Christian's Political Concerns

 

Are you against the large flow of immigrants into the United States? Do you find it hard to understand how anyone would be against closing the borders? Will immigration play a part in how you vote this election? And finally, are you a Christian? If you answered yes, then I want you to know, how you treat immigrants, matters to your Christian faith and daily walk with Christ. You are commanded to embrace immigrants and MAGA is refusing to do what Jesus himself said in the Christian Bible. CHRISTIANS HAVE FORGOTTEN, JESUS DID NOT LEAD SOCIAL CAUSES. His prayers were for those that were lost in wickedness, not by changing laws, but by changing lives.

 

HAVE YOU HEARD THE PHRASE, "WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? I'm sure you have. At one time this phrase was on wrist bands of Christians all over the country. The phrase is actually older than you may think. Inspired by Kempis' book, the preacher Charles Spurgeon peppered one of his sermons with the phrase "What Would Jesus Do?" in 1881 in London. The Reverend A.B. Simpson composed a hymn that year using that phrase as the name. But Reverend Charles Sheldon was the one who introduced it to a wider audience.

During elections, Christians are encouraged by their leaders, to vote according to their faith. Christians do not leave their faith when they go to the ballot box. The beliefs they have and live should be reflected by the way they vote. But most Christians vote on an issue, such as abortion, immigration, and/or LGBTQ. They don't necessarily vote with the thought in mind, "What would Jesus do?" 

Many would disagree with this position. They would respond and say following Jesus and the Christian faith makes voting against abortion and homosexuality a MUST. They would say the ENTIRE Bible speaks against MURDER. Yes, the Bible speaks against murder. Murder is a SIN. But Jesus' ministry went beyond SOLO sins and instituted a HEART CHANGE. 

In the Old Testament of the Bible, ACTS of sin condemned people. Followers of the Old Testament were not able to follow all of the rules which kept them FREE from sin. The RULES were almost impossible to keep. This is where Jesus comes in offering grace and repentance WITHOUT acts. He said I will look at your heart INSTEAD of your acts. It will be through the condition/spirit of your heart that I will know you follow me. Jesus' ministry was about LOVE. This is where we get the Golden Rule: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF. No, Jesus was not instituting what people call Hippie, free love, but they were closer to what Jesus wanted. 

Christians have been taught, hopefully, that we no longer follow the rules of the Old Testament to the LETTER. We now follow the ministry of Jesus and the good instruction of his disciple who wrote letters to Christians of that time trying to live Christ-like. In these letters, the disciples continue to emphasize LOVE. But I would like to talk more about immigrants.

The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 19:34. ‘Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow.’ Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ Deuteronomy 27:19.

I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me Matthew 25:35. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers Romans 12:13. Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law Romans 13:10. Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured Hebrews 13:1-3. If you LIVE in the world, everyone is your neighbor and, of course a stranger. It MATTERS how you treat them. Scripture says to WELCOME them. 

Christians insist America was founded on Christian beliefs, well, welcoming immigrants is part of the FOUNDING of America. Let's go a little further looking what may be on the minds of Christians when selecting who they will vote for to lead our country.

"George Ozuna Jr. of the Learning Resources Center compiled a list of CONTROVERCIAL issues that fall into the political sphere and issues Christians would and should care about. To say the list was substantial is an understatement. While looking at the list I began to wonder: opposition or support for which subject or policy signals without a doubt whether one is a Christian or not? Will the way they chose to vote on an issue be influenced by their religious beliefs? Look at the list below and try to rank, by importance, from top to bottom which controversial policy would signal Christianity to our society if you took up the cause:

Homeland Security

Health Insurance

Energy
Censorship
Capital Punishment
Abortion
Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)
CIA and Drugs ($5-600 billion per year in drug money is moving through the US economy and the illegal covert operation which maintain control of that cash flow for US economic interest).
Homeless-National Coalition for the Homeless
Crime
Death Penalty
College Drinking
Racism
Corporate Crime
Diseases, the Global Threat of New and Reemerging
Education
Environmental Health
Nuclear Issues
Prisons

DEI

        
How many of the issues facing our society are we to rally against if we are truly Christians? Has involvement for or against specific policies become the DETERMINATE of Christianity and if so, who is doing the judging, God or man? I often hear those involved in political causes state they are doing what Jesus would do. Jesus did not lead social causes but went to the source of change, individuals. He offered them a better way of life. He offered them eternal life. Jesus’ ministry focused on the condition of the human heart and soul. Once again, His prayers were for those that were lost in wickedness, not by changing laws, but by changing lives.

When laws are changed, conduct on a large scale is enforced. Laws can be obeyed without any effect on the heart or the soul. Walter Rauschenbush, a theologian of the Social Gospel, scratched the surface of this idea when he said “What we have is a society that makes good people do bad things. Poverty and lack of education lead to crime, abuse, and addiction. What we need is a society that will make bad people do good things, a society where laws will compel selfish people to think about the common good and ensure that greedy people can only get rich by meeting genuine human needs.”

