Tag Archives: Government

What About Government

Church Bulletin, Government

 

upside down flagGovernment has taken a hit lately. Our national leaders have and are failing to govern by God’s precepts. Abortion is approved. Homosexual marriage is accepted. Government policies empower the wealthy often at the expense of the impoverished. Candidates for national office behave like third graders. In Alabama, our Governor is embroiled in a sex scandal which has cost him his marriage, his reputation and may cost him his office. When compared to what God says, government is not doing very well. Some Christians are ready to throw their hands up in disgust and give up participation in the business of government. There are ample problems with government. But don’t give up.

Government is established by God. “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:2). Jesus said to Pilate, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11). Any ruler holds office within a framework established by God. Rulers are often wicked as was Jeroboam I, the son of Nebat. 18 times the Scriptures say that he “made Israel to sin” (1 Kings 14:16, 1 Kings 15:26, et al).

Government must be respected. Since government arises from God and is established by him, Christians have an obligation to respect the office (Romans 13:2). Twice, David, anointed but not yet the King, had the opportunity to slay King Saul. God had rejected Saul from being King. Saul pursued David with the might of the army of Israel. But when given two chances to easily kill the wicked King David would not (1 Samuel 24:6; 26:11). “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” Paul, facing possible execution did not show disrespect to the pagan Roman nation. He declared, “I do not seek to escape death” (Acts 25:11).

Government is not the problem. God ordained government. He did not ordain democracy or socialism, fascism or communism. He ordained a structure to provide order among men. Even in the worst governed nation there is still a level of service provided to the citizens. The problem with government is people. In our nation, the problem is not the politicians. The problem are the voters which return godless, narcissistic people to office. Our Constitution begins, “We the people…”  Today, we the people have created the government that we now must live under. Adolph Hitler published Mein Kampf in 1925 and 1926, 8 years before coming to office in Germany. He outlined his political philosophies in the books. People could have known who they were appointing. The problem was not the government. It was the people.

Government is subservient to the People. In the United States, the government is chosen by the people. Sometimes, elections are direct, such as for Congress or the Senate. The office of President is chosen indirectly through the Electoral College. Appointments in the federal judiciary are made by the elected president with consent of the elected Senators. Unlike the original Christians, we can influence our government through elections. Any official can be removed. The Bible teaches that followers of Christ are to exert influence where possible. We are both salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). Salt is ineffective unless it used and light is dark when hidden. We live “in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). We must let our light shine.

Difficult days lie ahead for our Republic. Let us press our influence wherever we can.

 

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @J_Bryant_Evans.

How Should Christians Think of ISIS?

Bible General, Daily living, Government, News, , , ,

 

ISISHorrific acts of violence by terrorists have become a daily news report. Beheadings, crucifixions and rape top the list of hideous crimes perpetrated by radical terrorist groups like ISIS. Reports of terror plots and terrorist cells in America are frightening. International travel, already stressful, is now fearful.

Americans generally, and Christians particularly, are angry. We no longer feel safe within our own borders. We want to lash out at the terrorists and destroy every last vestige of them and their hideous ideology. A recent presidential debate featured terms like “carpet-bombing” and making the “sand glow in the dark,” a reference to nuclear assault on the deserts. The angst is palpable; people are angry.

Christians must be different, right? We are people of God, people of love and mercy, right? But we are frightened and angry. Don’t we have a right to vengeance?

Vengeance is Mine

Moses says of God, “Vengeance  is mine” (Deuteronomy 32:35). The act of repaying an act of evil belongs to God. We are all “wretched” before the Lord and unable to act out of pure thoughts and motives. God alone is the one arbiter of justice that can be trusted to always judge righteously.

The response of some is to repay the terrorists with a dose of their own medicine. Yet the Bible says, “Do not say ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord and he will deliver you”  (Proverbs 20:22). And Paul writes, “Repay no one evil for evil…” (Romans 12:17). He repeats the same thought in 1 Thessalonians 5:15. Peter also prohibits evil repayment, “Do not repay evil for evil” (1 Peter 3:9).

