Our Responsibility

Hatred between left leaning and right leaning politics has gone on for ages. Sadly, it has built up to an all-time high. I’ve heard of people that have left one church and joined another, not because of false doctrine being preached, but because of political differences. I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that we have always had people in churches that have had differing views and yet the church has gone on. When we start making decisions based on worldly standards and not on God’s word, we become part of the cause of churches losing respect in the communities. The church preaches love, but the community is watching closely at how that love is lived out and many times it is not a good showing. We need to find ways to reach unity, not of our wants and opinions. We need unity based on the truth of God’s Word. There may be some things in one party that seems to reflect God’s commands. There may be some things the other party is good. To me, it shows greater unity to have different views and yet be in agreement on God’s word and not anyone’s agenda. My intent when writing this was actually not about where we go to worship. I wanted to focus on how we should see our government... from a Biblical perspective. In Romans 13, it say, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” Before we say it refers only to governments that are acceptable to us, Jesus spoke about taxes and said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”. It doesn’t mean we have to like it. Unless the government is tyrannical and has no respect for law, I believe we must operate within that system. If we try to sway the government by threat and violence, God says, if we do wrong, we should be afraid. We don’t get to rewrite laws, but work within the accepted law. Government should exercise justice, treating each citizen equally regardless of money, race, or affiliation. We should pray for said leadership and stand against lawbreakers, condemning those that would harm. We are to submit to leaders and law, due to conscience. Father, give us wisdom to sift through truth and deception. Protect all our leaders from harm and give Godly wisdom to each one. Amen