SATURDAY CONTROVERSIES - ARE FAITH AND POLITICS OIL AND WATER OR CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER? (PART 7)

Christians United Church, Indianapolis, IN

First, I know. This is being posted on Monday. Sorry I didn't get it done on Saturday, but better late than never! But if you notice I actually posted Monday's blog on Saturday (yesterday) and Saturday's on Monday. Of course, I usually don't have a Monday blog. 

Allow me to start with a list of items of debate between Christians involving politics.

• Should Christians vote? Some refuse to vote, some think not voting's a sin.
• Is it allowable for Christians to either leave one spot on the ballot blank or to vote for a "third party?" Some would claim that doing so is really a vote for your least favorite major party candidate; others would counter that  voting for the lesser of two evils is really voting for evil and that it's better to vote for a good candidate that has no chance of winning or to not vote than voting for a really bad candidate who has a better chance of beating a really, really bad candidate.
• What are Christians obligated to do or not do under Romans 13:1-7? Should Christians stand up against a tyrannical government and fight or should we be respectful and disobey only if what's commanded is directly disobeying God?
• If we have a choice between a morally sound candidate whose party has views that are opposed to their faith and a scoundrel who has better policy views, who should you vote for?
• Does the fact we're in a representative government mean we don't really need to honor Presidents and Congressmen? Or is the better view that we should show respect regardless of office or party?

No, I'm not giving answers to these questions. In fact, I rephrased one of these questions because I was letting my bias show (no, I won't tell which one). I'm just pointing out where there are disagreements between Christians, most of which have no verbatim Biblical commands. But instead, I'll give some challenges.

1. Between now and election day, pray for God's will to be done in the election. No, don't pray for your choice. Pray that God's choice prevails.
2. Commit to pray for the people who get elected, that God guides them and that they govern well. Yes, committing to this BEFORE the election means you might be praying for a candidate you either despise or fear. But when the apostles taught people to obey their governing authority, they were talking about Nero, and there's no absolute proof that either candidate is THAT bad! 
3. Realize - in spite of the hateful, ungodly campaign ads we get ad nausea... I mean nauseum - that ALL candidates are for justice, education, public safety, the economy, the environment, etc. The opposing candidate is NOT against these things; they just have a different opinion on how to do it. Thus, unless you're strong at loving your enemies, don't treat the opposing party candidates as enemies. 
4. Also remember - no party is righteous. Both try to appeal to Christians because ... well, they want our vote. When they get elected, they'll probably do what the party wants, and each party has ways their opposed to God's way. We won't get all the problems solved until the King of Kings returns and sets up His Kingdom.

 

SUNDAY PSALMS PART 44 OF 48 - PSALM 139

Swamp trail boardwalk, Ritchie Woods Nature Preserves, Fishers, IN

 1     O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

2     You know my sitting down and my rising up; 

       You understand my thought afar off.

3     You comprehend my path and my lying down, 

       And are acquainted with all my ways.

4     For there is not a word on my tongue, 

       But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.

5     You have hedged me behind and before, 

       And laid Your hand upon me.

6     Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; 

       It is high, I cannot attain it.

7     Where can I go from Your Spirit? 

       Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8     If I ascend into heaven, You are there; 

       If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

9     If I take the wings of the morning, 

       And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10   Even there Your hand shall lead me, 

       And Your right hand shall hold me.

11    If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," 

       Even the night shall be light about me;

12   Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, 

       But the night shines as the day; 

        The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13     For You formed my inward parts; 

        You covered me in my mother's womb.

14     I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

        Marvelous are Your works, 

        And that my soul knows very well.

15     My frame was not hidden from You, 

        When I was made in secret, 

        And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16     Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. 

        And in Your book they all were written, 

        The days fashioned for me, 

        When as yet there were none of them.

17     How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! 

        How great is the sum of them!

18    If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; 

       When I awake, I am still with You.

19    Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! 

        Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

20   For they speak against You wickedly; 

        Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21    Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? 

       And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22   I hate them with perfect hatred; 

       I count them my enemies.

23   Search me, O God, and know my heart; 

       Try me, and know my anxieties;

24   And see if there is any wicked way in me, 

       And lead me in the way everlasting.

                            Psalm 139:1-24, New King James Version

No, you're not imagining things. Yes, this is the largest Psalm I've quoted in its entirety. Yes, I'll be a nice guy and give you a short comment. 

It's obvious that this Psalm talks about God's greatness, His omnipotence, His omniscience, and His omnipresence. This Psalm is so full of God's praise. 

But am I the only one who notices most focus either on the first 18 verses or the final two? 

It is interesting me the sharp turn this Psalm takes in verse 19, moving the focus from a great and good God to the depraved enemies of Our Sovereign. And whoever sent the message that we're supposed to love everbody? Apparently King David, who wrote this Psalm, didn't get the memo. By the way, doesn't "perfect hatred" sound like an oxymoron? "Complete" would be a better word, or as the NIV puts it, "I have nothing but hatred for them."

And right after that, we have the awesome prayer for God to search our hearts in verses 23 and 24. We often remove it from the context as a godly prayer, but let's look at it in context. We get angry when we see and hear those opposed to our Lord and Savior, and we should. But that is when David asks God to search our hearts. "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him." (Prov. 26:4) We should respond to God's (and our) enemies with a heart purified by the Holy Spirit.