Category: Life

Don’t Vote Like a Dolt

Silva

This election, like others, is chock full of hazards.  Maybe this one is particularly significant given its uniqueness (black man, white woman, young man, old guy, etc…) however, the way that we should approach this election is unchanged.

I’ve been thinking about voting and listening to friends of mine who tell me that they know people of conviction and intellect who may vote like dolts.  What do I mean?  Thoughtlessly.  A Christian brother and pastor-friend of mine has written a paper outlining what I think is a very reasonable methodology for voting.  Voting matters as does how we vote.  What follows is his paper with permission – I would encourage you to read it.

Q. If God is sovereign, why does it matter how I vote or who I vote for?

A. Throughout the Bible, God made it plain that it is His will for those who govern to be people who desire the good of those who live under their authority (Romans 13:1-7).  One of His blessings to us in the United States is our opportunity to be a part of the selection of our leaders, from our town councils to our President. That blessing comes with the responsibility to study the issues and learn about the candidates, then compare both the issues and the candidates to what Scripture teaches.

Q. How should I vote as a Christian?

A. We believe it is both our privilege and our duty to vote – as Americans, and specifically as American Christians.  The Bible gives us clear instruction about the Christian’s duty to the State in Romans 13:1-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-5 and 1 Peter 2:13-17.  In order to be “salt and light” for God in this world (Matthew 5:13-16), Christians should fully engage in the political process, as both those who vote and those who run for office.

We advise [church] members to vote for the candidate(s) they believe best meet the following qualifications:
1. A person of virtue:
• classical virtues (courage, prudence, temperance, justice)
• theological virtues (faith, hope, charity; 1 Cor. 13:13)
2. A person of vision, who possesses…
• A vision that informs policy (party platform)
• A cogent and coherent ideology (system of beliefs)
• The power of lofty ideas (ability to inspire)
• A moral philosophy (a worldview that is good)
3. A person of validity, characterized by…
• Substance over style
• Character over personality
• Proven record over image
• Willingness to tackle the tough issues
4. A person of values, according to how they stand on key moral issues…
• The sanctity of life
• The nature of marriage
• Racism, poverty, justice, morality
• Energy, ecology and economics, etc.
• Their personal, theological, religious convictions

We believe that Christians should measure the candidates against the aforementioned “checklist.”  The Scriptures should guide us in principle in our voting, which will lead to the person for whom we vote.  Christians should not elect a candidate for merely personal or selfish reasons: e.g., social security issues, tax breaks, or “pork barrel” legislation that benefits them.  We should vote on Biblical principles of what is best for the most people.

These Scriptures should govern, guard and guide how we vote:

“He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)

“But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24)

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

“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. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.” (Romans 13:1-5)

“What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
and a poor man is better than a liar.” (Proverbs 19:22)

And Psalm 72

Q. How do I choose a presidential candidate?  Does [our church] endorse a specific candidate for the presidency?

A. By American law, [we are] not permitted to endorse a specific candidate for any political office.  For us to do so as a church would be to jeopardize our tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  [Our church] complies with this legal stricture.  However, as a church our clergymen are allowed to preach and teach general guidelines for voting, consistent with our theology and our interpretation of Scripture.  In that way, we are allowed to Biblically shape the way our members vote without endorsing candidates by party or by name.

When considering who we might vote for as President we should consider these three things:

1. The platform of the party the candidates represent.  Which platform is more in line with Biblical principles such as the structure of families, the value of human life, our responsibility to the poor, global ecology, racism and civil rights, and religious liberty?

2. What we know about the man or woman’s character. While we certainly won’t know everything and we should expect to find human failings, it is proper to look at what we do know about candidates in the areas of family life and marriage, honesty and integrity, voting record on moral issues, and the associations with which the candidate is affiliated, including his church membership and religious affiliation.  A person’s moral character is most shaped by his or her church and its theology.  How a candidate worships does shape how he/she will govern.

3. Judicial appointment criteria. Because of the significant and long-lasting impact of their appointments, we need to know what each candidate will consider most important in selecting judges for appointments to the federal judiciary, especially the Supreme Court.

No matter who we choose to vote for, or who wins, we must be faithful in our prayers for our leaders, asking God to give them His wisdom and His protection.

Rest Reflections

Silva

Wow is it hard to take a Sabbath when your work day is the Christian Sabbath. The risks though to avoiding or neglecting it make me nervous. These last posts have generated heat and (maybe) some light. But they take a toll on all. You combine heart-ed discussion with the myriad other demands and rest seems far away. How do you find your way to rest? Not the TV (trust me; the Bourne Supremacy is good for many things but rest?)

God was kind to me this day and I “stumbled” upon another man taking a Sabbath and decided to read what he wrote.

Psalm 92:1 A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day. It is good to give thanks to the LORD And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;

2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night,

3 With the ten-stringed lute and with the harp, With resounding music upon the lyre.

4 For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.

5 How great are Your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep.

6 A senseless man has no knowledge, Nor does a stupid man understand this:

7 That when the wicked sprouted up like grass And all who did iniquity flourished, It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore. 8 But You, O LORD, are on high forever.

