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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
October 6, 2024
◘Applying Godly Priorities to Political Responsibilities
Selected Scriptures
Introduction
◘ In history past this morning’s message would have been called an “election sermon” since it will deal with the Biblical issues that need to be carefully considered in making wise choices in the upcoming elections. I have been doing this for many decades and have no plans to cease doing so. An election sermon is now quite the opposite of what has been coming from some within my alma mater lately, though it would not have been when I was attending there in the 1980’s
Last Spring while attending the Shepherd’s Conference, I tried to avoid hearing the lecture by Jesse Johnson since the title, Coveting Caesar’s Throne: Navigating Christian Nationalism, was enough for me to know what would probably be said. However, it was raining that day and every place I went to get out of the rain the speakers placed throughout campus were blaring his voice. It turned out to be worse than I thought it would be since he concluded with admonishments for pastors to refrain from being involved in the political process, from guiding their congregations through the issues, and even refusing to let voter guides be distributed in their churches. The ending was made worse by hearing men clapping for those conclusions. I was both angry and nauseous.
I know that sounds very strong, but I found the message to not only be very poor in his critique of Stephen Wolfe’s book on the subject, but it was also poor exegesis of the passages he brought up, quite ignorant of our nation’s heritage and the manner in which our political system works, and a case of severe pastoral neglect which he was advocating for others to do likewise. This is directly related to my sermon last week on Two Kingdoms. The two kingdoms are not Church & State, and the idea that there must be a wall of separation between them is neither Biblically nor historically true as I explained last week. ◘ The two kingdoms are Satan’s realm and the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who belong to Christ’s kingdom have a responsibility to do all that they can to live out the reality of that as ambassadors for our King by being both obedient to the commands, precepts and principles of His word and to proclaim them to everyone in Satan’s realm. Yes, that includes in the area of politics. A pastor has the responsibility to teach his people God’s word and apply it to every aspect of life including political decisions and even more so when such great moral issues are at the forefront of those political decisions.
◘ While there are various reasons being used to dissuade Christians from being involved in politics and the political process, none of them are valid and some are irrational. One that is given related to eschatology is that since we know it will only get worse before the end, and God is going to destroy it all before making new heavens and a new earth, then we should not bother with politics in the present time. Some advocates of this line of thinking seem happy about the decline of the nation in anticipation of its destruction. How idiotic is that thinking? Apply that line of thinking to the house you live in. Since at some point in the future it will decay and fall down, don’t bother with repairs and maintenance, never consider working to improve it while living in it, and block the thought that you might leave it as an inheritance to your children. Besides, doesn’t Ecclesiastes 2:18-19 state that “I must leave [the fruit of my labor] to the man who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool?”
The truth is that it is the fool that does not repair, maintain and seek to improve his dwelling place, both the physical structures and the society in which he lives. Proverbs 13:22 states, “a good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”
Historical Background
◘ As I pointed out last week, there is not any “separation of church and state” clause anywhere in the U.S. Constitution, its amendments, or any of our founding documents. Christian religious values belong in politics much more so than any other value system since Christian thought and Christianity were fundamental to our nation’s founding. Many states at one time required those running for office to be members of a church. It is up to us to make sure that religious values are part of the political discussion despite the opposition to that from secularists and their allies.
◘ Second, a church is tax exempt by virtue of being a church and actually does not need to have 501(c)(3) status. No church has yet lost its tax status for political involvement, so do not fear that my sermon today is somehow illegal or will jeopardize our tax exempt status.
◘ Third, politics is simply the art and science of public affairs and the government of a state, and a politician is simply a person who is involved in politics. It is tragic that so many politicians have sought personal gain instead of societal good that these words have developed such negative connotations. As easy as it is to deride and make fun of politicians, we should be careful not to group all politicians as being the same. There are still many who do have high integrity and strive to be public servants. They are statesmen.
The Christian & Government
◘Government Types
Christians are often surprised to find out that the Bible has great toleration for many types of governmental systems including patriarchal (Abraham), tribal (early Israel), theocratic (Joshua through the judges), kingdoms (Saul, Caesar, etc.), a representative body (the Sanhedrin) and an absolute dictatorship (the Millennial kingdom). Much debate occurs about which type of government is best, but more depends on who is leading it than the type of system itself. That is why we look forward to the absolute dictatorship of Jesus Christ in the Millennium, but would fear any human dictator.
