Christ and Caesar, Politics and Pulpits and Everything In Between

(Note: For this reflection, I offer a response to some critiques levelled at some Christians' political choices. It seems it has been a constant refrain since the 2016 US election to hear various critiques and defenses regarding Christians and their politics. I think this is an area we as the church need to examine, for sure, but we must always do it in love. I am largely basing this writing on the blog entry posted below. I will post a different article that suggests a way forward for Christians in engaging politics at the end.)

https://johnpavlovitz.com/2018/08/16/christians-supporting-trump-arent-christians/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=John%20Pavlovitz


        The distinction between actions and attitudes of Christians and non-Christians is spot on. I have read some of Mr. Pavlovitz's blog entries before. He offers a lot of self-reflective critique that the Christian church needs to sometimes examine. I can't say I always agree with all his assessments though. One point I would say regarding this piece- I hesitate at ever saying who is a Christian and who is not. Ultimately, only God knows people's hearts and if they have truly put faith in Jesus' death and Resurrection to pay for their sins and follow Him. It is not my place to judge that and so I will always give people the benefit of the doubt. However, that said, Jesus said that we will know His disciples by their fruit- good trees produce good fruit and bad trees produce bad fruit. (Matthew 7:15-20) So I can often say of many professed Christians that I feel about 99% sure they're not who they claim to be.
The Bible actually exhorts Christians to examine ourselves and see if we're really in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5-8) So there is definitely a need to hold a mirror up to ourselves and make sure we're really reflecting Christ.
It is also worth noting that this pendulum swings both ways. As much as our works should be present to demonstrate our faith in Christ (Philippians 2:12-13, Ephesians 2:8-10, John 15:8, the entire book of James basically), our good works must be done out of our faith in Christ and because of that or they don't count for anything. Jeremiah 17:9 makes clear that no one naturally has a good heart. Rather, the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked- who can know it? Isaiah 64:6 says that all our good deeds are like filthy rags before The Holy Lord God. Not only can we never do enough good works to please God (since His standard is absolute perfection- Matthew 5:48, Leviticus 11:45), we can't even truly do any good works apart from His righteousness working in us! In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus delivers some of the scariest words in The Bible. He clearly says that not everyone who says to Him 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of Heaven but only the one who does the will of His Father is in Heaven. On the last day, many will say to Him, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?' And then Jesus will tell them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.' (Some translations add, 'The things you did were unauthorized.') Chilling words indeed! Shortly before He said this, Jesus warned about wolves in sheep's clothing. There are numerous other warnings regarding this. (See Matthew 13 for Jesus' parable of the weeds and Matthew 25 for Jesus' parable of the sheep and the goats.) In Acts 19:11-20, there is yet another example of this, when some guys went around trying to heal folks of demon possession by invoking Jesus' Name even though they didn't know Him and this one time the demon possessing a dude called them out on it, saying it knew Jesus and Paul, but who are those guys? The demon-possessed man overpowered the lot of them and beat them up, so that they fled naked and wounded. And thus, the Name of The Lord Jesus was extolled.
There are numerous other passages that speak to this as well (Romans 1-3 and Galatians 3 and the book of Hebrews all offer explanations of the balance and relationship between faith and works.)
I personally have decided that I am not going to judge someone's Christianity (and/or religiosity in general) based on their political choices alone. I have friends who are on very opposite ends politically (both some who vote Democrat or Republican or something else altogether) and I don't doubt their faith in Christ. Now I do think faith in Jesus should direct and influence our politics and voting, as it affects all of life. But I don't think the pastor should tell the church who to vote for. My advice on that is to vote for who you think God wants you to vote for. Thus, do research on all the candidates and pray and vote as you feel God leading you.
And this is where it's important to note a definition of terms. What does it even mean to support the President? By definition as American citizens, don't we all support the President regardless of our religious faith or lack thereof? I mean, surely we all want the President to do a good job of leading the country and hopefully make wise and morally right choices for the country. In some general sense, I support every President in the hope that he or she will perform the duties of the office to the best of their abilities, whether I voted for them or not. It should also be remembered that not everyone who voted for President Trump agrees with everything he says and does and only did so extremely reluctantly because they felt he was the best viable choice that might make some decisions that would honour Christ better than others. In the same way, some Christians may have voted for Mrs. Clinton extremely reluctantly only because they felt she might make some decisions that would better honour Christ than others. The same could be said for the other candidates. As I've already said, I'm not going to judge anyone on the basis of their political persuasions alone. Too often this leads to untenable assumptions and mischaracterizations made about people due to my own biases and stereotypes held about any particular political party and that is a large part of our problem in America, I believe.
Though I have voted in every presidential election since I've been old enough to do so, I certainly have not supported everything all the Presidents have done, even for ones that I voted for. For the last two presidencies, I have not voted for the candidate who became President. For the last two elections, I have not voted for the Republican or Democrat candidate (or the Libertarian or Green Party candidate, either for that matter- because there are more than two parties in America). Ultimately, unlike the joking comment Jamie Foxx once made about President Obama at the 2012 Soul Train Awards, my Lord and Saviour is Jesus Christ. I look to Him above any other human being. (Isaiah 2:22) He allows some to be in power and takes them down too. (See Daniel 4) I am eternally grateful that He is eternally in control and He is still on His throne and holding the whole world in His hands, no matter how crazy it gets. I pray for earthly leaders and support the policies I can agree with Biblically and other times I have to submit to ones I disagree with out of greater respect for The Lord and the human authorities He has established. (Romans 13 speaks to this point well.) However, when the policy in question puts me in a place of choosing between following the government or God, as Peter said in Acts 5:29, 'We must obey God rather than men.'
That is all I can do in the end. I stand for Jesus and the things He said to do and I try to let Him work in me more all the time so I can ever be more like Him and be the light of the world He called me to be. I do try to give credit where I can when it's due to any President and I also stand against things that are Biblically morally wrong, even if it is something the President is pushing and promoting. I take advantage of the freedom afforded me to make my views known through peaceful free speech, assembly and petition, freedom of the press and freedom of religion, and through voting in elections. And through it all, I ultimately look to The Lord Christ above all else because I know He is always in control and His kingdom always reigns above all- and I'm glad He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I just remember that I've got another King coming. :-)


