Well it’s here again, a presidential election year. Last night we watched the first and perhaps the only, presidential debate. If you are like me I was completely unimpressed. We had, in my humble opinion, one person, the former President who, again in my opinion, lied for what seemed like the entire 90 minutes. On the other hand the current President seemed to be completely out of it. His physical actions and answers and responses to questions were quite often unintelligible. He seemed to lose his train of thought and even made comments that had nothing to do with the question the moderators asked. It was in my opinion a waste of 90 minutes out of my life. I have a problem with both men and which will make my decision and the decision of millions of people very difficult.
Where am I going with this?
During presidential election season, emotions and anxieties get ratcheted up a notch. The only thing we know for certain is that one candidate will win, and one will lose because, in every election, this happens. There are times when your party and candidate wins and times when your party and candidate lose.
If your candidate wins, hope springs eternal, and you believe our country is moving in the right direction. However when your candidate loses, pessimism sets in, and you think our country is one step away from God's judgment. If you have ever felt this way after an election, maybe, just maybe you are putting too much hope in the outcome.
I want you, as you read and think about this. to think practically and biblically and not politically. If we are honest, political thinking is what “fires up” our emotions anyway. Let me give you some reasons to think biblically and not politically. If you think practically and biblically, I believe that no matter what happens in November you will walk in the hope and peace that come from a relationship with Jesus not an elected official, even the President.
Politicians don’t operate with autonomy.
Regardless of what a politician tells you in the lead-up to an election, they don’t operate with complete autonomy.. If you look at all the countries that have leaders who have complete autonomy, what you will see is that it is great for that leader and their family, but it’s not so great for the citizens of that country.
For elected officials to accomplish anything, they must get the support of their other elected officials and their constituents. That’s the way that the nation’s founders set it up. So whenever a politician tells you, this is what they are going to do, they are speaking in aspirational terms because that is what they hope to do. There is no way they will ever be able to guarantee that is what they will do. They don’t have complete authority. So, when you cast your vote you are casting a vote for someone who hopes to accomplish what they said while they were campaigning. They may achieve their goal or they may not. Just don't be disappointed if they are unable to achieve what they campaigned on. It may not totally be their fault.
Our political system was not designed for one party to get their way.
If you look at the way our system was set up, it was not designed for one party to control everything. The idea was that the parties would work together to find a compromise (that hasn’t worked very well at all lately). We have now shifted to an all-or-nothing mentality. Either we get everything we want, or nothing is going to get done. Unfortunately, this has created gridlock, and nothing is getting done.
If one party controlled everything, regardless of which party, that would not be as beneficial as you think. Having differing opinions is healthy and necessary because it allows us to hear and consider perspectives that might otherwise be missed. So don’t be disappointed that is what makes our system work. If this makes you uncomfortable, then it is a sign you are putting too much hope in political elections and politicians.
Elections can cause you to put too much focus on the wrong kingdom.
John 18:36 NIV Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
It appears to me that many are trying to and fighting to build a kingdom on earth that not even Jesus is attempting to build? Jesus is interested in building a kingdom in any nation on this earth.. In fact Jesus says that Satan is ruler of this world.
John 12:31 NIV] Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. (emphasis mine)
The Apostle Paul, in his second letter to the church in Corinth refers to Satan as the “god of this world”.
2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (emphasis mine)
Jesus is already King of Kings.
Revelation 19:11-16 NIV [11] I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. [12] His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. [13] He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. [14] The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. [15] Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. [16] On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords. (emphasis mine).
This is the indication that Jesus's rule is superior to any earthly authority. Yes, Jesus is building a kingdom, and right now, the kingdom he is building is in the hearts of men. He is not concerned with being the king of America or any other nation, for that matter. He wants to be the King of your heart.
Where am I going with this?
During presidential election season, emotions and anxieties get ratcheted up a notch. The only thing we know for certain is that one candidate will win, and one will lose because, in every election, this happens. There are times when your party and candidate wins and times when your party and candidate lose.
If your candidate wins, hope springs eternal, and you believe our country is moving in the right direction. However when your candidate loses, pessimism sets in, and you think our country is one step away from God's judgment. If you have ever felt this way after an election, maybe, just maybe you are putting too much hope in the outcome.
I want you, as you read and think about this. to think practically and biblically and not politically. If we are honest, political thinking is what “fires up” our emotions anyway. Let me give you some reasons to think biblically and not politically. If you think practically and biblically, I believe that no matter what happens in November you will walk in the hope and peace that come from a relationship with Jesus not an elected official, even the President.