◘Government Foundation
God is the foundation of all government regardless of the particular type, for He establishes or removes those in positions of power. King Nebuchadnezzar found this out the hard way in Daniel 4. God judged him for his pride and after seven years of living in the fields like an animal, God gave Nebuchadnezzar back his reason who then blessed and praised the Most High saying, “34 For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom [endures] from generation to generation. 35 “And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And [among] the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What hast Thou done?’” (Dan. 4:34-35).
The ramifications of this include: ◘ 1) Those in positions of power need to be humble because God put them there and He can take them out in a variety of ways. ◘ 2) Those in positions of authority need to be more concerned about pleasing God than pleasing people since ultimately they will give an account to God. ◘ 3) Christians can be at peace regardless of who is in charge of government because we know that God is ultimately in control and will accomplish His will though them whether it is for a blessing or a curse on the nation.
◘ Paul states in Romans 13:1-2, “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. Since the origin of governmental authority is from God, ◘ Christians should submit to the government as long as doing so does not require them to disobey God including any of the principles and precepts of His word. Christians should be the models of good citizenship of any nation in which the government is fulfilling its God given purposes, but since our first allegiance is always to God, an evil government will persecute Christians because of their righteousness (See Daniel 3).
◘ Government Purpose
Paul continues on in Romans 13:3-4 to explain the twofold purpose God has established for human government. “3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.”
◘ The first purpose of government is to promote what is good. Roman rule could be oppressive and cruel, yet for the most part, Roman rule brought stability and security for those that did what was good. ◘ Governments that cause those who do good to fear are in direct violation of its God given purpose and are in danger of God’s judgment against them. The prophet Isaiah warned ancient Judah about this saying, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20). If God will judge His chosen people for this failure, then all other nations should even more so heed the serious warning of their example.
◘ The second purpose of government stated here is to be an avenger who brings wrath upon those who do evil which is why government bears the sword. The “sword” represents the authority of the ruler to punish evil doers even to the extreme of the death penalty.
◘ Note that verse 4 specifically states that the ruler is “a minister [diavkonoV/ diakonos] of God to you for good.” We don’t often think of government officials in that light, but it is true nevertheless. All government officials are ministers of God in this respect, regardless of their own personal beliefs. Why is that an important point? ◘ Because every government official will have to give an account of their stewardship of office to God. What King Jehoshaphat said to the judges he appointed still applies today. “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord who is with you when you render judgment. “Now then let the fear of the Lord be upon you; be very careful what you do, for the Lord our God will have no part in unrighteousness, or partiality, or the taking of a bribe” (2 Chronicles 19:6-7).
◘ If a government will not fulfill its God given duties, then He may chastize it or replace it with another one as He has done many times throughout history. Chastening may come through natural disasters or oppression by other nations such as happened to Egypt (Exodus 7-11) or to Israel during the period of the Judges and Kings. He can replace a government by striking down the ruler supernaturally or with a disease (such as Herod in Acts 12:21-24). He may have it overthrown by an internal rebellion (1 Kings 12, 22, etc.) or by having another nation conquer it (2 Kings 17, 25).
◘ Responsibility to Government
Paul goes on to explain our responsibility to Government in Romans 13:5-7. “5 Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience sake.” 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for [rulers] are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax [is due;] custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.”
◘ In brief, we willingly subject ourselves to government out of both the desire to avoid the negative consequences of breaking the law, and more important for Christians, a quest to have a blameless conscience before God and man. That is the example Paul set for us in Acts 24:16, and Peter said this would silence and put to shame those that would slander us (1 Peter 2:13-17).
◘ We also pay our taxes following Jesus’ example and teaching. We “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:17-21). While in a democracy we can and should work toward making sure taxes are fair and used properly, we still pay them out of fear and conscience sake and do not cheat even when the tax laws are corrupt and the money used wrongly. It is the government that spends the taxes that is held accountable by God and not the person from whom the taxes were extracted.