No matter what laws are instituted, it is the heart of each individual that will make the difference. The Christian does not rely on law for righteousness (right choices and right actions) but on God. The Christian who does look to government to do what is Godly or right will be a disappointed Christian." Trying to institute CHRISTIAN NATIONALITY is man trying to be God. Donald Trump promises laws that Christians want in an effort to force Christ-like behavior on people against their will. God does not even do that. A Christian heart cannot be accomplished by laws. To have righteousness, or people behaving right in a community, then they must have salvation and even once saved they will still sin. Christians cannot create HEAVEN on EARTH by implementing laws. But there are things a Christian CAN do.

Those who are for cuts or public assistance, believe financial funding for state programs make people lazy and dependent on the government. For some this is completely true; for others, the funding is a matter of life and death. Jesus said wheat and tare grow side by side almost identical until the final stage of maturity. He said He will be the one to do the separating of the two plants. The same goes for those in need and those who abuse laws, policies, and government funded programs. Christians should be aware of the big picture and not have tunnel vision. 

When Obamacare was first introduced in 2010, it was declared health insurance to pull the plug on grandma, but cutting the funding to Medicare kills grandma too. Right to lifer's believe and stand on someone must stand up for the unborn, the babies. Cutting Medicaid hurts babies also. So, what is a Christian to do? Asking ourselves, What Would Jesus Cut would be a great beginning without focusing on the sinful who take advantage and abuse everything and everyone in life; they will have their day of reckoning, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water. That is how A Christian Walk and vote their faith, using their heart, caring for the poor, treating your brother/stranger the way you want to be treated.

It is always hard to make Godly choices in a sin sick world but trying to make heaven on earth; forcing everyone to live like a Christian when they have not freely made that choice, is not the answer either. Regardless of what the world is doing, Christians must still remain true to Jesus' teachings. It is the Christian walk that changes people in your own circle and at large. Forcefulness and arguing is joining in the sin sickness of the world.

James 2:14-17 says, "What good is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have WORKS? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and DESTITUTE of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and be filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the BODY, what does it profit? Thus, also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

Some say it is Christian to work hard and obtain possessions and not have to share with their fellow man. Sharing is seen and defined as Socialism. What they have worked to have is theirs and they should decide to whom they will be charitable to. Christians are told, in Scripture, not to value possessions and wealth. 1 Timothy 6:10-11, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so, run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness". Luke 12:15, "Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions”". Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

In the Old Testament, there was a thing called Jubilee. A year of celebration devoted to liberty and justice and observed every fifty years by the Israelites. During this year, Israelites serving as indentured servants were released from their debts and set free. All properties given up because of indebtedness since the last jubilee were returned to the original owners. Cropland was allowed to go unplanted as a conservation measure (Lev. 25:8-55). Also to feed the hungry or foreign traveler, the edges of fields were left unharvested so the hungry could eat. No one was allowed to pick up anything that was dropped during harvesting, it too was left for the hungry. People LET GO, forgave debts, made people whole for what they once lost. GREED was kept in check. Compassion for those with circumstances that left them a little worse off, allowed for restoration of dignity. This was not legalistic, but care for the community and country. This would have been fought against by MAGA Christians and Republicans.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 has a warning for Christians (notice I said Christians because the Bible is the word of God for His children)"...If a man will not work, he shall not eat." The previous verses state the apostles were telling the Thessalonians not to be idle but to work so they can be a MODEL for others to follow. Not about lazy people depending on handouts. My book tries to drive home, change begins with self. We must get past conservative versus liberal and just be a Christian. Christian voting goes beyond SELECTED issues which if I am being truthful, are making people act not Christ-like. Selected favored issues they are trying to RESCUE the world from has made them LIKE THE WORLD. They have come to believe they can be a SAVIOR, completely bulldozing free will. They have abandoned their COMMISSION by Jesus, trying to COMMAND people which my book, The Politics of Prayer, points out.

ISSUES have become Christian for Christians instead of the heart. No wonder there is so much vitriol, division, and downright ugly acting Christians. The Christian religion went from ACTS/LAW/RULES to WORKS/DEEDS which demonstrate to the world and POINTS to Jesus, not a political HOT TOPIC. How you treat your neighbor, the IMMIGRANT matters. How you treat women who have chosen to have an abortion for whatever reason matters. How you treat the LGBTQ community matters. How you treat the poor and destitute matter, and your HEART and MOUTH will reflect it. James 2:18, "But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your FAITH without DEEDS, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God, Good! Even demons believe that - and shudder. No matter how loud a Christian is about a political issue, it comes down to THEIR HEART not how strongly they FEEL about someone else's SIN.

I do believe Maga Christian's are doing their best to live out their faith. Saving babies is not something foolish or outside of what Jesus would want us to do. But these issues we latch onto and then FOCUS on to the detriment of spirit and soul, is not What Jesus Would Do. He said to change, because the Kingdom is at hand. He did not try to mandate or legislate laws.