The Words of Jesus

The words of Jesus are plain and  impossible to misunderstand. The reader is encouraged to study the Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, especially Matthew 5:38-48. In this passage, Jesus highlights two sayings, anchored in part from the Old Testament. One taught repayment in the form of “life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe (Exodus 21:23-25). The other taught to love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). The Jews added “and hate your neighbor.” Of course the Bible never taught that.

Building on these two ideas, Jesus teaches not to seek recompense but to “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39). He adds that we ought not to hate our enemies but to love them! Surely the people were stunned with such teaching. Surely people today are stunned to hear the same thing. Are we really saying we should love the terrorists? I’m not saying it. Jesus is.

The Example of Jesus

A man can talk all day; it is his actions that really teach. Jesus was a meek, humble man who never resisted those who hated him. Prophetically, Isaiah describes him this way:

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before it’s shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)

Reading the gospel accounts of his arrest, trial and crucifixion, one is struck to discover that Jesus never resisted the angry Jews or Romans. When Peter made a feeble attempt to prevent Jesus’ arrest, the Lord stopped him and repaired the severed ear of the man attacked by Peter. Given that Jesus was the most innocent man ever and given that his divinity gave access to the full power of the Godhead, Jesus could certainly of defended himself. He did not.

For one who wears the name of Christ, we are hard pressed to discover a single example of violence the Lord directed against those who sought his life.

The Example of the Original Christians

Those who knew Jesus and his apostles were likewise men and women of peace who left vengeance to God. We should note that the first Christians were facing an immediate threat to their lives. Yet,  they did not show hatred and anger toward their opponents.

Paul was repeatedly beaten and left for dead but he did not respond violently. Peter faced persecutions and often warned his readers of troubling days ahead. John was imprisoned, tortured and banished but never repaid his captors with evil. Even among those who came later, they went to their death without vile recriminations against their persecutors.

Are We Powerless to Defend Ourselves?

God has provided for our protection. As we said, God will bring ultimate justice in his own time. ((Consider the saints of Revelation who cried for justice – Revelation 6:9-11. Notice, however, that justice came on God’s schedule, not theirs.)) But God has also given the government responsibility to defend the populace. Paul says that the government does not “bear the sword in vain” and is an “avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13:4). The context here is probably best suited to police actions but it does not damage the text to expand our thinking to defensive actions of the state. Soldiers were never rebuked for their occupations and a soldier, Cornelius, was chosen as the first Gentile convert. This warrior was described by inspiration as a “devout” man (Acts 10:2).

Christians are defended through the God-ordained functions of government. The purpose here is not to discuss the pacifist position, but to remind Christ-followers to conduct themselves gently in the public square and to ensure a godly frame of mind in all things. We trust God’s promises that whatever happens here, He will handle for us.

So How Should a Christian Think of ISIS or Terrorists

ISIS must be stopped. Our government has a duty to protect its citizens from attack. Christians, like all Americans, expect to be protected at home and when we travel. To ignore ISIS is to jeopardize the church and her mission of evangelism. The individual Christian allows the state, through a dispassionate approach, to protect against the onslaught. While the government fulfills its responsibility, we have a task to do also.

ISIS are God’s children too. Like us, they are sinners separated from God. While their sins seem more heinous, we are also separated from God by our sins. Their sins may have greater damage and greater consequences in this life, but otherwise they are like us. These are “cousins” to the Jews, both coming from through Noah’s son Shem. Religiously, they hail from Abraham and his first son Ishmael. They are wrong, but they are still God’s children just like every other group on earth today.

ISIS needs our prayers. These men and women do not know Jesus. They do not know Jehovah and they worship a false God (Allah) through a false faith (Islam), given through a false prophet (Mohammed). Unless something happens to change the preceding sentence, they will be lost. Salvation is found in no other (Acts 4:12) and Jesus alone is the way to the one true God (John 14:6). Christians should make terrorists a part of their daily prayer plans. Jesus told us to pray for our enemies did he not (Matthew 5:44)? We do not pray for them to be saved in their sins, but to be saved from their sins through the powerful working of Scripture. We should pray for opportunities to teach them of Jesus.

ISIS Needs the Golden Rule Too. Jesus taught that we should treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves (Matthew 7:12). Now stop and consider what you would want if you grew up in a dismal place with few opportunities and no knowledge of peace. What if your entire worldview were shaped by hatred? Would you want bombs or Bibles? Grenades or grace? Missiles or mercy? It is a challenging question but the answer is simple. Let us apply the golden rule to our enemies too.

