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Online! | POLITICS is RUINING CHRISTIANITY by Andrew Strom | | In recent years, particularly in the USA, but also in other countries, Christians have become more and more drawn into politics and political issues. I believe this is making the Christian faith more and more hated - not for the gospel's sake, but rather for taking political stands that Jesus never asks us to take.
Christians are now known for all the things they bitterly "rail" against. They rail angrily against taxes, against the president, against immigrants, against the Democrats, against refugees. They launch into bitter tirades on issues such as health care and gun control - as though they would gladly blow away anyone who disagrees. They portray themselves as the biggest supporters of armies and killing and big business in the entire country. Just listen to them talk. It is about as far from Jesus as you can possibly imagine. Once you start playing on this field you need to remember that politics is the devil's arena. It is dirty, ugly and divisive - and we are called to keep out.
It used to be that liberal journalists would at least tolerate the Christian faith - even if begrudgingly. Now they tend to see Christianity as the "enemy" - because we have taken political stances against them on multiple worldly issues. Christianity as a faith is no longer renowned for "healing the broken-hearted and setting the captives free" - nor for the gospel that we proclaim. We are now known for the angry political issues and causes that we agitate about.
Jesus refused to have anything to do with political power. He said, "My kingdom is not of this world." And the early church was the same. Can you imagine them starting a "letter-writing" campaign against Herod or Caesar? Never! They were too busy preaching the gospel.
But today's believers are inviting widespread hatred of the Christian faith - not for spiritual reasons but rather political ones. And that hatred is getting worse and worse every year. We have needlessly made ourselves the "enemies" of so many that we are called to reach.
These Christians have wrapped the Bible in the flag so tight that no-one can tell the difference any more. They are actually preaching "another gospel". It is the gospel of politics and nationalism - where Christianity embroils itself in the partisan issues of the day - and angrily snarls at any who dare disagree. It is the gospel of the "flag mixed with Jesus".
What has all this fighting, railing, crusading and bitterness actually produced? Tons of bad fruit, tons of hatred for Christianity, and very little actual change. That is because Christians are not supposed to change the world through politics. We are supposed to change men's hearts through the gospel. That is the only thing that will actually do the job. We have abandoned our calling. We have become utterly distracted from our mission in the earth. And we are reaping nothing but hatred from the very people we are called to reach. The modern "politicized" church of flag- waving uber-patriots is the very opposite of all Jesus stood for. We are preaching another gospel - another Christianity altogether.
I believe the American church stands under the judgment of God for this false gospel. It is just as bad as the 'prosperity' gospel which also came out of America and infected the whole world. And I call on all U.S. Christians to STOP IT NOW.
True Christians are supposed to be "sojourners" and pilgrims in the earth, giving their allegiance to no particular country but the kingdom of heaven. It is high time we left all this agitating to the rabble-rousers - and simply do our job. Preaching the gospel to the poor. Healing the sick. Binding up the broken-hearted. Proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord.
No more Fox News. No more right-wing talk radio. All that stuff exists only to rile people up, make them mad, and drive the ratings higher. There is nothing "Christian" about it at all.
To every believer I say: REPENT of this "political" gospel - this "political" Christianity - and never return to it again. _________________ SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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2015/11/4 10:13 | Profile |
| Re: POLITICS is RUINING CHRISTIANITY by Andrew Strom | | Oh brother that is so absolutely true! Politics are ruining our testimony. I have had to repent of many things that Andrew mentions. Let's get back to Jesus and the true Gospel. |
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2015/11/4 10:21 | |
dolfan Member
Joined: 2011/8/23 Posts: 1727 Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama
| Re: | | 1. Amen. I quit voting in 2009. I do not intend to ever vote again in any election. David Lipscomb once said that the government bears the same relationship to hell that the church bears to heaven. I agree. Human governments as we know them --- including and maybe particularly our own --- are manifest rejections of God. I know many will quote Romans 13 for authority to the contrary but I lovingly submit to you that God uses those who reject Him.* And, even if you still disagree with me on this, consider the merits of the brother's point without regard to my opinion.
Suppose there was ever virtue in voting. Suppose there was a moral preservation in the world by Christian participation in politics. It exhausted itself. It exhausted itself because the American church got a taste of worldly powers of this age and repented of its devotion to Christ alone. The church assumed a narrative of "engagement", "salt and light" and other similar high-sounding platitudes to justify its selling out to the world system. The evangelical church in America is precisely what this brother has written. It goes much deeper even that that. The political evangelical movement in America is as the name Ichabod; they have departed from the glory of God in Christ and chased after an idol of their own creation.