◘ We are also to render “fear” and “honor” to the authorities by showing them respect with proper decorum, protocol and courtesies including respectful speech and gestures in all situations.
◘ Christians and Politics in a Democracy
While God sovereignly sets in office the individual of His choice, either as a blessing or a curse, in a democratic republic this occurs through its citizens ◘ who have a direct responsibility in selecting their representatives and petitioning them on the issues. If the government officials are good, the people will reap the blessings that come with wise choices. If the government officials are corrupt and evil, the people will bear the consequences that come upon them because of those they elected to office. The Christian citizen must apply Biblical principles when choosing a candidate and addressing the issues of the day.
◘ Responsibilities: The Christian citizen must be serious about voting and then vote for the candidate that would best fulfill the purposes of government in promoting good and repressing evil as God defines them. ◘ You have the responsibility to strive to see God’s standards upheld and so must work hard to elect godly candidates to office – perhaps even yourself. A godly government is a blessing on all people. Even Proverbs 29:2 tells us, “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan.” At the same time, ◘ we must also be very careful not to fall into the trap of substituting the quest for a godly human government as a quest for the kingdom of God. There are theologies that teach that man will bring about God’s kingdom on earth through establishment of proper human government. That is simply not true. Even a cursory examination of the book of Revelation or consideration of Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 tell us things will get a lot worse before the Lord returns to establish His kingdom.
◘ The Christian citizen must also stand in opposition to governmental representatives, officials and policies when they are contrary to the clear teachings of God’s word. It is wrong to take God’s sovereignty in some divine mystical sense by which it is thought that God approves of whoever got elected and therefore we are to submit without opposition. Not only does that mindset have the danger of resulting in fatalism, but it is contrary to the Biblical examples. The prophets did not follow that example even when the King was specifically chosen by God. Nathan directly confronted David about his sin in 2 Samuel 7. Samuel confronted King Saul because he did not carry out the commands of God and so was rejected from being king (1 Samuel 15). John the Baptist called King Herod to account publically because Herod violated God’s moral law by taking his brother’s wife (Mark 6). Jeremiah rebuked the king because he was violating the purpose of government in being unjust and oppressing the stranger, the orphan, and widows instead of protecting them (Jeremiah 22). The fact that neither Jesus nor any of the apostles advocated the overthrow of the Roman government does not abrogate the responsibility to oppose ungodliness in government. Jesus pronounced plenty of woes upon the Scribes and Pharisees, many of whom were in the Sanhedrin, a governing body. In John 19:11 Jesus pointed out the guilt of those who had delivered Him to Pilate, but He still held Pilate responsible for his judgment. In the future, Jesus will overthrow all human governments to set up His millennial kingdom (Revelation 19). When God’s moral laws are transgressed and His purposes for government are not fulfilled, it is not only right, but necessary to be in opposition and especially so in a democracy.
◘ Priorities: Political organizations and media work hard to control which issues get public attention and the perception of the candidates. They use sound bites and video clips in the effort to get low information voters to feel positive about their candidate and negative about the other candidates. That is why polls swing so widely in short periods. ◘You must be careful not to allow the propaganda to sway you from the priorities God has already set as you consider issues and candidates. For example, I can complain about taxes as much as anyone and can make good arguments about the economic benefits low tax rates have for everyone. ◘ However, my study of scripture has made it clear that God places a much higher priority on a just judicial system (Deuteronomy 16:19-20) than on tax rates for business and individuals. God will provide for those that seek first His kingdom and righteousness regardless of tax rates (Matthew 6:33), but His judgment abides on those who pervert justice (Isaiah 10). Moral issues are much more critical than economic systems and policies.
Since political candidates will be a mixture of various moral standards, it will be rare to find a candidate that rates well on every issue. ◘You are looking for the best candidate, not the perfect candidate. What if none of the candidates are tolerable?. While the two major parties dominate most elections so that not voting for one of the major party candidates can benefit the other major party candidate, there are other candidates and political parties that can and perhaps should be considered. If you cannot in good conscience vote for any of the candidates, you can write in a name as a protest vote which is a legitimate and important action to take. That is part of our political process. At the end of the day, you need to be able to vote and then go to sleep with a clean conscience. Paul states at the end of Romans 14:23 that “whatever is not from faith is sin.” If your conscience will not let you vote for the candidate, then don’t. And while it is certainly legitimate to try to persuade other to the positions and candidates you support, we are to be careful not to push people into violating their conscience.