ISIS Includes Children. Children are always the losers in every war. You cannot carpet bomb or “nuke a nation back into the Stone Age” without slaughtering thousands of children. If we allow our hatred to boil over, we will surely be left to regret the outcome. We must find a way to stop the violence, not to increase it. We are seeing precious little leadership from our politicians. They seem to race to be the most hawkish. What a shame!

Christians cannot descend into the same cesspool of hatred and madness that our enemies now occupy. We must be different! We are a priesthood a chosen and different people (1 Peter 2:9, 10). It is by love, not hatred, that we are to be known (1 John 4:7, 8)

This article will anger some readers. I do not write to provoke anger but thought. In your responses, please anchor your thoughts in God’s word. That way, we will enjoy a common ground of discussion. My argument is simple: Hatred has no place in the life of the Christian.

 

5 Reasons Christians Will Not Bow

Church, Culture, Government, Legislation,

3D_Judges_Gavel (1)Paul used illustrations of soldiers and battles to describe the Christian life. Recent weeks have proven the wisdom of such ideas. We are in a battle we did not choose. We are daily assaulted by worldly forces in high places. Some have already surrendered. Others fight on. This not a battle where compromise and treaties will signal the end. Instead, Christians are fighting for their very souls.

Our opponents rejoice in what they see as great victories over us. But they miss one thing: Court victories are irrelevant to our cause. I offer 5 facts for consideration.

1. Our battles are waged in the heart of a person

Legislation and court decisions do not define a man. A man is defined by what is in his heart. These are not my thoughts, but those of Jesus who said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him…” (Mark 7:20). We seek holiness in ourselves as well as others because God is holy and has called us to live a life of holiness. My character, even my holiness, cannot be formed through ever changing laws and ideas of men.

When the Supreme Court approved abortion on demand in the 1973 Roe v. Wade court decision, women were freed from any legal constraint preventing abortion, but they were not compelled to abort. They retained freedom to choose life for their unborn child or to choose abortion. Churches and organizations reached out to women and many rejected abortion in favor of life. Such an inner choice was superior to any court ruling. Today we will reach out to men and women and draw them away from the practice of homosexuality and other sins. We will fight the battle of truth in their hearts.

2. Not one person was ever saved by politics

The political process has swung to and fro over faith. At times it was favorable to Christians (although it always ended badly) while at other times government was hostile to faith. Recall that the church was born into the midst of persecution, first by Jews and then by Rome, yet grew exponentially. One could argue that persecution helped the church to grow.

Today, Islam believes that faith can be spread at the end of a sword. Not true. A man can no more be forced into righteousness than he can be governed into wickedness. We will use the political process as a means to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16) but we will not depend on the voting booth to deliver souls to our Lord.

3. Our faith is not subject to the courts

We are people of another country. The Bible calls us “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11). We are only here for a while; we are just passing through. We will respect the authority of the government (Romans 13:1-7) and we will do as instructed by our Lord, we will “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and render unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21; Mark 12:17; Luke 20:25). We will be the very best citizens and neighbors you could hope for.

However, we will never trade our holy duties for civic duties. There is no court in the land that can overturn any teaching of Jesus. We are first of all citizens of His kingdom (Colossians 1:13; Romans 14:17) for He is “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; Revelation 19:16). We reject any law or decision that attempts to set aside any God-ordained teaching in Scripture. This was the example of the Lord’s apostles (Acts 5:29) and it will be our example too.

4. We will pay any price to serve our Lord

No law will ever stop a Christian from serving his Lord. Already, many are being harassed out of business because of their beliefs. First century Christians were forced from their homes because of persecution (Acts 8:1-4) and when they went, they went preaching. Christians recognize the government has immense power to force compliance with laws, however we put the world on notice that we will pay any price for our Lord. [bctt tweet=”We put the world on notice: We will pay any price for our Lord.”]