2. Bro. Greg ----- duck.
* https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic_id=50473&forum=36&start=80&viewmode=flat&order=1 (See page 9, a post by me dated 10/10/13, if you are logged in.)
_________________ Tim
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2015/11/4 10:42 | Profile |
| Re: | | Quote:
by dolfan on 2015/11/4 10:42:32
1. Human governments as we know them --- including and maybe particularly our own --- are manifest rejections of God.
Bro. dolfan ----- duck.
Personally, I am going to stop creating threads that are political in nature and just endeavor to promote peace and love through Jesus Christ.
The last week has been a big "teaching" lesson for me because it shows what can happen to those of us who take sides, politically. Lord help us all.
I'm so glad we are moving on. |
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2015/11/4 10:52 | |
dolfan Member
Joined: 2011/8/23 Posts: 1727 Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama
| Re: | | To everyone, let me be clear as glass.
1. I love the people in our government. I know many. I love them. I disagree with them deeply. I will yield to the government because I am commanded to. The name of Jesus will be glorified through men's rejection of Him. For now, it is quite easy still to submit because we have not yet had to see our own blood shed over this faith in Jesus.
2. I do not fault my brothers and sisters who disagree with me on this. Truly, I am inwardly certain that we are all on the cusp of a re-education the likes of which we never probably imagined. The University of Hard Knocks is about to open an extension campus in the Church of Jesus Christ.
_________________ Tim
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2015/11/4 10:59 | Profile |
TMK Member
Joined: 2012/2/8 Posts: 6650 NC, USA
| Re: | | Quote: "No more Fox News. No more right-wing talk radio. All that stuff exists only to rile people up, make them mad, and drive the ratings higher. There is nothing "Christian" about it at all."
Boy is this ever true. I realized a few years ago that conservative tv and radio just stole all my peace(and I'm conservative) so I stopped watching and listening. Ignorance is bliss- at least in that regard.
I do think we should vote because there is usually a lesser of two evils to choose from, although I can understand perfectly why a person may choose not to vote. I guess I feel guilty if I don't vote. But that's just me.
_________________ Todd
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2015/11/4 11:24 | Profile |
proudpapa Member
Joined: 2012/5/13 Posts: 2936
| Re: | | RE:///1. Amen. I quit voting in 2009. I do not intend to ever vote again in any election.///
I stopped in 08 have not voted since.
Am I in part to blame for the direction our government has gone ?
If I am to believe that the God punishes our entire nation as a whole based on the decisions of our elected officials : which seems to be the basic sentiment of most on SI.
Than it would reason that we should vote.
At the same time I understand how Christianity has became way to political.
add : good artical with a very good point but lets becareful not to take an extreme view that Christians should never vote.
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2015/11/4 11:39 | Profile |
JFW Member
Joined: 2011/10/21 Posts: 2009 Dothan, Alabama
| Re: POLITICS is RUINING CHRISTIANITY by Andrew Strom | | When I came to Christ by faith; being drawn by His Spirit receiving Him as my savior, accepting Him as my Lord, crowning Him as my King... I became a citizen of His kingdom and renounced any association with ALL earthly allegiances. Tho I live in this world, it is nonetheless not my home for I am an exile for there is no place for me in this world and my only desire is to please the one who enlisted me+:) This does not mean that I am first a Christian and then a ...... This means my first, last and only identification is with, in and through the one who saved, preserves and prepares me to be that which He seeks,... a bride without spot, wrinkle, or blemish.
So many garments are spotted, blemished and wrinkled by their earthly identifications (political, social, denominational) and it's at the cost of their testimony to the only name by which man must be saved. As they make it a Jesus plus.... when all along that was the desire of the enemy, to get us to identify with the world and seek the pleasures therein. Vainly we proceed into the darkness expecting to find fulfillment there. Then our earthly allegiances slowly take precedence over our savior and we become that which He abhors....lukewarm. _________________ Fletcher
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2015/11/4 12:22 | Profile |
Oracio Member
Joined: 2007/6/26 Posts: 2094 Whittier CA USA
| Re: | | Amen, I've never been able to vote due to past felony convictions but I still wouldn't vote even if I could. Especially in the past several months I've been keenly aware of so much corruption coming from both the republican and democratic parties. To me there seem to be strong indications that they are both bought off and set up by the same corrupt higher-ups. _________________ Oracio
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2015/11/4 12:28 | Profile |
TMK Member
Joined: 2012/2/8 Posts: 6650 NC, USA
| Re: | | Indeed Oracio- the men in the dark glasses call the shots. _________________ Todd
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2015/11/4 12:35 | Profile |