For another article to consider about this topic, check out this opinion piece from Rev. Timothy Keller.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/29/opinion/sunday/christians-politics-belief.html

Giving up rights, cheeks, cloaks and comfort- Golden Rule

       "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the ones who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

       You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in Heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect." - Jesus in Matthew 5:38-48

       "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."- Jesus in Matthew 7:12 (see also Luke 6:31)

       - These guiding Bible verses can certainly teach us a lot of things, but a few key things I take from them is Jesus' teachings on not seeking our "rights". We all have this idea of what things we are owed and what rights we should have bestowed on us by virtue of being born. However, when we put faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, we give up our rights to ourselves. Colossians 3:1-4 say that we actually have died and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God. Galatians 2:20 says that we are crucified with Christ and it's now He who lives in us. We are not our own; we've been bought with a price- therefore we must honor God with our bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:20) We must count ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:11) We are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness instead. (also in Romans 6) We must let God renew our minds and offer our bodies as living sacrifices to Him as our spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1-2) If we are to come after Jesus, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him. (Luke 9:23) The Bible tells us over and over again that we no longer have autonomy to do as we please- we have surrendered our lives to Jesus and we seek to do His will instead. (Ephesians 2:8-10 makes clear that this was God's plan all along- for us to do the good works He prepared for us to do in advance.)

       Thus, if all these things are true- why do I still act sometimes like I can insist on my rights? Why am I so generous with grace to myself for my own faults but so stingy with offering it to others for theirs? Jesus said, "Freely you have received; freely give." (Matthew 10:8) Thus, I can't help but readily offer God's grace to all. I must speak the Truth in Love to them (Ephesians 4:15) and share the Gospel at all times- ready in season and out of season. (2 Timothy 4:1-2) I am certainly not always the best at sharing God's love with others, but I try to speak whatever I can of God's truth anywhere I can in love. I want people to know that we are all sinners who constantly do wrong- and that's why the world's all messed up. Adam and Eve passed that down for the whole world through their sin. God loved us all so much that even while we were still sinners and rebelling against Him, He sent Christ to die for our sins. (Romans 5:8, John 3:16) Whoever believes in Him- calls upon The Name of The Lord- will be saved. They shall not perish, but have eternal life. If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9) And it's His grace and kindness that leads us to repentance (as Romans 2 says) and we seek to do the good works He made us to do all along in gratitude to Him for His grace- not in an effort to get it- because He's already given it to us for free!