◘Evaluating the Candidates and the Issues
Let me quickly go over some of the major issues and give you some questions to consider as you evaluate the issues and any candidate for any office. I have listed these in my order of priority. Yours may differ slightly, but I think that any Bible believing student of God’s word will come up with a similar list. Other issues may also be important, but they would be of lower priority.
◘1) Life: The first moral priority is human life. God is the creator of life and all human life is made in His image, so all human life has inherent worth (Genesis 1:26-27), which is why God prohibited murder of human life and required capital punishment for those that do (Genesis 9:6). Other punishments were given for those that accidentally killed a human (Numbers 35). The innocent blood of those murdered cried out for justice and that was one reason for the destruction of Judah (2 Kings 24:2). ◘ The Bible is also clear that human life begins in the womb. God formed you in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). God said He knew and consecrated Jeremiah while he was in his mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5-6). John the Baptist recognized the presence of Jesus and leaped for joy while both were still in their mothers’ wombs (Luke 1:41-44). To kill a baby in the womb is to destroy the work of God and attack His image. ◘ Abortion, infanticide and euthanasia are all murder of a human being.
Questions to consider concerning life: ◘ What value does the candidate put on human life? What protections does the candidate advocate to protect human life? Is the candidate pro-life, indifferent or pro-abortion? Those who call themselves “pro-choice” are either indifferent or pro-abortion and are usually liars since they rarely support any restrictions on abortion including anything promoting informed choice. Those that will not protect the life of the most innocent and helpless among us, a baby in the womb, cannot be trusted to protect anything else except their own interests. ◘What is the candidate’s position on euthanasia? Do they uphold capital punishment for those convicted of murder?
In the matter of life, the Democratic party platform as well as some minor parties are unquestionably pro-death. It advocates abortion as a national right without restrictions and without care for abortion survivors. It also wants it funded by the tax payers and insurance carriers. Many candidates are also strong supporters of euthanasia with fewer and fewer restrictions. Any Democrat candidate would have to be an exception to the party platform before a Christian could in good conscience vote for him or her.
◘ 2) Protection: Protection encompasses both internal and external threats. A police force and local militia protect against local threats while armed forces protect against threats from other nations. While armed forces can be used by evil men for evil purposes, that very fact proves the necessity of having armed forces to protect against those who would do us evil. The founding fathers of the United States understood this and that is why the U.S. Constitution enumerated the need of an army, navy and militia to suppress insurrections and repel invasions (Article 1, Section 8) and the role of the President as the Commander in Chief (Article 2, Section 2). And worse than being derelict in duty, the current administration is fostering and funding at your expense an invasion of illegal aliens from around the world.
◘ Questions to consider about protection: Does the candidate understand the protective role of government both locally and nationally and advocate law and order? Police should be supported in their protective role while being restricted from becoming oppressors themselves. ◘ Does the candidate understand the necessity and proper use of armed forces as well as diplomacy in averting war (Proverbs 20:18; Luke 14:31)? While it is important to try to avoid war, when it must come, there must be the ability to wage it effectively with clear purpose and objectives.
◘3) Justice: Government has the responsibility to establish and execute justice, and to the degree a government deviates from God’s standards of justice is the degree to which it is failing. Tragically, the United States is failing in many ways to carry out justice due to political corruption by which laws are ignored or changed to benefit the politically favored classes. We also have judges that rule based on what they would like it to be rather than what the law actually states. This is true all the way up to and including SCOTUS which has issued many opinions over time that are contrary to our U.S. Constitution.
◘ Let me quickly point out that so called “social justice” is not Biblical justice whenever it is an effort to bring about an equality of outcome. God has not gifted all people equally so equality of outcome is impossible without forcibly taking from some to give to others. The word for that is stealing. True social justice is an equality of fairness in the application of the law and not equality of outcome.
