Religion And Politics: We Must Talk About Them!

Religion and Politics: We must talk about them! Kelly Durant Nov. 2016

John 18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

2. Why is it that amongst families and friends there is the old adage that they have told you, that no one should ever talk about religion or politics? I think repeating this phrase is part of what our problem is today in society; too many of us limit our sharing of knowledge, wisdom, and blessings to others because we don’t want to have to deal with all the ignorance, anger, and commotion surrounding these two extremely important subject matters! To withhold God’s view is to allow ignorance to prosper.

Here is a conclusive truth I deduct: if you are concerned about politics and who governs, it means you are concerned with this life and all that influences you, your children, and your community for generations. And if you are passionate about religion, it means you are concerned about the future and where the soul of a person will go for eternity. The Christian should be concerned with both, but keen wisdom is essential concerning what you say, the tone in which you say it, and to whom you say it.

So was Jesus political? I think some people think that He was while others may think not, but we should inform ourselves better from His teachings on what was, is, and is to come regarding politics and religion with the intent of obeying God’s will no matter who governs.

3. What we know from John 18:36 is that Jesus holds rule over a kingdom that is not of this world, it is in that world where Jesus has total political power forever and ever. The reality is Jesus could exercise total power over this world if He wanted, not just a partial power for controlling kings or storms, healing the sick or feeding the multitudes, but He chooses not to use this omniscient power. Why? Because He is allowing man throughout the ages to learn the lesson of the consequences of not exalting Him to rule in authority them and over all things above and below. And since many of us as prideful humans (the people of the world) keep rejecting Him, everyone then suffers under the rule of horrible despots.

Men and women throughout history and of all cultures due to pride and greed have always had the same universal Satanic tendency to place Kings, Caesars, Sultans, dictators and Presidents to rule over them and 95% of the time we learn about the disastrous consequences of their rule with deeds of betrayal and murders, war, and human exploitation. We can conclude that man governing man never functions with authentic justice, righteousness, mercy, and compassion. If any one of us exalts or fears any person above God, one who is in a position of power, political or religious, then this person is making a big mistake because only Jesus is to be exalted above all! Jesus is to be worshipped and obeyed taking into account that all others are not to be trusted as they will use and will abuse you and maybe even kill you! Man was never created to be respected as a god because He is carnal and unworthy!

The less a person worships God the more they will worship man but…

Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.

4. In John 18:16 I find it fascinating that Jesus had and has the power to call on servants not from this world, to fight, but He chose not to as He respected His mission to be the ultimate sacrifice for the redemption of sins. For this very reason Jesus is due honor and glory forever and ever! What mercy! But his wrath and judgment will come soon at the right time.

Jesus has always eternally had authority in the Kingdom of God, or in heaven, and considering that this Kingdom theocracy exists in some parallel universe, we must fear and respect Jesus for his supernatural power. He came into this world supernaturally inhabiting in a flesh body as ours, and this feat is far beyond our technology. We as weak humans are so limited we cannot penetrate into His world or even transport to the adjacent Andromeda galaxy in our current disastrous unworthy condition both physically and spiritually degenerate. Mankind is corrupted and only the redeemed are worthy of ruling with the King of kings when His world opens up to receive the souls who reverence Him as Lord over all.

Here is the good news, when our spirits leave our bodies, Jesus promised His faithful that we would be able to unite with Him in that heavenly kingdom in a resurrected body, and that we would live forever there with Him sharing in the beauty, love, and perfection of a Kingdom with justice and righteousness. This being the case, our investment must be for there and then and not for the here and now in this temporary decaying world of competing corrupt political figures.