Politicians don’t operate with autonomy.
Regardless of what a politician tells you in the lead-up to an election, they don’t operate with complete autonomy.. If you look at all the countries that have leaders who have complete autonomy, what you will see is that it is great for that leader and their family, but it’s not so great for the citizens of that country.
For elected officials to accomplish anything, they must get the support of their other elected officials and their constituents. That’s the way that the nation’s founders set it up. So whenever a politician tells you, this is what they are going to do, they are speaking in aspirational terms because that is what they hope to do. There is no way they will ever be able to guarantee that is what they will do. They don’t have complete authority. So, when you cast your vote you are casting a vote for someone who hopes to accomplish what they said while they were campaigning. They may achieve their goal or they may not. Just don't be disappointed if they are unable to achieve what they campaigned on. It may not totally be their fault.
Our political system was not designed for one party to get their way.
If you look at the way our system was set up, it was not designed for one party to control everything. The idea was that the parties would work together to find a compromise (that hasn’t worked very well at all lately). We have now shifted to an all-or-nothing mentality. Either we get everything we want, or nothing is going to get done. Unfortunately, this has created gridlock, and nothing is getting done.
If one party controlled everything, regardless of which party, that would not be as beneficial as you think. Having differing opinions is healthy and necessary because it allows us to hear and consider perspectives that might otherwise be missed. So don’t be disappointed that is what makes our system work. If this makes you uncomfortable, then it is a sign you are putting too much hope in political elections and politicians.
Elections can cause you to put too much focus on the wrong kingdom.
John 18:36 NIV Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
It appears to me that many are trying to and fighting to build a kingdom on earth that not even Jesus is attempting to build? Jesus is interested in building a kingdom in any nation on this earth.. In fact Jesus says that Satan is ruler of this world.
John 12:31 NIV] Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. (emphasis mine)
The Apostle Paul, in his second letter to the church in Corinth refers to Satan as the “god of this world”.
2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (emphasis mine)
Jesus is already King of Kings.
Revelation 19:11-16 NIV [11] I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. [12] His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. [13] He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. [14] The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. [15] Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. [16] On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords. (emphasis mine).
This is the indication that Jesus's rule is superior to any earthly authority. Yes, Jesus is building a kingdom, and right now, the kingdom he is building is in the hearts of men. He is not concerned with being the king of America or any other nation, for that matter. He wants to be the King of your heart.
Elections can distract you from your eternal priorities.
When Jesus ascended by to the Father His instructions were not to build nations but to make disciples.
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV [18] Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Yes, we should care about what happens in our nation. We are responsible for being salt and light, to care for our neighbors, and to love them as ourselves. But the mandate, the commission left by our Lord is to preach the gospel and make disciples. And making disciples certainly won’t happen based on who you vote for.
Romans 10:13-14 NLT [13] For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” [14] But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
If we are not careful, we can get too wrapped up in the small amount of time we spend on this earth and forget to focus people’s attention on eternity.
I read a paraphrase of Matthew 16:26 written by Clarence L. Haynes Jr that I think is right on point. First the verse from the NLT version, then Clarence’s paraphrase.
Matthew 16:26 NLT And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
What does it profit a man if their party and the people they vote for win every election, but they lose their own souls?
What really matters is your soul and the souls and eternal destination of others, not who wins an election.
Elections don’t change the hearts of men.
Please don’t miss this reality. Many Christians have bought into this idea that if we get the right person in office, that will turn our country back to God. First, this assumes the moral decline in our nation is a result of those we have elected. We have a sin problem. This affects all people, regardless of their party affiliation. An election won’t change this. We have had this sin problem and moral decline under both Democratic and Republican Presidents and administrations.
The simple truth is no one can legislate morality. That’s why changing the laws of the land will never change the heart of a man. Since we’re talking biblically rather than politically let me give you a biblical example
In the Old Testament, God gave us the Law, which was perfect. Yet, his perfect Law could not change the hearts of people.
Romans 8:3 NLT The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
If God’s perfect Law can’t change men’s hearts, then no man-made law will be able to do it. The Law exposes sin but cannot overcome it. Only Jesus could fulfill the Law perfectly. Jesus' sacrifice offers redemption from sin's hold. Since all humans are fallible, Jesus, being both fully God and fully human, the only one who could live a life completely aligned with God's will and free from the slavery of sin.
Elections can cause you to put your focus on the wrong savior.
The moral decline in our culture has nothing to do with who is in office but everything to do with the sinful nature of men’s hearts.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 NIV [9] The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? [10] “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.