◘ Justice must also be carried out with the right attitude. Micah 6:8 succinctly states, “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness (or mercy), And to walk humbly with your God? This statement encompasses what you do, what you desire and what you are. It is humility in walking with God that brings about the proper kindness and mercy that temper justice. ◘ We are to be merciful because we have received mercy from God (Matthew 5:7; 18:21-35). However, mercy without justice is injustice and an abandonment of the protective role of government.
◘ Questions to consider concerning justice: Does the candidate uphold the rule of law? Does he advocate interpretation of law according to what is written and original intent? Is his advocation or opposition to a law based on Biblical standards or something else? ◘ Is the candidate fair in his dealings with both supporters and opponents? Is the candidate subject to political corruption by influences either in or outside of government?
◘ 4) Morality: Isaiah 5:20 pronounces a woe upon those “who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness.” Tragically, there are now many in our society that do just that. God clearly describes what is good and what is evil in the Bible, but ◘ He also pronounces some things as abhorrent and abominations. There are some things that are especially evil which should receive a priority in a government’s protective efforts and application of justice. Some of these things reveal an evil character even when the outward presentation looks good. The Old Testament word for abomination (toebah) is usually used in reference to idolatry and improper worship of God, however, there are also societal actions that are also described as abominations.
◘ Leviticus 18 lists immoral sexual practices including homosexuality, incest, fornication, adultery and bestiality alongside child sacrifice as abominations which defiled the land. The penalty for most of them was death. Abortions are this nation’s child sacrifices to feminism. Many political leaders now strongly advocate sexual immorality and perversions and depravity of the LGBT+ movement. ◘ The family should be the first social unit of protection, but incest turns it into the first opportunity to prey on the weaker. Adultery destroys the trust that is foundational for marriage and thus destroys families, and both it and fornication spread a host of diseases that can hinder or destroy health and leave women infertile. Bestiality and homosexual practices introduce and spread even more diseases some of which kill. The Sexuality and Gender report by Dr. Lawrence S. Mayer and Dr. Paul R. McHough, professors of Psychiatry at John Hopkins University, shows that catering to the desires of the gender confused and pushing them into the transgender agenda harms them psychologically and physically. Simple compassion should compel us to strive to stop these practices for the protection of society and the individuals doing them, yet many candidates pride themselves in advocating not just tolerance, but acceptance and celebration of these abominations, and that the claim of perverts having the right to not be offended is greater than your right to uphold basic morality & sanity.
◘ Questions to consider concerning sexual morality. Does the candidate seek to uphold and protect the sacredness of the family and marriage between a man and a woman or does he or she uphold the current perverted re-definitions and support new laws attacking the Biblical model. ◘ Does the candidate seek to protect children and the family from the LGBT+ agenda? Here in New York that is easy to discern by whether the candidate supports or opposes Proposition 1 which is euphemistically entitled the “Equal Protection Act” but would be better titled “Parent Replacement Act” or “Destruction of Women’s Privacy Act” or “Child Mutilation Advocacy Act” or perhaps more accurately, “Elimination of Biological Realities and Sanity Act.” Non-discrimination sounds good until you realize the ramifications of removing the protections given to men and women because they are biologically different from each other and giving legal authority to enforce fantasy philosophy.
◘ Personal Integrity. This is important, but less so than the issues already discussed because even a scoundrel can do what is right, but integrity easily distinguishes between otherwise similar candidates. Proverbs 6:16-19 is helpful in understanding God’s assessment of people and therefore in evaluating a political candidate’s personal integrity. “16 There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 A false witness [who] utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.”
◘ Haughty eyes refer to that condescending look the proud can give because they think themselves to be superior to the rest of us mere knaves. This is a common attitude among the political elite. Beware of proud and arrogant candidates that think they know what is best for you and want government control over your life. ◘ Is the candidate proud or humble?
◘ A lying tongue reveals a dishonest and selfish character striving to do what is best for themselves. Many politicians have made lying a personal art form, but anyone characterized by lying cannot be trusted on anything. The Bible gives strong warning against it including that those who practice it will be cast into the lake of fire instead of going to heaven (Lev. 19:11; Prov. 12:22; Col. 3:9; Rev. 21:8). ◘ All candidates will fail at some point, and there is a difference between rhetorical exaggeration and blatant lying, but character is revealed by the level of honesty. Is the candidate generally characterized by honesty or lying, and if lying, about what?