The ancient examples encourage us to stand firm in the face of opposition. Our Lord was, Himself, crucified. The followers of Jesus were stoned unjustly (Acts 7:54-60) and His apostles were often imprisoned, beaten and left for dead (Acts 14:19; Acts 16:16-24). Yet, in the heat of the assault, Jesus was proclaimed and souls were turned to the Lord. What an honor to be counted worthy of such suffering (Acts 5:41). Indeed, the world itself was not worthy of these great men and women who were shamefully treated for their beliefs (Hebrews 11:32-40). We too will count it a blessing to suffer persecution for the name of our Lord (Matthew 5:10-12).

No price is too steep for Jesus. [bctt tweet=”No price is too steep for Jesus.”]

5. In the end, Jesus wins

When it is all said and done, Jesus wins. If you could distill the entire book of Revelation into a single sentence it would be: Jesus Wins. And, as His followers, we will stand victorious with Him. Already death has been defeated and is now powerless over the Christians (1 Corinthians 15:54-58). Future victory is assured and “every knee shall bow” (Philippians 2:9-11).

Our treasure, the treasure the wicked cannot touch, is laid up in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). That is our home and that is where we will spend a victorious eternity. [bctt tweet=”In the end, Jesus wins!”]

It may seem a paradox, but we do not want to defeat you. We want you to join with us and defeat evil. In this battle the ultimate enemy is Satan, not our fellow man. We welcome you with open hearts to stand in the Lord’s army and be counted among the righteous.

As Joshua said in ancient times, we echo: “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

 

Church and Government

Abortion, Church Bulletin, Culture, Daily living, Government, , ,

3D_Judges_Gavel (1)It’s time to talk about the church and government. It seems we are confusing the two. As a result, many Christians are wringing their hands over a federal judge who decided to mandate same-sex marriage in Alabama. There are some facts we should keep in mind.

The Church and Government Are Not the Same

While both are from God and even though Christians are subject to both, the church and government are not identical. Each has responsibilities which complement each other but are unique. For example, government has no responsibility for evangelism and the church has no responsibility for policing citizens.

Neither Sin nor Righteousness Can Be Legislated.

One of our greatest failures is the idea that we can make people holy through legislation. We cannot. [bctt tweet=”We might be able to make people conform, but we cannot save them through the legislative process.”] We have argued elsewhere that morality must be based in God. We may extend that to argue that such God-based morality is the foundation of many of laws in the past.

Today, government is populated by throngs of godless men and women who no longer stand on Biblical morality. To them, there is no moral anchor for their actions. The single determining factor is personal desire. Whatever most people want is what they will get. The danger of this populist approach to right and wrong is that anything becomes legally possible.

It is the populist approach that gave us abortion on demand and now homosexual marriage. One can only speculate at what future wickedness will be condoned and even supported by our government. We should not be surprised that evil is slowly consuming both our culture and government.

Christians must be the Conscience of Culture

What then is the role of the Christian in our country? Christians desire that all live righteously. That is the will of Christ and is appropriately the will of his followers. Jesus said that his followers should be both salt and light (Matthew 5:14-16). Jesus did not say that his people were to be politicians. It may be that Christians can affect the world through political activism and participation, but they must never confuse their Christianity with their politics.

Philip Yancey, in Vanishing Grace wrote, “The church works best as a separate force, a conscience to society that keeps itself at arm’s length from the state.” I think he has a fine point. Our task is not to run the state but to prod the state into Godly conduct. Sometimes our saltiness is successful. Sometimes our light is seen. Sadly, it doesn’t always work that way.

Our true battle is not in the smoke-filled back rooms of government. Our battle is in the hearts and minds of individuals.

Christians Live and Thrive Despite Government

I wonder if we think we are saved by government. Do we think the church needs government? The church does not need government. Every time the church gets close with the state the church loses. The one time the church actually merged with government we ended up with the Crusades.

But consider the original Christians. The church began with opposition from both the Jewish and Roman governments. Jesus, as Lord of the church and its founder, was crucified by the Romans at the insistence of the Jews. The Jewish persecution of the church began immediately with, at a minimum, the permission of Rome. Later, as Christianity spread far beyond Judea and Galilee, Rome took up the persecution under such infamous leaders as Nero and Domitian.

