GIVING POLITICAL OPINION TO GOD

I remember participating in a large (2000+) congregation in Indianapolis, in the late 1980s, when Religious Broadcaster Pat Robertson made a bid for the White House. I then had a conversation with a lay leader for the prayer ministry who agreed that it would be a good idea to have a prayer group committed to seeking God for guidance about the upcoming election. But there was very little if any interest. The people had already made up their minds one way or the other about Robertson’s candidacy.

In a time when I hear a lot of preaching about how Christians should vote, it seems odd that the preachers don’t tell people they need to ask God to direct them in their political opinions. Instead the message is almost always about adopting a political opinion as if no prayers are needed. The problem is that Christians form camps in opposition to fellow Christians as if the Spirit of God has called us into division. My assessment of this is that the larger problem in the American Church is “un-surrendered” political opinion. Many Christian voters claim to be voting according to their Christian values, but they seldom describe political opinions that have been given wholly to God.

There are certainly some churches that have a truer sense of Jesus’ politics than others. Some are more given to feeding the hungry, advocating for the oppressed, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and all of the real economics of Jesus’ teachings. I disagree, however, that a Christian political crusade will bring churches together in truth. Instead, there must be a true revival that opens the eyes of church-goers. We must take thoughts captive (II Cor. 10:5). There is something about true Biblical politics that I can not communicate as a human being. We must hear more directly from God.

At a time when American lives are in danger, I have become less critical of our presidential candidates. I see positive aspects in each of them. More importantly, I see the United States very much at risk in a world of uncertain economics, a growing health care crisis; an environment in jeopardy; the war on terror; and other threats to the well-being of our nation. For now, my own life is in harm’s way; and my ultimate hope is in God’s own righteousness and His justice however He may choose to bring it.