Four billion dollars! That is the total amount collectively spent by the political parties in America on the November 4 mid-term elections.. Some countries do not have that amount of money in their treasury. Just think what that kind of money could do for worldwide evangelism, the battle against poverty, HIV-AIDS, Ebola, terrorism, etc. Even the bleeding heart liberals have no qualms about splurging on election campaigns. They don’t want their country spending on military battles but they don’t mind spending lavishly on political battles.
Whose values would the four billion dollars promote? Values based on the Judeo-Christian principles America was built on or the liberal ideology? As America headed to the polls, few received guidance from the pulpit on how to vote. Few Christians register to vote and only a fraction of those who register to vote show up to vote. Few know that the elections are taking place against the backdrop of increasing attacks on religious liberties. One of the recent examples is the “subpoena of sermons” issued to five Houston-based pastors by the lesbian Mayor of Houston. When the Mayor won the election I did wonder aloud in my writing: Where were the pastors in Houston, in Texas? Many world famous pastors (such as Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes) are based in Texas.
The Church does not seem to understand that elections have consequences, consequences for the Church in particular. When a “pharaoh that knows not Joseph” arises, Christians and Judeo-Christian values are trampled upon.
About four years ago, many Christians in Hawaii worked hard, but failed to mobilise churches to vote for a gubernatorial candidate who stood for Christian values. Many churches spurned their outreach, assuming the posture of being too holy (or too busy with church programmes) to join the political fray. Some churches were deluded into thinking that Jesus Christ was all about love therefore they should show love to homosexuals by not opposing their agenda to have homosexuality not only tolerated but celebrated by all. Well, the first executive action the unrighteous candidate who won the election took, was to pass the civil union/same-sex marriage bill the Christians had worked hard to stop from becoming law. After that, some pastors sought from the legislature exemptions from the effects of the law. I think pastors should suffer along with ordinary people and businesses, the consequences of election outcomes. If businesses can be compelled to provide services for same-sex couples whether or not doing so violates their conscience, then pastors should also be compelled to wed and celebrate same-sex couples. If fire falls from heaven they can call 911.
Many pastors don’t want to get involved in “dirty” politics, but they have no reservations about making friends with “unrighteous mammon.” Many of my beloved prosperity–preaching pastors rightfully stress that it is the “love of money” not “money” that is the “root of all evil.” I only wish they would extend that logic to politics and begin to preach that “politics” is not evil, it is “the love of politicking and crafting policies outside the boundaries of the Bible” that is evil.
Proclaiming Biblical values from the pulpit or the marketplace does not necessarily translate into “getting involved in politics.” It is being “salt and light” to the world. It is heeding to the Biblical charge: Occupy until I come. Preaching against the homosexual and transgender agenda as the Houston mayor suspected the “Houston five” of doing, is responding to the cry of the Psalmist: What shall the righteous do, when the foundations are shaken?”
Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul and many other followers of Christ got involved, in one way or the other, in politics. Jesus Christ sparred with the rulers or politicians of the day —- the Pharisees and the Sadducees. That is politics. He was executed for treason. Treason is a high crime against the state. That means what Christ said and did were interpreted as “getting involved in politics” by some people. Same thing continues to happen. When Christ’s followers preach what he commanded them to preach, they are accused of “getting involved in politics.”
Paul, the Apostle, preached to Kings, governors and others in high office. He yearned for the opportunity to preach to Caesar. That is getting involved in politics to some.
David Barton, the renowned Christian historian, tells the story of the Muhlenberg brothers to underscore his charge to Christians to get involved in the political process at all levels: school boards, county, state, national. More of this on Barton’s website: www.wallbuilders.com.
The moral of the story: One day we may no longer see Pastor Joel Osteen’s smiling face on T.V preaching sweet sermons that offendeth not. The reason? Televangelism was banned or he was fined into oblivion. I love Pastor Osteen and his sermons cheer me up. But shall Christians live only by the sweet words that proceedeth out of the mouths of pastors? No. There is a time for sweet words and a time for fighting words.
Yes, the Bible does say that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. That should not stop us from doing our bit to defend moral values just like Israel does not lay down its arms because the Bible says: He who guards Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers.