CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE BEEN TAUGHT THAT THEY SHOULD STAY OUT OF POLITICS, AND NOT VOTE SHOULD KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME GOD’S PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LED ASTRAY BY LEADERS.
Jeremiah 50:6 (KJV) “My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.”
Politics is not the only evil that we have to contend with in life today, but it is the one thing used to elect those who will rule over us. There are over 208 KJV Bible references to the various forms of the words choose and chose, and among these are references to choosing leaders, and representatives.
If “politics” is too evil for Christians to participate, what about the rest of the world? We live here for now, and someone will govern or control how we live in our nation. From the Declaration of Independence to the election of the first President each colony had to choose representatives, and the representatives had to report back to the colonies. George Washington was elected by those eligible to vote on behalf of the colonies they represented. That has not changed, but some Christians have been taught or chosen otherwise to opt out of choosing who will rule over them.
Christianity is under attack in our nation and many Christians have chosen not to resist evil. No matter the personalities, God always has a choice. Since Jesus is not on the ballot, all others have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The only real bottom line choice is which of the candidates has demonstrated historically respect and honor for our God, and His people; and which one has demonstrated historically disrespect and contempt for our God, and His people.
Remember, true history tells on everyone and everything, especially, when their plans are written and available for public review and discussion. In their National Party Platforms they state in writing their plans for the nation if they are elected. Many Christians are straining at gnats and swallowing camels by the truck load. Christianity is under attack, Communism, Socialism, Marxism, etal, homosexuality, gender confusion, child mutilation, parental rights being denied, and many other evils, and abomniable things in the nation, and many Christians are straining at gnats, and refusing to resist the many evils in our nation. Spiritual wickedness in high places is in our faces daily, and no doubt about it there will be an election and some one and their party will lead us away from these thing and back to our Christian foundation and our God, OR further away from Christianity and our God. Regardless of the outcome of the election, and regardless of whether you vote or not the consequences of the result of the voting will be a factor in life and the direction of the nation toward God or away from God. Resist evil now or live with evil later.
So, you don’t like what many of you call “mean tweets”, and a few choice words here and there, and whatever else you have found fault with, there are other things that are more important. Although all unrighteousness is sin, all sins do not have the same consequences. AND, remember that for the Christian our God defines what is good, what is evil, what is abominable, what is righteous in His sight, and what is unrighteous in His sight.
God has never had a perfect or flawless person in any leadership position in the church or the nation, but He has always had someone He could or would use. David was a man after God’s own heart, yet he did some things right, and some things wrong. I chose to mention David because he is one of the more familiar characters in the Bible. God chose David flaws and all. Jesus chose Peter flaws and all. Do you not remember reading where Jesus was challenged because of who He said He was and responded in John 14:11 (KJV) “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.”
Whether you read the OT or the NT choosing leaders in a common occurrence. When Judas did not work out as one of the original twelve, another had to be chosen. The disciples were told what to consider as they looked to choose a replacement. They chose two as best they could, and then asked God to show them which one of the two. They cast lots to see which one God had chosen in Acts 1:26 (KJV) “And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”
The word vote is not in the KJV of the Bible, but the word choose is, and the process of choosing and casting lots is also in the Bible. The process is still the same. We make our best selection based on scripture, and ask God which one. Not voting is not an option. Choosing which one will turn the people, and the nation to God is the real issue in any election.
We have two candidates with their party platforms. The real choice, and the answer to the real question is which one honors our God historically in words, and in deeds. The histories, the policies, of all are open before God. To be passive is not resisting evil, and Christians are instructed to submit to God and resist the devil. James 4:7 (KJV) “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
In my lifetime, the Bible, prayer, the Ten Commandments have been removed from schools and many other public places. Now, we are living in the aftermath of all of these changes away from our God. Many Christians quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”, BUT, are you/we going to do this in choosing leadership that will turn our nation back to our God?
Many are old enough to remember, and know that before the changes our nation looked like Deuteronomy 28:1-14. Now, after the changes, it looks like Deuteronomy 28:15-68. What happened? Christians stopped resisting evil and stopped participating in the governing process. The salt and light stayed at home, and even allowed Christians organizations to be taken over by evil in a nation that came into existence because of those who prayed to their God – our God – for deliverance from tyranny and oppression. There is something very wrong when Christians are not welcome in organizations they founded, funded, and directed for decades to honor their God. Now, our God is dishonored and Christians are persecuted.
Personally and individually our accountability is to God. Blaming your actions and decisions on others is not wise because our individual accountability is to God. God has had problems in the past with leaders leading His people astray, and Jesus warned that if the blind lead the blind they both will fall into the ditch. Study Ezekiel, and Jeremiah to see the correction of the Lord. Even in Malachi, which is a book of correction, priest are addressed in chapter 2. When God corrects, He corrects from the pulpit to the back door. I have heard many messages from Malachi 3 correcting the people, but not a one from Malachi 2 correcting the priest. WHY?
Christianity and our nation are under attack from within. The war is on, believe it or not. Remember what was said to the tribes of Gad and Reuben when Moses called the tribes to go to battle and they refused because they were comfortable. Read Numbers 32 and verse 23 in particular. Numbers 32:23 (KJV “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”
We are exhorted to study.
2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
We are exhorted to prove all things. Examine, discern, investigate.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (KJV) “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”
We are to search the scriptures. Look for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Learn of Him as Jesus said. Matthew 11:29
John 5:39 (KJV) “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
Acts 17:11 (KJV) “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
What if you are taught things that contradict other scriptures or your heart condemns you? Assuming that you do have a working knowledge of the scriptures, what do you do when you are conflicted within? Do you just accept, and go with the flow, or do you seek the Lord and search the scriptures until peace comes, and the conflict is resolved because you now know what is written. “IT IS WRITTEN” IS THE BOTTOM LINE TO AND FOR ALL QUESTIONS AND CONTROVERSY. Jesus looked to the word of God and we look to the word of God. Paul warned Timothy to shun and vain babblings. 2 Timothy 2:16. Paul also warned him about foolish and unlearned questions. 2 Timothy 2:23
SCRIPTURE HAS VALUE.
2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
Knowing what has happened before and what God did about it brings hope in a time when the will of God is unknown. Knowing what He did before does bring hope. None of these things are new to our God and our Father..
Romans 15:4 (KJV) “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
We are to work out our own salvation. Our accountability is to God. He is the judge of all things, and all things are open before Him.
Philippians 2:12 (KJV) “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
Romans 14:12 (KJV) “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
Job learned that it was not wise to speak words without knowledge. Job 35:16, Job 38:2. Repeating, and acting on the words of others without knowledge, and understanding, and wisdom is never wise. The only exception I know of is when there is a specific known prompting of the Holy Spirit by the discerning of spirits. Otherwise, wisdom, knowledge(scripture), and understanding are a must. We are to know what we believe, and why we believe what we believe. 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV) “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” Blaming others does not work. Adam had an instruction from God. And of course remember that God asked Adam who told him that he was naked. He blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. The blame game did not work then, and it will not work now.
Who told you that Christians should stay out of politics and not vote? Where is the scripture? Where is the principle? There are doctrines of God the disciples wrote about often referring to the law and the prophets and the revelations that came to them. There are doctrines of men like the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes who Jesus corrected regularly. And, there are doctrines of devils. Choosing is a way of life. There is always the need to choose between good and evil. Passivity and apathy are never wise choices. Also, know this that one of the men Jesus chose was a zealot, and another collected taxes. Among the men Jesus chose were businessmen, tax collector, politician, physician, and two with a mother wanting to oversee their career advancement.
Matthew 9:9 (KJV) “And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.”
Luke 6:15 (KJV) “Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,”
Acts 1:13 (KJV) “And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.”
WHO TOLD YOU NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS OR VOTE? WHERE IS THE SCRIPTURE? The political world is as it is because people are involved. Some do good things. Some do bad evil things. Some play by the rules. Some break the rules. Some are vicious. Some are kind. Some are deceitful, lie a lot, and devise evil in the darkness behind closed doors set to intimidate and use extortion to get their way. Some are honest and speak the truth in the open. Some want to be clear and specific to make known the purpose. Some choose to be vague and ambiguous to allow room for manipulation and reinterpretation later. This is the good and the evil at work in the nation. Someone will want to control, and others will want to govern with the consent of the governed. VOTERS CHOOSE WHICH ONE THEY THINK IS BETTER FOR THE JOB. HOWEVER, AT THE END OF THE DAY, GOD IS THE JUDGE OF ALL THINGS, AND NO ONE ESCAPES THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD. THEY EITHER DID GOOD IN HIS SIGHT OR THEY DID EVIL IN HIS SIGHT.
Remember that Jesus walked in the earth as a man, and He did not consider it too dirty or too evil for Him. He came from glory and did not consider Himself too good to be here, or associate with fallen man – flawed men – imperfect men, unrighteous man. If He had, we would not have had a redeemer, a savior, a reconciler, or a mediator between God and man.
DEFINITIONS AND SCRIPTURES TO CONSIDER.
Scriptures about pastors.
Jer 2:8; Jer 3:15; Jer 10:21; Jer 12:10; Jer 17:16; Jer 22:22; Jer 23:1-2; Eph 4:11
DEFINITION OF SIMON ZELOTES’S NAME IN GREEK
English-Strong’s Index: zelotes
? G2208 ????t?? Zelot?s dzay-lo-tace’ (2) ?
the same as G2207; a Zealot, i.e. (specially) partisan for Jewish political independence:—Zelotes.
masculine noun
• Zelotes (2) ?
Lu 6:15; Ac 1:13
Remember and consider these verses, and study them.
Psalm 33:12 (KJV) “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”
Psalm 118:27 (KJV) “God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.”
Psalm 144:15 (KJV) “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.”
Also, remember these verses and study them.
Deuteronomy 4:35 (KJV) “Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.”
Deuteronomy 4:39 (KJV) “Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.”
Deuteronomy 7:9 (KJV) “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;”
Joshua 2:11 (KJV) “And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.”
Psalm 100:3 (KJV) “Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
2 Thessalonians 2:4 (KJV) “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”