The entire debate on “faith” in our current political process is more than a little interesting. It is simultaneously hopeful, illuminating, and dangerous.
Just one of many examples is Barack Obama’s recent statement: “I am confident that we can create a Kingdom (of heaven) right here on Earth.” Now, I believe it should be the Church’s goal to establish and expand the Kingdom of God on earth (though not the government’s). I believe that Jesus’ prayer “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” was not just a theory, but was an instruction to pray a real prayer with a very real outcome. We are to seek the Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33)!
Part of our problem is that the Church has lost sight of our “Kingdom mandate.” Two incredible books you should read on this subject are “Rediscovering the Kingdom” by Myles Munroe, and “The Unshakable Kingdom and the Unchanging Person” by E. Stanley Jones.
So why do I find Barack Obama’s comment hopeful? Because the Kingdom of God is the only hope for our nation and the world. Anytime Jesus and His Kingdom are part of the discussion and debate, that can only be a good thing – even if what is said is in error, or with suspect motives. The Apostle Paul himself said;
Phi 1:18 “…Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice…”
It’s illuminating for Christians to see who is “using” Jesus and His Kingdom for their own personal purposes. This is the problem I have with a Senator Barrack Obama (a democrat) or a Senator John Warner (a republican) or anyone else from either political party who claims to be a Christian, yet who so clearly disregard God’s Word in matters of public policy. Not only are we to seek His Kingdom first, but also His righteousness (Matthew 6:33)!
Some say they believe a certain way, but don’t want to “impose my beliefs” upon anyone else. Excuse me. It’s not about your “belief” as though you had a modified rabbit’s foot to believe in. It’s about God’s commandments. It’s about His truth, His reality, His righteousness which exists whether one “believes” it or not.
Those who support the murder of the unborn, the sanctioning of homosexual lifestyles, and the junk science of evolution – and teaching our children to embrace those lies – are clearly not genuine disciples of Jesus Christ regardless of what they say about themselves. Those who support “hate crimes” and “ENDA” legislation and are not lined up with the truth and righteousness of Jesus and His Kingdom. Jesus Himself said:
Mat 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’
Practicing lawlessness is a specifically stated, “red-letter” disqualifier. It’s a quote from the Master Himself. The “legalization of lawlessness” is the strategy of Satan through our civil government. It is not the will of the Father that children be mutilated in the sanctity of their mother’s womb. Such is lawlessness. It is not the will of the Father that homosexuality be sanctioned as “normal” or “moral,” or that our children be conditioned to accept deviant behavior. Such is lawlessness. It is not the will of the Father that we teach young minds that they’re soul-less animals “evolved” from lower life forms. Such is lawlessness. It is not the will of the Father that Jehovah and Allah be equated as one in the same! Such is lawlessness. And you’re either on the side of righteousness or lawlessness.
Try as you might, you will never find in the Bible, our Constitution, or even generally in the Judeo-Christian ethic where anyone on earth – be it an individual or an entire civil Government – has been given the authority to re-write the moral laws and truths of God. To pretend to have such authority is lawlessness itself, and ultimately results in a very high price in this life and the next.
Rev 22:18, 19 “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”
Therein lays the danger of Obama’s statement and others like it. It is dangerous to those who make such claims in falsehood, and it is dangerous to those who believe those claims in deception.
This is why Christians must get involved in the political process. Not only to vote, but to run for office, and/or work within the process to re-establish God’s principles as the law of the land the way our founding fathers intended. God’s purpose for civil government is to condone good and punish evil (Romans 13), but who is it that decides what is good and what is evil? Only genuine Christians are qualified to speak to that standard. We must walk out the standard in our own lives, and our prayers and actions should be in support of those who do the same. We are to be “salt and light.” Our problem is, as one commentator put it, we have become “sugar.”
Put some effort into it. Find out what precinct you live in, and if you’ve got a good precinct Chairman that will stand for Biblical principles, help him and support him. If not, prayerfully consider running against him. And continue to work this process in both parties so that we can put an end to this insane, destructive propensity of politicians to continually ignore the Owner’s Manual (the Bible) – the only true and reliable source of personal, spiritual, and social success.
Mark Williamson is the Founder and President of Foundation Restoration Ministries and Federal Intercessors, an intercessory and educational ministry dedicated to the restoration of Biblical truth, righteousness and justice in the policies and personnel of the high offices of the Federal government. Learn more and join the prayer cause at www.federalintercessors.net, or contact him directly at mark.williamson@federalintercessors.net, or at 713-722-4321 x203.
