There is no confidence for a Christian in either candidate
for president. One practices a very liberal form of Christianity and the other
is not Christian at all. More importantly however, neither of them has to share
our values because we serve the God who created the universe! This brings us to
the final flaw in this political rational. The notion that this country can be
truly revived and repent is absolutely true. The notion that it can ever happen
through the legislative process or governing is simply untrue. Realize that is
the bill of goods we are being sold. That if we would just get together and
vote for the Mormon candidate, that he will somehow govern the country back
into repentance. Never mind that he fundamentally disagrees with all of our
core doctrines as Christians! The reality beloved is that the nature of battle
we are losing is not carnal, it is Spiritual.
Don't
let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that
come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this
world, rather than from Christ. -- Colossians 2: 8 (NLT)
I use this verse to highlight what I
think we always overlook. There are spiritual powers controlling this world.
The Bible says the lord of the earth is Satan -- he leads the spiritual powers.
Think of everything he has managed to convince the world of. Abortion is an
economic issue and gay marriage is a civil rights issue. We come along and
think that we can point to verses in a book they do not believe in and tell
them they are wrong. Further than that, we actually think we can force them to
accept what we believe at legislative gunpoint. Then we wonder why they have no
interest in God. The truth of the matter is we are Jonah and this country is Nineveh. In the days of
Jonah, Nineveh
was the capital city of the Assyrian Empire. They were ruthless in their
warfare and decadent in their lifestyle. Sound familiar? Does God tell Jonah to
run for office? Does he tell him to forge an alliance with the king or the
opposition? No! He tells him to deliver a message to the people. That message
is repent, for the kingdom
of God is at hand.
Centuries later Jesus would find himself in the middle of another society that
had become more political than Spiritual. The Pharisees were more worried about
their power than their God. Did Jesus secretly support the Sadducees against
them? Did He run for office Himself? No, He preached to them repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus did not have to
scream it at people. He did not have to try and force His beliefs onto anyone.
His message was delivered with love and gentleness. Jonah must have managed to
convey his message effectively as well because Nineveh did actually repent and God spared
them. Eventually they would return to their wicked ways and God would destroy
them but for this moment in time, God relented.
God can also relent with the United States.
Not because we somehow have turned our back on him as a country but rather
because we have always given Him our back and our collective sin has risen with
each passing decade. Make no mistake about it however, it begins with the
church. We are the opposing warriors standing in the gap against the spiritual
powers of this world. Instead whining about God not being in schools, we should
be praying for our children to be salt and light to the other children. Instead
of crying about political issues we should be preaching about the kingdom of God. People should see the grace and
mercy of God within us not the judgment and condemnation of Christianity.
Instead of thinking we need to turn to a man, any man, to solve the spiritual
problems we are facing, we should be on our faces seeking God to do what only
God can do. This is a spiritual war we are in and it will not be won at the
voting polls or the ballot boxes. It will be won in our churches and at our
altars. Likewise, it cannot be lost at the voting booths or ballot boxes. It
can only be lost when the church stops being the church.
Should we vote? Absolutely because
it is a civic responsibility. Is the collective soul of our country at stake
based upon who we vote for? Absolutely not. The Book of Daniel assures us that
God sets up all kings and rulers. God will use whoever wins for His plan and
His glory. We should seek God, listen, and vote as we feel led. When we get
home however, that is where the real work will begin. The work of Jonah. The
work of Christ. Repent for the kingdom
of God is at hand. The
problems this country faces are spiritual in nature and neither Barack Obama
nor Mitt Romney will be able to solve them. To all the Christian leaders who
fancy themselves as political operatives I beseech you to put away your talking
points. Put away your bogus voter guides. Put away your anonymous YouTube
videos and misguided Facebook posts. Pick up your Bibles again and get back to
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Get back to what God has called you to do. That is
how the nation is depending on you.
Reverend Anthony Wade -- October 26,
2012
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