Right now there are Christian’s opposing our government. Why? Because their rights are being hindered. Because their worldly possessions, 401k’s, houses, dreams, and all that they have spent going to college for, and all the years they have spent building careers, saving money for retirement, and planning their children’s academic future. And…all the security they have accrued is being threatened!
Therefore, they are scared, angry, and standing to fight for their right to the American dream!
THIS is absolutely the wrong reason to oppose any government. For example, when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego stood before king Nebuchadnezzar during Israel’s captivity in Babylon, when all people throughout the kingdom were required to bow before the golden image which was set up “the three Jews did not focus on what would happen to them. Their concern was not their fate. Their focus was God’s glory in Babylon…They publicly defied the king’s command and declared their loyalty to God. This was more than [just] civil disobedience by refusing to submit. This was biblical obedience by resolving to stand. Biblical obedience is not simply the refusal to submit to the government but the readiness to stand for God” (Benham, 2016, Living Among Lions, pg. 192-193).
If our motives for opposing something or someone are not correct, the reason is due to having a faulty worldview. When our worldview matches the one which Jesus and the Apostles held and that which is seen in the New Testament, then our eyes will be set “on things above, not on things down here” and our hearts will be fixed on our first Love and standing for the glory of our true King and His Kingdom from above! Our motives will not be for our security or the security and future of our children or grandchildren in this world whether it’s in America or anywhere else on this planet.
As children born of God (1 John 5:4), being born of another Kingdom, we are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20). And this is the Kingdom we are fighting for. We are not fighting for our patristic rights. We are not of this world, our hope is not in this world, our citizenship is from above, we are aliens and strangers down here. And if you do not feel like an alien and stranger down here then I have a question to ask you. Why don’t you? This is not a political post or a post to disregard all those who have given their lives for our freedom in this Country. This is simply a post about “perspective and priorities stemming from identity”. As Christians we are here to be the Holy Spirit with skin on, or in other words, Jesus on earth. Jesus came to earth to defeat the devil and to declare the Kingdom of God in word and deed. He walked with God and He spoke the truth no matter the consequence. He healed, He held, He prayed, and He spoke the truth in love. He brought light and salt to the earth. He rebuked people and corrected false teachings. He corrected wrong thinking about His Kingdom. He did signs and wonders (as a side note, He is still doing them through the Church, which would be expected, since He’s still here). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We, as the Body-of-Christ, are called to stand firm on our only solid foundation, being Jesus Christ, and the hope of His return and the resurrection of our bodies, and eternal life. Thankfully, He said He was preparing a place for us (John 14:3). And He is returning for us!
I want to share this devotion below from A. W. Tozer. I think it fits here because though it may not be as blatant and obvious, because many believers are standing for it in the Church, that to be focused on and fighting for a politically conservative agenda because of your desire to maintain a certain lifestyle and to hold onto your wealth and to protect and prolong your security here is just as worldly as those on the left. You see, Marxism and socialism are not bad ideas. Hear me out here. The problem is that man apart from God is trying to create this idea. It is a God idea. But it can never work outside of Christ. One great picture of Christian socialism is found in the book of Acts. Because when the Body-of-Christ acts like the Body-of-Christ we all will love and give and share when there is a need between brothers and sisters in the Church. We do not treat the world this way, it is only for the “Church”. Because when Christ is Lord of your wealth you freely give to His children in need. Hear me loud and clear. THIS IS ONLY DOABLE IN THE BODY-OF-CHRIST. Therefore, Marxism and socialism will never work in the “world”. Finally, read this devotional below because whether we are conservative or liberal Christians, if we are not standing on Christ alone and fighting for the Kingdom to come, the eternal imperishable one, instead of the one presently here which will perish and fade away, then we’re not walking in the light, and we will not discern what is good and right according to our Lord, and we will not be going in the same direction as Him. Lastly, our Lord says, “I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord,…” (2 Cor. 6:16b-17a)
Aletheia: Truth in the Darkness 