God Does Not Depend on Politics

"As Christians, we don't need to 'win' when it comes to politics. We don't need to tie our hopes to one party or react with fury when the other guy gets in, as though some mere human might thwart God's plans - as though God sits in heaven and says, 'Oh this democratic system is really messing things up. I can't achieve my plans now they voted for that one. They were meant to chose the other way!.' As the pastor Juan Sanchez puts it in his book 1 Peter for you:

"Our sovereign Lord knows what he is doing. Just as he wastes no suffering, he also doesn't waste any government appointment. We may not understand why a particular person is in power, but we can rest assured that our King does."

After all, this is his story, the end is already certain, and he is writing the script.

When we operate out of fear, we view the political arena as a place in which to legislate and control morality, or as a way to gain control of our world to protect ourselves, or as something altogether evil to be shunned. But those who operate out of courage see politics as a way to seek the common good, to promote human flourishing, and ultimately to love others.

Courage gives us the ability, in this age of unbelief, to speak positively and seek unity, to love those who disagree with us and seek to malign us, to be unsurprised and not angered when a society that rejects Christ does not line up its laws with those of Christ - and to keep on loving and seeking to bless.

That takes far more courage than opting out or getting mad.

-----

Source: Matt Chandler, Take Heart: Christian Courage in an Age of Unbelief, pg. 84-86, 

Fri, 03/16/2018 - 15:35 -- john_hendryx

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