9 For, behold, Your enemies, O LORD, For, behold, Your enemies will perish; All who do iniquity will be scattered.

10 But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil.

11 And my eye has looked exultantly upon my foes, My ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me.

12 The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

13 Planted in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green,

15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

Some Sabbath reflections.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, the most High God. My problem is often that when I am caught having eyes of flesh rather than faith, I don’t know for what to thank Him. To recognize, however, that He is full of lovingkindness in the morning and faithfulness at night gives me volumes to declare.  Seriously, do I have NOTHING for which to thank Him?  That’s crazy (I wish I knew a word stronger than crazy).

His works are like Him, they are good. Here’s where stumbling is easy – is it all good, O Lord? Sleepless markets that go lower than we’ve seen before – good? Iraq arming with nuclear weapons – good? Slippery political candidates of all kinds – good? A house that just won’t sell – good? Your thoughts are very deep.

To misunderstand His works makes me like a stupid man, a fool. I’m caught and rightly labeled.

To long for the green grass of ease or comfort or security more than all else, makes me an enemy of God. This is what happens to me when I fail to give thanks. And I fail to give thanks when I don’t rest.  Weariness makes thankfulness next to impossible, right? When I believe that God should act as I have or how I think He should and He does not, I become His enemy. I fail to see and I fail to thank. How can it be that having been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ I can be His enemy? Never finally His enemy, but like a right fullback on the soccer field who won’t listen to the captain’s instructions, I buck His agenda. How stupid (I need to be benched).

Holding fast to God in all times puts me in the path of His blessing: anointing, victory, righteousness. I get to see and know His progress in kingdom expansion. I get to be exalted with His chosen ones. I will watch the downfall of wicked and the expiration of those who hate Him; those who hate me.  I’ve seen these things and they surpass low oil prices, lemme tell you.

For those who will cling to Him, who will give thanks to Him, they will be men and women of mission. Who doesn’t want to “flourish”?! I’ve spoken to many who want to “make a difference” in life with their lives.  No doubt.  Who flourishes?  The righteous.  Not the influential or the powerful (unless they are righteous).  That’s a level playing field that no one but God can create.  So I need Christ to make me righteous and then I need to work to produce it (James 1:20). I want to bear fruit in all ages, want to be engaged at all times – active as a blooming tree in the Garden of God. This will cost me, though. I have to stay planted in His garden and I’ve never really thought of that. How often do I uproot myself in my thinking? Do I pursue other agendas for other reasons?

What are your Sabbath reflections?

Wait to Smooch – #2

Silva

I am pleased with some of the comment-traffic that this is generating.  What is interesting is that many think PDA (pre-marital displays of affection) are really conscience issues.  I find that to be an interesting (and potentially significant) piece of feedback.  Of course, I am open to such argumentation.  However, I drive on in explaining my reasons for suggesting that PDA is likely not appropriate (I’m thinking about the conscience stuff, truly).

I have developed a reason that I didn’t at first list.  (Is this breaking the rules?  No, wait, I make these rules here…)

But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.  The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights and likewise the wife to her husband.  For the wife does not have authority over her own body but the husband does.  Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body but the wife does.  Do not deprive one another…so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

1 Corinthians 7:2-5

This passage is about marital sexuality from a context of ownership.  In marriage, Paul says one of the constraints on our sexual expression is that our bodies are not our own but our spouses.  And as such we are not free to use them as we please in any form of sexual immorality.  Marriage is a fence to help keep us holy in this way.

A (short and incomplete) detour.  What about the impulse to have sexual relations?  What is that for?  Are they just physiological, biological or organic?  I believe these impulses exist in us because of our built-in connectedness (we were built to be plural: Genesis 2:18 [with the opposite sex]; 3:8 [with God]).  God designed us to be together and not alone.  He gave us these impulses as a means to draw us to another in marriage.  But that’s not all.  These are, in some sense, sacramental (thanks, CC), in that they represent something else.  They seem to exist not just for our horizontal relational trajectory but for our vertical one as well: they are designed to remind us that He is our Ultimate source of satisfaction and connectedness (did anyone read Psalm 34:8??).  They are supposed to draw us near to Him.  And, this is especially true if one is single.  It is, however, also true when one is married.

Back to the Corinthian passage: what about the unmarried?  Who “owns” the unmarried Christian’s body?  What fence does he or she have?  Is there a comparable ownership principle for their protection from Satan?  Yes.  Christ owns his or her body.  He is the Husband (2 Corinthians 11:2-3; James 4:4-6; Revelation 21:2) and it is to Him that unmarrieds should go with their impulses of connectedness (read: PDA) so they too have a means to avoid the lure of Satan instead of to another single person.  (By the way, isn’t it interesting that in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus, in referring to lust, said that to lust was to commit adultery?  He didn’t specify that He was talking to married folks – without understanding our status as married-to-Christ-even-if-unmarried-to-a-spouse this wouldn’t make sense for a single person; they could even go so far as to say “this doesn’t apply to me.”)

Does Christ’s ownership of Christian’s bodies preclude PDA?  Has He built into us a means to keep us from Satan that we undo when we engage in PDA?  Is it taking His ownership seriously when we engage in PDA?

These questions must be answered.