It was in the pressure cooker of governmental assault that Christianity grew rapidly.[bctt tweet=”It was in the pressure cooker of governmental assault that Christianity grew rapidly.”] It was also in this environment that Paul wrote, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1). Earlier, Jesus noted the separation between the church and government when he answered his critics by saying, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). The Christian walks two paths, that of the heavenly way and that of state citizen. For almost all Americans, these current rulings approving sinful acts have no direct impact on how they live or worship. It may anger us, sadden us, disappoint us or sicken us, but these laws do not require us to sin or violate our faith.

But It’s an Abomination!

True enough, homosexuality is an abomination. The Bible is clear in Leviticus 18:22; 20:13. But other sins are also abominations, i.e. dishonesty in business (Leviticus 25:16), idolatry (Deuteronomy 27:15, 32:16), a devious person (Proverbs 3:32), haughtiness, a lying tongue, shedding innocent blood, devising wicked plans, those that practice evil generally, a false witness and one who causes discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:16-19).

There are many sins that are not illegal. In fact, among the 10 Commandments, only two are actually illegal (killing and stealing). The point is simple: any sin offends God and is an abomination to him. But government is not the church and has never made most sins illegal. In our country today it is perfectly legal to engage in adultery or fornication. It is allowed to lie or shade the truth. It is legal to covet anything and everything your neighbor has. One may worship idols and even offer animal sacrifices to those idols and not be guilty of a crime.

Brethren, we live in a broken, corrupt world where Satan, our adversary, rules (1 John 5:19, Ephesians 2:2).

It Will Get Worse

It is not a happy thought, but our world will continue to grow darker (2 Timothy 3:2, 13). Most will be lost (Matthew 7:13, 14).

In my lifetime, these teachings have been proving again and again. Abortion on demand takes millions of innocent lives annually, fornication and adultery are commonplace. Honesty is almost unheard of, homosexuality is accepted and glorified, morality has fled from the public square. I do not like where our world has gone, yet I live here and will glorify God as long as I can.

Being Salty

Jesus told us to be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). But where do we sprinkle that salt? If I buy a hamburger and fries I might sprinkle salt on the fries but not in my Mountain Dew. Likewise, let us sprinkle our salt where it is most needed and most effective.

You are most effective when touching the hearts of someone you know. A one-on-one relationship makes all the difference. Writing letters to Congressmen and Senators is easy and requires no investment, but impacting the life of a living being person you know is hard.[bctt tweet=”You are most effective when touching the hearts of someone you know”]

If tomorrow we awoke to find that Congress had passed, and the President had signed, a bill to make all sin illegal, would it change anything? Would sin decrease? Would all 320 million Americans suddenly be saved? No!

Reforming government is a distraction. You cannot bring America to Christ. You bring individuals to Christ. You bring your spouse, your children, your brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, co-workers, neighbors and fellow students to Christ. We are not saved as a nation but as individual souls in need of a savior.

When I look at Jesus and his apostles I never once see them arguing for some candidate or petitioning for a law to end some sin. But I do see Jesus interacting with a Sanhedrin leader (John 3:1ff). I see Paul one-on-one with a Centurion (Acts 10:1ff), a Roman proconsul (Acts 13:12) and I see him before a King (Acts 26:1). The gospel is shared with individuals, not governments.

I, like you, am saddened when I see those who glorify sin win any battle. But I know that my task is to evangelize, not to govern. My Lord is enthroned in glory (Acts 7:55; Revelation 1:12-16) and is victorious. Do not be discouraged by battles lost in Satan’s world. Know that there is ultimate victory in Christ!

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

 

 

Wanna Bet?

Culture, General, Government, Legislation, ,

13-02-27-spielbank-wiesbaden-by-RalfR-065How many times have we been told that gambling will solve all of our problems and make our state coffers flush with cash? We’ve heard that gambling is the answer to everything from school funding to medical research. In fact, gambling brings with it a whole new set of problems. Aside from violating the Golden Rule, stomping the work ethic and taking food off the table of those least able to afford it, gambling is a crime producer.

Now there is statistical proof . The Pew Research center says states with gambling see an increase in public corruption when gambling is approved. The most corrupt states in the nation are gambling states while the least corrupt do not promote gambling. This is not the last word on the subject but it is worth reading the report. You can find “For states, gambling on casinos may be bad bet” on the Pew website.

