I would like to share my perspective on the post-election era we find ourselves in.
In no way do I claim to have the best understanding of what is happening in our country. I also know there are differing views about what has happened in the election.
God is in control. None of this has caught God by surprise. In the midst of the dealings of men, he has a greater plan he is working out. As followers of Jesus, we need to put our trust in him. Let’s keep a godly perspective.
My goal is to help us move on in a healthy way from the election and to help us rethink the mission of the church. I want to answer the question “How Then Shall We Live?” in light of all of this.
The first Biblical truth we need to remember is -- We are part of another kingdom!
As Christians we hold dual citizenship. We are United States citizens and citizens of the kingdom of God. As Christians, our primary citizenship is the kingdom of God. Philippians 3:20 states, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Our first loyalty and allegiance must always be to God. That’s what it means to call Jesus Lord. We obey him first above all else.
America is not the kingdom of God. It is a great country and I would not want to live anywhere else; but it is not the kingdom of God, even if you believe it is a Christian nation with Christian roots. God is not Democrat, Republican, or American. He is God and not beholden to anyone.
Some teach that God’s agenda is for the church to take over the governments of the world, but Jesus never espoused such an agenda for the church. Instead of nationalism, he taught the kingdom of God.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that Christians should not vote or get involved in politics or serve in public office. We are to be salt and light in every area of society. I’m grateful there are public servants who have a Judeo-Christian value system. Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.”
When Christians rule, we need to be sure we don’t confuse the two kingdoms. We can promote Judeo-Christian values, but that does not make the government the kingdom of God. Constantine confused this and tried to make the church and state one by establishing Christianity as the state religion. He tried to advance God’s kingdom through the state. It didn’t work; in fact, it was a great hindrance to the church. You can’t marry the two kingdoms. Jesus shows this in John 18:36. “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
We can and should encourage our government to adopt biblical values and principles, and they will be blessed in doing so; but the two are separate in authority and function.
Luke 17:20-21 says, “Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, “Here it is,”’ or “There it is,” because the kingdom of God is within you.’ ”
The nature of God’s kingdom on earth right now is not political but individual. It resides not in the White House but in the hearts of believers. The way we advance God’s kingdom is primarily through soul winning.
Again, please hear me. I am not saying we shouldn’t be involved in politics. In fact, I encourage Christians to consider public service—on the local, state, and national levels. We need Daniels and Josephs as advisors in the White House. What I am saying is that the kingdom of God is not dependent on who is in the White House. The election has not changed anything as far as the mandate and role of the church. God’s kingdom is not dependent on or limited by earthly governments.
It is helpful to realize that most of the books in the Bible were written while God’s people were either in captivity or were the minority in a pagan culture. For example, the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, was written either while Israel was in bondage in Egypt or dwelt in the wilderness. The books of Daniel, Esther, Nehemiah, and Ezra were written in the context of Jewish captivity in Babylon and Persia. All of the New Testament was written while the church was a minority in the ungodly Roman Empire.
God was and still is able to move mightily and bring transformation while His people are functioning as salt and light in adverse cultural and spiritual conditions. China is a modern day example. The church is growing faster under this Communist government and atheistic rule than in the West under democracies right now.
We should not despair if our favorite candidate is not elected as president. Yes, we may be in for some hard times because of our president’s policies and disregard for Biblical values, but the kingdom of God and the work of the church marches on. Regardless of who sits in the Oval Office, our King is still sitting on his throne over that person.
In Psalms 2 it says that God laughs at the attempts of the nations to resist him. God is not up in heaven wringing his hands. His kingdom always prevails as governments come and go and as persecution tries to stop it. God uses righteous and unrighteous rulers to accomplish his purposes. Sometimes God sets leaders in place to deliver a nation, and sometimes God sets leaders in place to advance his judgment or discipline on a nation. We see that with the kings in the Bible.
