AN ELECTION LIKE NONE OTHER

by CharlesRobey
(Trussville, AL USA)

"Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

Please let me preface this blog by stating I don't usually get involved with politics. I'm not a Democrat, a Republican, nor an Independent. And I am virtually color blind, as I don't boast of belonging to any imaginary "red state" or "blue state" concept. I have crossed the voting fence many times in voting God's principles.

You see I'm just a plain old red-blooded American Christian who is in love with God, family and country, in that order. However, I do feel this upcoming United States mid-term election will probably be the most important of our lifetime. Our God-given freedom autonomy will possibly be at stake.

In recent years, we have seen an uptick in cynicism among the populace. Many have seemingly been turned off on politics, politicians or government. Many of our electorate have even lost faith in America's political system.

However, we Christians should never allow apathy and ignorance of the political structure to be a restrained form of rebellion against God's principles. Our citizenship may be in heaven (Philippians 3:20), but until we reach that "sweet by and by" we must live here in the "nasty here and now." That includes being a well-informed voting citizen.

I'm old as dirt and twice as gritty, and I don't recall our great country's citizenry ever being so divided, so indecisive, so wavering, and so faltering, as it is now. It's kind of like America's culture has been transformed into an octopus with its arms or tentacles of immorality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and the like, reaching out to all corners of our land. (Galatians 5:19-21)

If only our current country's octopus tentacles would only morph into that of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and the like. (Galatians 5:22-23)

In other words, our national politics should never become boastful, challenging one another, or envying one another. (Galatians 5:26) For if we take the right spiritual path, we will walk the right political path and we will vote on the right path. (Galatians 5:16)

Conversely, if we bite and devour one another, we may be consumed by one another. (Galatians 5:15)

"I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty." (Galatians 5:10)

The state has certain God-given obligations and so do we. We should seek the truth, make assessments based on Biblical conviction and vote intelligently. We realize too, that God is a God of order and governmental authority is an instrument of such order. Thus, we citizens have a high loyalty to God and to His purpose. Please read (Romans 13:1-7).

And sad to say, equivalent to this afore mentioned political turn-off comes a disengagement from the Biblical principles and functions of God's church. Turning away from the spiritual affairs of the country may be one of the root causes of our political anxieties.

In (2 Chronicles 7:14) God in fact places the burden for turning our country around for spiritual prosperity with His people, giving certain specific demands of humbling themselves in prayer, seeking His face, and turning from their wicked ways. Then, and only then, will He will hear from heaven, will forgive our sins, and will heal our land. We Christians need to get up off the sofa and get to work. (Matthew 28:19-20) (Acts 1:8)

God's requirements for our country to be blessed are humility, prayer, devotion and repentance. In other words, a turnaround in our spiritual environment, from a negative atmosphere to a positive one would surely overturn our current political environment.

So what's the spiritual solution to this perceived distrust? It's simply returning back to the Bible, and back to the principles of our Creator. In (II Timothy 3:16) and (II Peter 1:20-21) we see a definite lesson plan giving such educational terms for the profitably of righteous teachings.

With respect of the secular viewpoint, we may wish to write positively to newspapers, lobby for the good, and even join a political party. When is the last time you sat in on your local city council meeting?

A word of caution here: Be careful in idealizing a particular political party. Political parties, like many religious denominations, may be commendable but they are still imperfect human groups.

A political party is simply an instrument of serving human needs, and denominations are instruments of serving the Gospel's needs. And when either entity fails in their objective, it may just become time to leave, for we have a higher loyalty to our Creator's principles.

So have you ever been working out on a treadmill, when all of a sudden your mind started to meander causing you to slip off the exerciser and fall backward? Well, let us, as God's people, not fall back on Him, on His principles, by not voting in this upcoming election. You see, staying home and not voting could very well be a vote against your Biblical convictions.

Now I ask you, will you agree to commit this upcoming mid-term election to meditation and prayer? Then, be sure to vote your convictions, come this mid-term election. Amen, and God's Blessings to All.

Author's Postscript

Please consider this added addendum to the above blog. In considering America's current political culture, should we then consider the prophetical time element of the day in which we are now living? Are we in fact living in the last days, as we know them to be?

This current world atmosphere is beyond our control, as the believers' enemies are the demonic hosts of Satan himself, always assembled for mortal combat. (Ephesians 6:12) But we know that God is in control, and we also know He wins in the end.

Jesus will return for His church before the beginning of the final battle, the Great Tribulation. And the Bible is plain in telling us that no one, not even the angels or God's divine Son know when that moment will be. (Matthew 24:36) (Mark 13:32)

The Bible does, however, give us certain prophetic signs or warnings that will occur in the last days, and we should be aware of such events happening around us. Some of these are as follows:

The Peril of Apostasy (II Timothy 3:1-9, 13) (II Timothy 4:3-4), False Teachers (II Peter 2:1-3) (I John 4:1-6) (II John 1:7-11) (Jude 1:5-7)

And as a follow up, please be sure to read the Twenty-Fourth chapter of Matthew's Gospel.

Scripture continually exhorts us to be awake and aware and alert to the signs of the times, not to try to predict the knowledge that belongs to God alone, but to stand ready for the promptings of the Holy Spirit and girt for battle in our spiritual armor.