Many years ago, Alabama gave approval to dog racing in Greene County. Located in the black belt of Alabama, Greene was a picture of poverty. Despite throngs of visitors, the county is still gripped by poverty, poor education and poor healthcare. All of the promises failed. It’s worth thinking about the next time some politician tells you how gambling will cure what ails us.

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

Dual Citizenship

Church Bulletin, Government, ,

cross-and-flagIt is said that Christians have dual citizenship; they live in this country and in God’s kingdom simultaneously. The idea is that while we are Christians we are also Americans and thereby have allegiances to each. Our life is divided between the spiritual and the civic.

Let’s think about that because it might not be true.

As Christians we are part of a kingdom that is not of this world (John 18:36). We have been translated into Jesus’ kingdom (Colossians 1:13, 14), are adopted into His family (Romans 8:15) and added to the church (Acts 2:41, 47).

The church is the kingdom as seen in Matthew 16:18, 19 where the text speaks of the church and the kingdom which are both still in the future. The kingdom was promised by John as being “at hand” (Matthew 3:2) and Jesus preached the same message during his earthly mission (Matthew 4:17). Matthew chapter 13 contains many mentions of the “kingdom of heaven” as He prepared His hearers for its imminent arrival. Those in the church are in the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Colossians 1:13).

Christians are obviously residents in this world. Whether in the USA or some other country, Christians are residents somewhere and have obligations. We are responsible to pay taxes and obey the laws of the nation. Such obligations are not to be taken lightly. Jesus taught that we are to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and render unto God the things that are God’s (Matthew 22:21). We are “subject to the governing authorities” says Paul in Romans 13:1. There is no excuse for ignoring our earthly obligations to the state.

However, our allegiances to the country and to Christ’s kingdom are not equal.

We are Christians first and everything else second. There is no national law that supersedes the laws of Christ’s kingdom. When confronted with conflicting laws, Peter and John said, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). It is not simply the laws that may conflict. This world has an allure that clashes with God’s kingdom. Just like laws that conflict, we must be ready to reject the sparkle and glow in favor of the kingdom. Jesus was tempted by Satan with things this world holds dear, food, power and possessions, but he rejected every one in deference to God’s word (Matthew 4:1 ff).

You see, Christians are pilgrims (1 Peter 2:11, KJV). We are only passing through. Like travelers visiting a country and then returning home, we are only here for a while (James 4:14). While traveling we are expected to obey the laws of our host country but we are not overly concerned with local details. Our desire is to go home. Paul, thinking of the Christian as a soldier, says:  “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (2 Timothy 2:4).

In our fleshly world, a traveler will show interest in his destination but as a true patriot he loves his home and longs to return. Likewise, we look for the return of our Lord and a new home (John 14:1-4; Hebrews 11:10). Our love is not of the country we are visiting but of our home. How could John say it any plainer? “Do not love the world of the things in the world” (1 John 2:15). James is even stronger: “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

Our lives really are not divided between spiritual and civic. There is the Kingdom of Christ only. Everything else, including the United States is a distant second.  Dear brethren, let your first passions be for the kingdom of Christ and not for the flag. Many brave men and women fought and died for the USA but only one died for your eternal salvation. Let us keep our priorities true.

 Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter  @jbevans.
Photo Credit: Rachael Rowell @ saltedgrace.com, CCA 3.0

Should We Change?

Abortion, Church Bulletin, Culture, Government, Homosexuality, , , , ,

People vote for a candidate for one or many possible reasons. One very large set of issues are those that deal with social issues or moral issues. Things like abortion, gambling, gay marriage and work ethic issues define many American voters. For many years, politicos have been telling us that these issues are unimportant to many and downright offensive to others. In the aftermath of last week’s election those who seek an amoral approach to politics are even louder and point to our belief in certain foundational social issues as one major reason that a conservative candidate was not elected. One commentator was bold enough to say that it was time to leave abortion behind. Are they right? Should we become silent and even indifferent to moral issues? Of course not.

Moral Issues Are God’s Issues

Our support of moral issues is predicated on Biblical teaching. We support what God has taught and dare not support what he condemns. Paul says God has spoken to us through his Spirit and  that the Spirit has searched and knows “the depths of God”  (1 Corinthians 2:6-13). It is this same Spirit that guides men into truth (John 16:13) and moved holy men to compose the books of the Bible we have today (2 Peter 1:21). We can no more jettison clear Bible teaching than we can reject the sonship of Jesus Christ.

