler” conversations around here, plenty of them in fact, where people have vented that particular frustration. I believe abortion is a sin, and I’m not for gay marriage, and if Obama’s position is accurately represented on those positions by his critics, then I’d have to say I disagree with him. But hatred is a sin, too, especially when it is the result of nothing more than the color of a man’s skin and the background of his culture.
November 8, 2008 at 10:57 am
Remembering gentleness, respect and humility is a great word that applies all the time. It can be really hard! Thank you for encouraging us with Scripture.
January 15, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Very well said. I just found your blog by accident and I must say that I’ve enjoyed reading quite a few of your blogs. Thanks, I think it’s what I was needing at the moment too. I’m trying to figure some things out in my faith and I find myself agreeing with some of what you say. Keep it up.
February 23, 2009 at 9:09 pm
I came across this blog as I was searching for information about the Holy Spirit. Thank you so much for your insight and perspective, which is based on scripture. You very rarely see or hear positive comments coming from the Christian community about President Obama. I have had to repent, because around the middle of President George W. Bush’s second term, I was very judgmental and critical of him and his administration. I hope and pray that I will not fall into this trap again, but that I will continually pray fervently for all those in authority and not grow weary in well doing just because they do something I disagree with. When a president or anyone in authority seems to be making the wrong decisions, that’s when they need our fervent, heartfelt, compassionate prayers the most. Judging people and putting them down is not what scripture instructs believers to do. We’re supposed to be different than the world. Our congresspeople, senators, mayors, governors, etc. need our prayers, whether we agree with them or not. The scriptures you posted prove that. And I commend you on your comments about the African American community and how their perspective should be respected and understood. There are so many good points to your blog, I can’t even begin to list them all. I thank you, and I thank the Mighty One of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (whose name is Yahweh) that cooler heads are prevailing. May our heavenly Father bless you richly in every area of your life, in the name of His Son Jesus (Yahshua) and by His Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh).
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