It is inevitable, I suppose, that every four years the same questions are asked. People clamor for a position to be stated and defended, and if they hold an opposing opinion, they make all the more noise so that their take on the topic might be made known.
Hypothetical situations are bandied about. Facts, figures, statistics and analysis are the daily menu for many who are observing the political landscape. People and groups of people are labeled for the purposes of either succoring their attention or branding them as irrelevant.
Sadly, what I am describing is not the contest for the highest office in this land, but rather the commotion that goes on within the “church” in this country every time there is a presidential election. Even though it is only early September, it is difficult to escape political posturing and conversation among those who gather for supposed “ministry.” In fact, depending upon to whom you listen, you might just hear that if you are not taking a stand for or against a candidate then you are not doing God’s work!
Right.
To those who attend the worship of the living God, and heed the teaching of God’s truth as part of Elim Baptist Church on a regular basis, the following will not come as a surprise. However, our culture and media are so loud and pervasive that many are easily caught up in the noise before they can even clear their heads. So, as a reminder to some, and as a lifeline to others, please allow me to remind you of a couple of biblical facts.
First, although each individual is free to cast his or her vote as they hold their conscience before God, it is best always to remember that it is God who removes kings and sets up kings (Daniel 2:21). Oh, to be sure, in the current form of America’s government He will use the electoral system of which you and I are called to play a part, but God will have His way for His purposes. That is why it does not do the heart much good to be overly downcast (or elated, for that matter) regarding the person chosen to an office. After all, It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes (Psalm 118:8-9). That is true regardless of the political party of the “prince.”
It is because of this very truth that the Apostle Paul was used of God at the beginning of Romans 13 to command every believer, 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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. Simply put, nobody is going to win an election and surprise the living God!
This truth is often discussed, and many are glad to hold on to it. However, there is a second reality that goes hand in hand with this, and it is far too often ignored at times of great political endeavor (and most of the other times as well). Interestingly enough, this truth is even put to us in political terms. Once again God uses Paul as he reminds us, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20). The truth of the matter is this: as children of God the kingdom that we represent—and the kingdom of which we should have the most concern—is the kingdom of our Father!
Consider the word picture carefully for a minute: an ambassador does not overly concern himself or herself with the politics of the country to which he or she is assigned. No. The job of the ambassador is to represent the interests of the kingdom that gave them their assignment. During this presidential campaign you will not find the ambassador from Luxembourg stumping for one American candidate over another. Why? Because his job will be to work with whoever is in control for the purposes of his own government.
That is the way it is supposed to be with those of us who claim to belong to the kingdom of God! Our overriding concern is not with who is in charge in America (or England, Russia, Zimbabwe or wherever) but with the message of our King to those among whom we reside.
Jesus taught this plainly in a variety of ways, and one of my favorite examples is when He gave the picturesque parable of the wheat and the weeds in Matthew 13. He tells the story in verses 24-30, and then He explains it in verses 36-43.
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds? ’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this. ’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them? But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field. ” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
There is SO MUCH in this parable that the contemporary church needs to hear and heed! But, for the purposes of this little article, allow me to draw your attention specifically to verse 38. That is where the Savior states, The field is the world, and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. Please note that it is Jesus who says the area of endeavor for the children of the kingdom is “the world.” That’s right. Our goal, our target, our niche audience is to be the people of this world system. The very same that hated our Lord and crucified Him. We are not given the luxury of picking and choosing the “kind” of person to whom we are to represent the kingdom of God. If they are in the world, we are to seek to be good seed sown among them for the purposes of God’s kingdom!
And if you are wondering what kind of work we are supposed to be doing among the world as ambassadors, I implore you to please let the Master speak for Himself. In John 17:18, as Jesus was praying for the disciples in the moments before He was arrested in Gethsemane’s garden, He said to the Father, As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. His concern, His mode of operation, His message are all supposed to be ours!
Now, please do not misunderstand or misconstrue what I have been saying. I am not telling you to forgo voting nor am I calling you to political action. I am certainly NOT telling you how to vote! But, before God and through His Word I believe it is imperative that Christians not get so tangled in the web of worldly power and political machination that they forget their real position—their God-given position—is to be ambassadors for the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. My prayer is that each of us will demonstrate our understanding of this great privilege in the days and weeks ahead.
Posted on September 1st, 2008 by Pastor Larry
Filed under: From the Pastor’s Pen