Moral Issues Are “Salt” Issues

Jesus expects his people to be men and women of influence. He uses common salt as an example of the Christian in Matthew 5:13. The idea is unmistakable. Christians must come into contact with the world so that we can influence the world. Peter, James and John could not live upon the Transfiguration Mountain; the apostles could not remain in the upper room after the crucifixion. The work was among men. Likewise, our work is among the people of our day. We must add influence where we can.

Moral Issues Elevate a People

When a nation pursues God and seeks righteousness and goodness, that nation is blessed. Solomon said, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” The founders of this nation understood that principle and sought divine blessings. Only succeeding, corrupt, generations have twisted their desires and intents to exclude righteousness from the public square. God blesses those who draw near to him (James 4:8) while opposing those who do not (Psalm 34:16).

Moral Issues Are Not Decided by the Majority

In Genesis 6, Noah did not take a poll before beginning the ark. Joshua did not seek military advice before encircling Jericho (Joshua 6). As Noah’s story makes clear, the majority is a horrible indicator of righteousness. The Lord himself tells us that most will be lost (Matthew 7:13). Pollsters and politicos would have use determine the important issues based upon focus groups and polling data. Sadly, some religious groups today survey their communities to decide what to preach on. Opinion driven preaching is driving millions into Satan’s arms every day. We must stand for truth even if we are the last man standing.

Christians must stand for goodness and influence others for righteousness whenever and wherever they can. We cannot be deluded into thinking that political victories are important enough to ignore what God has said. Let us stand until the Lord calls us home.

 

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter  @jbevans.

IRS and Church Politics

Government,

Apparently, the IRS cares little what you say in the pulpit. That’s a good thing because we don’t need government telling us what to preach. But as I outlined in a recent post about the IRS and churches, the law remains on the books which prohibits a church, which uses the non -profit status, from endorsing or opposing specific political candidates by name.

The Associated Press  reports that the IRS has suspended audits over political speech.

The IRS monitors religious and other nonprofits on everything from salaries to spending, and that oversight continues. However, Russell Renwicks, a manager in the IRS Mid-Atlantic region, recently said the agency had suspended audits of churches suspected of breaching federal restrictions on political activity. A 2009 federal court ruling required the IRS to clarify which high-ranking official could authorize audits over the tax code’s political rules. The IRS has yet to do so.

A spokesman quickly backed away and claimed Renwicks “misspoke.” But from we actually see happening he is probably right.

Nevertheless, the law stands and Christians have an obligation to obey the law (Matthew 22:21, Romans 13:1-7). Churches and ministers ought think long about willingly disobeying a law which they can opt out of by renouncing their tax exempt status. I don’t know about you, but when I stand in the pulpit I preach Jesus and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:1-5), I don’t have time for Obamacare or Romnesia!

Remember, Jesus is on the throne!

 

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter  @jbevans.

Enthroned!

Church Bulletin, Government,

Jesus is on the throne. Remember that and do not forget it. Jesus is on the throne.

This week we face an election which has many Americans up in arms over the possible outcomes. People on both sides of the street fear the worst if their candidate fails to win. For some, the church will fail if the wrong candidate wins. They almost seem to think that God himself will be overcome by evil if the polls are against him. The Christian must take a different view.

Jesus is on the throne.

Around the year 4 BC an infant was found in swaddling clothes in a manger. As per their instructions, his parents named him Jesus. He was in a manger because of a decree from a Roman Emperor  who ordered a census of the subjugated Jews. Israel was not what it once was. They had been oppressed by the Greeks and now the Romans ruled their land. For the most part, Rome cared little about their worship so long as the taxes flowed into the Roman coffers and the people behaved themselves.

But the Jewish leadership, such as it was, was not so benign. Thinking that Jesus was a threat to his earthy kingdom, Herod ordered the mass murder of all baby boys under two years of age. His trap failed to kill Jesus who had fled into Egypt. This king would never kill Jesus but his son, Herod Antipas would play a role in Jesus’ death (Luke 23:6 ff). After his death and resurrection, Jesus would declare, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). Jesus stood at the right hand of God just weeks later when Stephen was killed (Acts 7:55, 56). Nothing has changed.