In other words the human heart has the capacity for self-deception and conceals hidden desires and motivations. That’s why the person who ends up sitting in the White House every four years is not America's savior. If you want morals to change, then you need men’s hearts to change. Who you vote for will not make that kind of transformation. The only one who can do that is Jesus.
Jesus' sacrifice on the cross offers forgiveness for sins and a chance for reconciliation with God. This forgiveness can lead to a sense of release from guilt, and a renewed desire to live a life live according to God's will.
If you want to see our nation transformed, it won’t happen on election day no matter your choice. It will happen when God’s people (that’s you and me) stop trusting in fallible men and start trusting in an infallible God. When we get on our knees in prayer and then on our feet and start proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.
2 Chronicles 7:14-15 NIV [14] if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. [15] Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
The hope for our nation has never resided in Washington, D.C., but has always been the One high and lifted up and seated on the throne.
Isaiah 6:1 NIV In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
His name is Jesus and that is where our hope should be.
If we Christians put the same time and energy into sharing the gospel as we do promoting political ideologies or having political debates then we will see things change in this nation, because our perspective will change when we will realize that our real citizenship is in heaven and we are just waiting for it to be culminated with the arrival of Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Philippians 3:20 NIV But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
When Jesus ascended by to the Father His instructions were not to build nations but to make disciples.
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV [18] Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Yes, we should care about what happens in our nation. We are responsible for being salt and light, to care for our neighbors, and to love them as ourselves. But the mandate, the commission left by our Lord is to preach the gospel and make disciples. And making disciples certainly won’t happen based on who you vote for.
Romans 10:13-14 NLT [13] For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” [14] But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
If we are not careful, we can get too wrapped up in the small amount of time we spend on this earth and forget to focus people’s attention on eternity.
I read a paraphrase of Matthew 16:26 written by Clarence L. Haynes Jr that I think is right on point. First the verse from the NLT version, then Clarence’s paraphrase.
Matthew 16:26 NLT And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
What does it profit a man if their party and the people they vote for win every election, but they lose their own souls?
What really matters is your soul and the souls and eternal destination of others, not who wins an election.
Elections don’t change the hearts of men.
Please don’t miss this reality. Many Christians have bought into this idea that if we get the right person in office, that will turn our country back to God. First, this assumes the moral decline in our nation is a result of those we have elected. We have a sin problem. This affects all people, regardless of their party affiliation. An election won’t change this. We have had this sin problem and moral decline under both Democratic and Republican Presidents and administrations.
The simple truth is no one can legislate morality. That’s why changing the laws of the land will never change the heart of a man. Since we’re talking biblically rather than politically let me give you a biblical example
In the Old Testament, God gave us the Law, which was perfect. Yet, his perfect Law could not change the hearts of people.
Romans 8:3 NLT The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
If God’s perfect Law can’t change men’s hearts, then no man-made law will be able to do it. The Law exposes sin but cannot overcome it. Only Jesus could fulfill the Law perfectly. Jesus' sacrifice offers redemption from sin's hold. Since all humans are fallible, Jesus, being both fully God and fully human, the only one who could live a life completely aligned with God's will and free from the slavery of sin.
Elections can cause you to put your focus on the wrong savior.
The moral decline in our culture has nothing to do with who is in office but everything to do with the sinful nature of men’s hearts.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 NIV [9] The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? [10] “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.
In other words the human heart has the capacity for self-deception and conceals hidden desires and motivations. That’s why the person who ends up sitting in the White House every four years is not America's savior. If you want morals to change, then you need men’s hearts to change. Who you vote for will not make that kind of transformation. The only one who can do that is Jesus.
Jesus' sacrifice on the cross offers forgiveness for sins and a chance for reconciliation with God. This forgiveness can lead to a sense of release from guilt, and a renewed desire to live a life live according to God's will.
If you want to see our nation transformed, it won’t happen on election day no matter your choice. It will happen when God’s people (that’s you and me) stop trusting in fallible men and start trusting in an infallible God. When we get on our knees in prayer and then on our feet and start proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.
2 Chronicles 7:14-15 NIV [14] if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. [15] Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
The hope for our nation has never resided in Washington, D.C., but has always been the One high and lifted up and seated on the throne.
Isaiah 6:1 NIV In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
His name is Jesus and that is where our hope should be.
If we Christians put the same time and energy into sharing the gospel as we do promoting political ideologies or having political debates then we will see things change in this nation, because our perspective will change when we will realize that our real citizenship is in heaven and we are just waiting for it to be culminated with the arrival of Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Philippians 3:20 NIV But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
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