◘ Accomplices are as guilty as the individual that actually sheds innocent blood. This includes those who allowed it to happen because they either advocated the laws permitting it or were complacent in their duties to prevent it. ◘ What is the candidate’s position on abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, family, marriage, the LGTB+ agenda as well as their positions on law enforcement, military, justice, ?
◘ A heart that devises wicked plans will be revealed by what the candidate advocates. Does the candidate’s vision for the future and goals for the present line up better with what God would want or Satan? ◘ Do they promote what is moral and godly and strive to restrict what is evil, or do they call good evil and evil good?
◘ Feet that run rapidly to evil describe the feeding frenzy of sharks that strive to get whatever they can when someone has fallen victim to another. They may join in the evil themselves or just watch it with glee. They see another person’s downfall as an opportunity for gain for themselves. They broadcast the shame of another instead of trying to correct and heal it. ◘ What is the candidate’s response to the evil that befalls others? Intervene? Watch? Join in?
◘ A false witness is worse than the general liar because his lies make someone else his victim. It is bad enough to lie about yourself to get others to think you are something you are not or can do something you can’t, but it is a lot worse to try to destroy another person with lies. That includes spreading gossip or having others do that in his stead. This has become common political practice and become worse with the new tactic of lawfare – filing dubious criminal charges and lawsuits to destroy an opponent personally. ◘ Does the candidate lie about others? Verify content of political attack ads.
◘ The final abomination in this list is spreading strife among brothers. Relationships that should be close and harmonious, or at least cooperative, are strained or even destroyed by the actions of an antagonist. They can generate the strife themselves or just take advantage of a rift or strain already present and make it wider through lies, gossip, rumor and innuendo. This is often a root cause of dysfunctional governments. ◘ Does the candidate unnecessarily divide or does he work to bring about peace and cooperation?
When these various abominations are combined, we have the politics of personal destruction. An evil, but effective tactic, used by wicked people to gain and keep political power.
Let me quickly add that having solid convictions and firm positions does not require obstinacy. The truth can be spoken passionately and still invoke a sense of caring for people. A position can be stated firmly without joining in the rants and rage of the opposition. ◘ Is the candidate able to hold convictions firmly without being either obstinate or lying?
◘ Conclusions
There are many other Biblical issues, such as stealing and graft, that could also be addressed and should be applied to politics. ◘ This sermon is meant to prod you to start thinking according to Biblical values and priorities instead of political ones when voting, running for public office or serving in one. Policy positions are very important, but so is moral character and personal integrity to carry out those policies and promises. You will not find a candidate that agrees with you on every issue, but you are to evaluate carefully and make the best vote you can among very imperfect candidates. That means rating the candidates according to both their policy positions and personal integrity, but not every moral failure is equivalent. Being polite and kind is not nearly as important as upholding life, morality and fulfilling the God given functions of government to promote good and suppress evil.
◘ As a Christian, your first priority is always to please our Lord and trust Him to bring good out of any situation even when they are not to your liking and are antagonistic to His stated moral will (Romans 8:28; James 1:2-4). While you want your candidate to win and may work hard to achieve that, your primary goal is to please the Lord, not to be on the winning side. If running for office, your primary goal is to please the Lord, not to win the election. If in public office, your primary goal is to please to the Lord, not to win re-election or please the people. ◘ The goal of every Christian should be to one day stand before our Lord and hear Him say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”
Sermon Notes – 10/6/2024
Applying Godly Priorities to Political Responsibilities – Selected Scriptures
Introduction
An “election sermon” deals with ____________issues that need to be considered for making wise choices
Christians are citizens of ___________ & ambassadors of Christ to those held in Satan’s realm
There are no valid or rational reasons for Christians not to be ______________ in the political process
Historical Background
A “separation of church and state” clause is ____anywhere in the U.S. Constitution or its amendments
Churches are tax _________ by virtue of being a church – not a 503 (c)(3) organization
Politics and Politicians were not always words with ____________ connotations.
The Christian & Government
Government Types
The Bible has great tolerance for ________________ of governments.