Jesus is on the throne.

Days after the resurrected Jesus ascended into heaven, the church began in a mighty way (Acts 2:38-47). Almost immediately, it faced the persecutions of the Jewish leadership. The leaders threatened the apostles (Acts 4:21 ff), they were arrested (Acts 5:17-21), they were the target of extreme hatred (Acts 5:33) and they were beaten (Acts 5:40). Soon, the deacon Stephen was stoned to death by the Jewish Sanhedrin (Acts 7:59, 60) and the church was found in a state of havoc because of persecutions (Acts 8:3). Soon, the apostle James was killed by King Herod (Acts 12:1-5). But through all of this, the church continued to grow and mature. The persecutions only drove their convictions deeper. Why?

Jesus is on the throne.

As time passed the persecutions would slowly shift from the Jews to the Roman government. Apostles and church leaders would die. Families would be uprooted and move from one end of the empire to another. Struggle became the by-word of Christian life. Yet, through it all, the church continued to grow as people came to know the Lord. No power could stop the body of Christ. For the Christian, our view is far beyond this life. We are pilgrims searching for another city (Hebrews 11:13-16).

I do not know what will happen Tuesday. Like you, I have hopes for my earthly future which may, or may not materialize. But I will not be shaken if things do not turn out as I think they should. I am a Christian first and will not be swayed from serving the Lord because I know that Jesus is on the throne!

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter  @jbevans. 

Darkness is Falling on Tuscaloosa

Culture, Daily living, , ,

Theatre FacesTuscaloosa County is the home of my youth. Growing up in Northport, we often went to Tuscaloosa to shop and for entertainment. The University of Alabama was there and football weekends in the Fall were as much a part of my youth as skinned knees.

In 1972, when I was 11 years old, a disturbance arose concerning a small business located on University Boulevard in Tuscaloosa. An “adult” theater had begin operation. Called the “Paris Adult Theatre,” this business was soon raided by the police and closed on the grounds that it was showing pornographic movies. ((The case was overturned on appeal to the Alabama Circuit Court of Appeals.)) The outrage in the town was considerable. Classy, international names like “Paris” notwithstanding, the people of Tuscaloosa did not want the business and it soon closed.

In 2002, a new head football coach at Alabama was fired before his first game when it was learned that he had patronized a strip club and engaged in sex afterwards. Despite the love of the pigskin in Tuscaloosa, the University community would not tolerate his behaviors. People stood for what was right.

It is different today.

The Tuscaloosa Arts Council and the Bama Theatre are bringing a film to show next week. The name of the film, “Turn Me On D***it” is a story of a 15 year old girl who wants to explore her sexuality. From the movie’s own website:

“15-year-old Alma (Helene Bergsholm) is consumed by her out-of-control hormones and fantasies that range from sweetly romantic images of Artur, the boyfriend she yearns for, to down-and-dirty daydreams about practically everybody she lays eyes on. “

And,

“At home, Alma’s single mother is overwhelmed and embarrassed by her daughter’s extravagant phone sex bills and wears earplugs to muffle Alma’s round-the-clock acts of self-gratification.”

The film is not rated but does contain scenes of the self-gratification of the 15 year old mentioned above.

Clearly, morality has fallen. The taxpayers of Tuscaloosa have funded the Arts Council for many years and have paid to refurbish the 1930’s era Bama Theatre will the film will be shown. It is all done under the claim of artistic values. To be fair,the film did win major awards at some of the international film festivals. I do not consider myself an artist. But not all art is good. Clearly, this is immoral art. We are forced to wonder what would happen to man with a similar video of a 15 year old girl on his computer. Would he escape charges because he called the porn, art? We think not.

Some good people in Tuscaloosa have tried to stop this film from playing in Tuscaloosa, but, as you would expect, they have been pilloried in the media. Christians must be in prayer over this darkness of sin that is encroaching more and more in Tuscaloosa. Stand up and be counted!

Let me leave you with Isaiah’s quote from Isaiah 5:20:

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

Now I know I will be attacked too because of this article. But I figure that when I am, I will be in good company. Your thoughts, encouragements and even your criticisms are welcomed.