Many professing Christians
have abandoned the preaching and witnessing of the Gospel for a political
religion – we need only listen and watch; I have partaken of that cup myself so
I know what the venom tastes like. This means that it doesn’t matter who wins
the presidential election, the civic-political religion will continue. Until we
are known for the Gospel we cannot preach the Gospel. Until we are known for
peace we cannot witness to the Prince of Peace.
The Book of Judges tells us
that there was a time in Israel when everyone
did what was right in his own eyes. There is amoral anarchy in society;
there is also amoral anarchy in the professing church. When Christians choose
to ignore Biblical injunctions to pray for all in authority and to honor our
rulers then Christians are doing what
they consider right in their own eyes rather than living under the lordship
of Jesus Christ. Anarchy in society is expected; anarchy in the church is
frightening.
If President Obama is
defeated many Christians can not only say, “I voted for Mitt Romney”, they can
also say, “I never prayed for President Obama during his four years in office.”
Americans are noted for voting
with their pocketbook; the professing church is the same – we won’t give of our
resources to others, we won’t help the poor, we won’t protect the sanctity of
life by loving those in challenging pregnancies, by serving those who have had
abortions – oh yes we have our “poster children” projects but as a people we
fall far short – Pregnancy Support Centers should be showcases of Christian
care and charity, visually welcoming centers equal to the finest church
buildings in a community; if there are any such centers in America they are the
exceptions.
How can a nation with our
wealth and expertise not have universal health care? Health care speaks to the
sanctity of life – is the health of my neighbor not my concern? I am to love my
neighbor as myself. When I frame life in economic terms then I can justify
living to myself and dying to myself. The professing church does not have a
distinct voice, it does not have a prophetic voice – perhaps it has never had
such a voice, else how could we have countenanced slavery and the genocide of American
Indians? We pay lip service to William Wilberforce, he makes us feel better –
we might honor him by emulating his peaceful and prayerful ways.
Christians think there is a
problem with American; we don’t realize that the problem is with us; we are a
people who are not a people, pawns on a chessboard used by others as long as we
are useful.
Slavery, genocide, military
expansion, the horrendous conditions of workers at times throughout our
history, Jim Crow; all of these and more should warn us of how Christians can
be seduced and used – we should be frightened of what we look like when the
Christ of the Cross ceases to be our all in all.
By God’s grace I will pray
for whoever wins this election, and by His grace I will pray for the church
daily – for as it stands now, regardless of which candidate wins the professing
church loses.
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