Righteousness Exalts A Nation

Righteousness Exalts a Nation

We are in an election year and Nevada is presently going through caucusing for each political party, and America begins the nomination process for the next Democrat and Republican nominee who will be running against each other to be our next president.

And what I’ve noticed over all the years is that we tend to get real political during these times, voicing our opinion as to who we think is best qualified. And we do so loudly and proudly.

But what is both sad and disconcerting is that we tend to talk more about national and local politics than we’re willing to talk about Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.

But when it comes to what a church can and cannot speak on, seeing how it’s always brought out at this time by our government how we can’t speak about politics from our pulpits else we lose our 501C-3 charitable status, I would rather get my inspiration and authority based upon God’s word. More specifically it’s what the Apostle’s Peter and John said to the Jewish high court, the Sanhedrin, when they commanded them not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. These two men said,

“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20 NKJV)

And so today, I want to add my voice and affirmation to what these two men of God stood so vehemently for.

Now, if you’re expecting me to endorse a candidate or a political party, I won’t. What I will say, however, is something that I’ve always said, and that is vote in accordance with God’s word.

Further, speaking about politics is not the purpose of the pulpit. The purpose of the pulpit is to teach and to preach the word of God and how it to speaks to and applies to our lives. And I believe that God does have a word for us regarding this matter of politics and the course and direction of our nation.

Another reason why I won’t endorse a candidate or political party is because Jesus never did. He didn’t seek a kingdom of His own, nor was He a Democrat or Republican. Instead Jesus spoke about our need to repent because the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

When you look at it, it was such undying loyalty to a form of government and to a state run church and religion that persecuted those who wanted to simply believe in Jesus over king, and God’s word over church institution and religion with all of it’s rules and regulations.

But on the flip side it was loyalty to the principle of God’s word, over that of denomination or politics that saw our forefathers put everything on the line, including their lives, to come and establish America as a nation.

Also, as we look at the Christian church over the years what we find is that the church has played a significant, if not a major, role in shaping the governmental structure of our nation. In fact, the founding fathers formed our republic based upon God’s word.

And since then Christians have been the forerunners of some of the greatest reforms in our nation’s history, including the development of schools and education, hospitals and medical care, along with charities to help the poor and needy. From the abolition of slavery to the civil rights movement of the 1960’s, Christians have been at the forefront of all these great causes.

There are a number of people in the Bible that God specifically called to work for change in the political and governmental arena. This includes men and women such as Joseph (Genesis 41:39-41), Deborah (Judges 5:1-7), Gideon (Judges 6:11-14), Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-19), David (1 Samuel 16:1-13), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:1-11), and Daniel (Daniel 1:4-6; 18-21)

And today is no different. There are a number of things that we can do to promote godly change. The number one thing, or the most significant thing we can to is to pray, but another thing we can do is vote. We’ve all been given this unique privilege and it would be a shame not to use what God has so freely and graciously given and which so many have lost their lives in defense of.

What we need to understand, however, is that being a follower of Jesus transcends loyalty to any political party, and there’s room for honest differences of opinion in regard to politics. But there are some Biblical principles to which we must stand. Here are a few important ones

Speaking out for the innocent

“Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die.” (Proverbs 31:8)