God can turn the heart of an ungodly king, as we see with Daniel’s influence with King Nebuchadnezzar. God can do that with our President. That’s why we keep praying! God can also use this administration to bring judgment on our nation for rejecting his ways. Sometimes God gives a nation what they ask for instead of what is best for them.
God is allowing this as a wake-up call to his people.I highly recommend a book by Jonathan Cahn called “The Harbinger II—The Return.” It lays out a picture of God’s judgments and a call to repentance.
What we need to understand is that no president or politician can save us. Only repentance and revival can save this nation, or any nation. The church is the hope of the world—not a specific government or leader. In light of this, what is the role of the church? How then shall we live? Our trust must be fully placed in God and not a political party.
It’s good to support those who uphold Biblical values, but our government can never produce revival, righteousness, or holiness in the land. Legislation can try to restrain evil but only God can change hearts and lives.
1. We are to pray for our leaders.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 advocates, “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.”
God wants us to pray for our president and even be thankful for him. We can pray for his salvation. We can pray for him to be granted wisdom and health. We can pray that God would prosper his good ideas and change his mind on bad ideas. We can pray for our leaders to humble themselves before God, and to rule with justice and righteousness so we can live peaceful lives. We can pray for national repentance and revival. This is our only hope for our nation.
2. We are to stay focused on the primary mission of the church.
Politics is not the main assignment of the church. Evangelism is. Our mission is to use our energy and resources to take the gospel to our neighbors and to the ends of the earth. Our mission is to first care for those in the household of faith, and then care for the poor around us.
Jesus was not political. There were political groups in his day with an agenda for the independence of Israel from Roman rule, but Jesus chose not to join these groups. His focus was changing lives through the power of God.
Sometimes we make the same mistake the disciples made in thinking Jesus came to set up his political kingdom on earth. That is not our mission now. When Jesus returns, he will then set up a political kingdom on earth. Until then our mission is clear—take the good news of salvation everywhere. Pray for the sick and help the poor.
3. We need to prepare our hearts for difficult times.
It is not a time to be fearful and draw back but a time to be bold. This can be the church’s finest hour as we face the cultural onslaught and persecution that will probably be ramped up like never before because of the shift away from Biblical values in the cultural landscape. We may also see a wave of intolerance (in the name of tolerance) towards those who adhere to Biblical Christianity. But remember, our light shines the brightest when it is the darkest.
4. It is a time to let our lights shine and serve the broken and needy around us.
As judgments and natural disasters increase, there will be many opportunities for the church to shine. Joseph Mattera says, “When the early church was the minority culture in the ancient Roman Empire, they changed the laws and turned the culture in just several hundred years. They didn’t do this because of political power or votes, but by taking care of the sick and dying, nursing abandoned infants back to health, giving dead bodies proper burials, giving new meaning to marriage by honoring women and wives as equal heirs of salvation with men, by starting hospices that led to hospitals, by loving and praying for the Caesar instead of burning incense to him, and by never denying their faith even to the point of death! While serving their communities . . . they spoke out against slavery, abortion, infanticide, and the violence of the gladiatorial games. When believers love more, serve more, and do more than anyone else in their communities, it gives them the moral authority to speak truth to political power and change nations.”
This is the kind of church we need to be in America if we are going to win back our culture.
In conclusion, this is not a time to stick our head in the sand and ignore the signs of the times around us. It is not a time to be moaning and complaining or fearful. It is time for the church to step up to the plate and be the church. Let’s speak the truth in love and not compromise our values. Let’s keep sharing the good news of Jesus. In difficult times many open their hearts to God. Let’s care for the hurting around us. That’s what Jesus did. It is a time for us to be positive and encouraged. Our God is in control, and the kingdom we are a part of is strong and not subject to the ups and downs of this world.
In John 16:33 Jesus says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
I believe God is allowing all these things in our nation in preparation of a great revival and harvest.
So take heart and live in his peace as followers of King Jesus.
Tags: values, culture, kingdom, hope, election, pray, courage, politics
