"Should we stay out of politics? Allow me, along with some significant historical icons, to share Scriptures, suggestions and what I hope is sage advice to help us navigate wisely. Is it true that Jesus never got involved in politics, only in preaching the gospel and building the church? He did say, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36a, NIV) to assure Pilate He was not fomenting rebellion to take over by force, but the reality remains that He was engaged in establishing a countercultural upside-down kingdom to impact the world, not merely provide religious services. "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here" (Acts 17:6b, ESV). Jesus was not a passive sideliner. He even upended tables and confronted corrupt money-changers in the temple (church). Jesus did pledge to "build My church" (Matt. 16:18), but He wasn't speaking primarily about short and sweet, neatly packaged Sunday services. Church refers to "called-out ones," directed to "make disciples " teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you " (Matt. 28:19-20, NIV)." - Larry Tomczak
He was doing what? The arrogance Tomczak and the NAR knows no bounds. The disciples turned the world upside down by preaching the gospel, not voting for a new Roman Emperor. These kinds of ridiculous biblical references are hallmarks of NAR teaching. Jesus was completely apolitical and most definitely a passive sideliner when it came to the politics of His day. That was always the great lament from His followers. That He did not deliver them from Rome. Making disciples has nothing to do with voting and carnal politics. Nothing. The NAR love to point to upending the tables as some kind of sign of political displeasure and involvement but this was in the TEMPLE. The money changers were price gouging those that were visiting to provide sacrifices. He even said after that they had turned His Father's house into a den of robbers. This had absolutely nothing to do with the politics of Rome. It had to do with the mismanagement of the faith. Ironically, Larry Tomczak would be akin to the money changers that Jesus through out of the temple. Building His church as nothing to do with voting for any candidate.
"Politics refers to "the activities associated with the governance of a people." This includes electing leaders; defense; taxing; initiating programs (such as Social Security); paving roads; establishing schools, police and fire departments plus hospitals, speed limits, trash removal, safety measures (such as seatbelts) and more. Politics encompasses many areas of our lives, including growing threats to our national security. We're part of what theologians call the "church triumphant" in heaven, but now we're in the --church militant." As salt, we're to hold back decay; "stand" ((four times) against insidious spiritual forces (Eph. 6:10-18) as a "good soldier" (2 Tim. 2:3) while pastors equip us as captains on a battleship, not a Love Boat designed to keep us happy and entertained. We're to kick in the gates of hell, not sit back passively or be in retreat. "Give me 100 men of God who hate nothing but sin and desire nothing but God and we will shake the gates of hell and see the kingdom of God in our generation!" " John Wesley." - Larry Tomczak
This is further classic bible butchering in defense of NAR dominionism. Salt does hold back decay but that is achieved through how we represent Christ and His gospel. Not by demanding carnal votes for unrighteous men. Not in assuming legislation is somehow righteous. The problem again, is that the "insidious spiritual forces" are only sold to be Democratic candidates. Charisma has already had Greg Locke and Mario Murillo write that anyone who votes for a Democratic candidate for any office, is a hell bound reprobate. They had Jack Hibbs float the vacuously stupid argument that Jesus will be waiting for us on Judgment Day with our voting record in His hand. Never a thought is given to the pure evil of their choice. Perhaps the biggest biblical absurdity however is in half-quoting 2Timothy 2:3. I made the entire verse in context our key verses above so we can learn to spot how evil men abuse the bible for their own worldly politics. It is true that verse three uses the phrase "good soldier" but it is only used on relation to SUFFERING. Join me in suffering as a good soldier. As if God wrote this to debunk dominionism, He even explains further that no soldier gets entangled with civilian affairs! Voting and politics are civilian affairs! The church is not a battleship! Our weapons are not carnal or of this world! We are not called to kick in the gates of hell! Stop the stupidity please. Prayer is not passive. Intercession is not retreating. Trusting in the sovereignty of God is neither. Tomczak now turns to citing random people throughout the thousands of years of church history, and tries to say, hey, they were political. First of all, citing other human beings indicates to me that you have run out of bible verses to butcher. There were however some interesting citations he used.
"John Wesley (1703-1791) was ousted from dead formal churches in England. He called for passionate preaching, holy living and societal engagement. He addressed slavery, the slave trade, prison reform, free medical dispensaries, establishing schools and speaking out against gambling, drunkenness and other societal ills. Methodist minister William Booth (1829-1912) inspired Christians to rise as the army of God, bringing "salvation, soup and soap" to humanity. One of my oldest books comes from 1890 and is a blueprint for cultural engagement called "In Darkest England and the Way Out." There are thousands of Salvation Army churches in 134 countries, and they're not just ringing bells at Christmas! Pastor John Newton (who wrote "Amazing Grace") charged William Wilberforce in political engagement to pray and persevere in ending the slave trade in England. He eventually succeeded in abolishing it, which later impacted America. Wilberforce told us, "A private faith that does not act in the face of oppression is no faith at all. Scripture teaches, 'Faith without works is dead,'" (James 2:17). When influential leaders remain silent or discourage political involvement, they need to repent and recalibrate to follow the example of Wilberforce, who said, "You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again that you did not know." In the 1930s, Hitler's National Socialist party gained power due to deception, complacency and pastoral cowardice. Germany went from democracy to dictatorship to demise in six years. Pastor, prophet and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer warned us, "Silence in the face of evil is evil itself."
This is so sad and selective. For every preacher calling for the end of slavery, I can find ten who used to bible to justify it, and Hitler? Are you serious? So, according to Larry Tomczak, voting for Donald Trump is akin to fighting the Nazis or defeating slavery. How transparently evil. So, if you are a pastor who uses his pulpit for preaching the gospel, you need to repent according to Charisma News. That beloved, is the NAR in a nutshell. The Democratic Party is not oppressing anyone. These comparisons are asinine. By the way, fighting societal ills, providing soup and soap or whatever catch slogans you want is perfectly fine but they have noting to do with politics and voting.
We mustn't take our unalienable rights in America for granted but cherish and protect them when our enemies try to take them away. "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other" " President John Adams. In the face of injustice and tyranny in America's Revolutionary War, it was the pastors who challenged the 50% of the colonists who sheepishly acquiesced as loyalists to tyrannical King George and his thugs. They were called "The Black Robe Regiment." In the Civil War era and afterward, it was Christian leaders and abolitionists who championed the cause. Abraham Lincoln, pastors Charles Finney and Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman of the Underground Railroad and others who refused to sit silent and cowardly. Then Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. picked up the baton. Imagine if pastors and prophets had stayed out of politics in U.S. history!" - Larry Tomczak