Government’s Foundation
It is God that establishes or removes those in positions of ____________ – Daniel 4
Those in office should be _________. God put you in office and can easily _____________ you.
Those running for office need to be more concerned about pleasing the __________ than people
Believers have __________ regardless of who is in office and how good or bad they may be
Romans 13:1-2. Christians ________to government as long as it does not require disobedience to God
Government’s Purpose – Romans 13:3-4.
Government should promote what is _____________
Governments that cause fear to those who do good risk being ______________ (Isaiah 5:20)
Government must cause fear to those who do _________ because they carry the sword as an avenger
Government officials are “a ____________ of God to you for good” (Romans 13:4)
Government officials will give an _____________ of their stewardship of office to God (2 Chron. 19:6,7)
God has chastised or replaced governments that do not fulfill their ___________ given duties
Responsibility to Government – Romans 13:5-8
We are to be in subjection to government out of both fear and ___________
We are to pay our __________ whether we like them or not
We are to render proper ___________ to the authorities
Christians and Politics in a Democracy
We have a responsibility in ____________ our representatives and petitioning them on the issues
Responsibilities: We must be ____________ about voting for who would best fulfill God’s purposes
We have a responsibility to see God’s ______________ upheld and seek a godly government
We must not substitute the quest for a godly ___________ government as a quest for the kingdom of God
We are to oppose people and policies that are ___________ to the clear teachings of God’s word
Priorities: Do not allow the _______________sway you from God’s priorities
God’s priorities are often different from personal ones: Example – ____________over economics
Look for the best candidate your _____________ allows you to vote for in a multiparty system
Evaluating the Candidates and the Issues
1) ___________ is the first moral priority (Genesis 1:26,27; 9:6; Numbers 35, 2 Kings 24:2)
Human life begins in the __________ (Psalm 139:13; Jeremiah 1:5-6; Luke 1:41-44)
Abortion, infanticide and euthanasia are all ___________.
Questions: What value does the candidate put on human life? Are they pro-life, indifferent or pro-abortion? What is their position on euthanasia? Do they uphold capital punishment for murder?
2) Protection of its people against internal and external threats is a __________purpose of government
Questions: Does the candidate understand the protective role of government both locally and nationally? Does the candidate understand the necessity and proper use of armed force as well as diplomacy
3) Justice: To the degree a government deviates from God’s standard of justice, it ___________
True social justice is not equal outcome it is equality of opportunity or _______in the application of law
Micah 6:8 – Justice is to be tempered by mercy. Mercy without justice is injustice.
Questions: Does the candidate uphold the rule of law? Is he fair in his dealings with supporters and opponents? Is the candidate subject to political corruption either in or outside of government?
4) Morality – Isaiah 5:20 – _______ to those who call evil good, and good evil
Some things are especially evil and God pronounces them as abhorrent and ______________
Leviticus ______ – immoral sexual practices and perversions and child sacrifice
Sexual perversions ____________ families and spread diseases, some of which are deadly
Questions: Does the candidate uphold & protect the sacredness of the family & marriage between a man & a woman? Does the candidate seek to protect children & the family from the LGBT+ agenda?
5) Personal integrity: Proverbs 6:16-19. Seven things that are abominations to the Lord.
Haughty eyes – The condescending look of the _______& arrogant. Is the candidate haughty or humble?
A lying tongue – Liars cannot be __________. Is the candidate characterized by honesty or lying?
Shed innocent blood – _______________ advocate laws allowing it or are complacent in preventing it.
What is the candidate’s position on abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, law enforcement, justice?
A heart that devises wicked plans – Do the candidate’s policies _________God’s or Satan’s standards?
Feet that run rapidly to evil – What is their ___________ to evil? Intervene? Watch ? or Join in?
A false witness – done to ___________ the other person. Does the candidate lie / slander others?
Spread strife among brothers – either generate it or perpetuate it by lies, __________ and innuendo
Does the candidate unnecessarily divide or work to bring peace and cooperation?
Conclusions – Strive to approach politics according to _______values and priorities instead of political ones Our first priority is always to be pleasing to our ________& trust Him whether voting, running or serving
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