        So I have at times found myself choosing to do some things that the world may regard as foolhardy. (I've certainly done plenty of things that are genuinely foolhardy and just plain foolish too. ;-)) However, I tend to believe strongly, especially as the quotes from Jesus in Matthew that I mentioned at the start state, that I am sometimes called as a Christian to simply let myself be taken advantage of. I think I am called to give up all my rights and give up on what I think I am owed or what should be done for me. I seek to do for others what I'd like them to do for me. Whether they actually would do them or not or whether they actually do them or not does not really matter. It makes no difference. Whether they receive acts of grace with gratitude and thankfulness or with greed and callousness, it makes no difference to my call to be gracious. I feel I need to keep turning the other cheek, give away both my shirt and cloak and go the extra mile with someone who asks in practical ways, just as Jesus commanded. Give to the one who begs and lend to the one who wants to borrow. Other translations render that verse as saying, "Don't even try to get things back." (Or something along those lines, like in that new-fangled "The Message" version or something. [As I'm sure Dracula would agree, some probably prefer those old-fangled versions instead. But whether you're kicking it with Bram Stoker or Stephanie Meyers, let's make sure the blood we're drinking is Jesus' and not each other's. [see John 6].])

       At the same time, Jesus also tells us to be "wise as serpents and gentle as doves". (Matthew 10:16) I don't think these verses mean that we should be a doormat. But sometimes I think maybe we should be a footstool where people rest and lean upon us for a while while we serve them. It may feel sometimes like we're getting walked all over upon, but when we consider the Saviour who endured such suffering, rejection, suspicions, false accusations, torture, and ultimately death on the cross for our sakes- and then triumphantly rose again- maybe we should be more willing to toughen up some and take one for the team. Jesus was willing to make the sacrifice bunt so we all could get home. It seems the least we can do is be willing to take the charge coming down the court. (Let's hear it for mixed sports metaphors! :-)) I don't claim to be the best at this- many times I am not. Many times I am a complete failure at this and am nothing but a spoiled little brat whining when things aren't going my way. And that's where Philippians 2:14-15 hits so hard- "Do everything without complaining or arguing." Wow! That's a hard one to do. But when we let the Holy Spirit do it through us (all things are possible through Him- Matthew 19:26), we shine like stars in a dark world to a twisted and crooked generation so that they can see the light of Christ which lights up the world- and when Christ is in us- that light is us! (Matthew 5:13-16 and John 8:12)

       As 1 Corinthians 9 gives us an example, we should be like Paul and give up our rights and thus endure anything rather put an obstacle in the way of the Gospel of Christ. (1 Corinthians 9:12) Instead, we become all things to all people so that we by all means God might save some through us. (1 Corinthians 9:22)

      As 1 Peter 3:13-17 talks about, it's better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." (1 Peter 4:14) Verse 13 of that same chapter even says we should rejoice insofar as we share in Christ's sufferings so we can also be glad when His glory is revealed.God's world is very much backwards from what we know. But when we start letting His Spirit live it through us, we come to find out that it's our world that's messed up and backwards from what it should be. "Curiouser and curiouser", said Alice. This abundant life and eternal love stuff is trippy, man! But don't be tripping- Jesus is a stumbling stone and rock of offense, but blessed are all those who aren't offended by Him. (That's like a couple of passages there- Isaiah 28:16, Matthew 21:42-44, and Luke 7:23) But it's just that kind of topsy-turvy world Jesus calls us to live in and we find out that it's really just the kind of world we've been longing for all along- one that we'll have when our groanings are realized like Romans 8 talks about- the glory coming outweighs all the junk we go through here. In the mean time, here are some of the attitudes that Jesus said are becoming of us and that we should be becoming- (hence the name- the Beattitudes :-))

        "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in Heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:3-12)

Keep reflecting the Son and shine on! :-)

What Music Honors God?

[Note: Another addition from the archives on a topic that still continues to be a hot topic of contention for some churches and Christians at times. And I'm a big fan of music in general and so I wanted to repost this one particularly. I may do a follow-up piece at some point about Christian music in general and some of my thoughts on that. Enjoy and rock (or Gregorian chant) on- for Jesus! :-)]

Okay- whoa! I ran across this video on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LQTP6Ad5Og&mode=related&search=
(Now to be fair, this is a 10 minute video that's edited down from a 45 minute sermon- so apparently all the Scriptural references are somewhere in those other 35 minutes...)
But this was interesting to watch.  I  have experienced many styles of worship at churches, especially considering the church I grew up going to (good old Chaguanas Evangelical Bible Church in Trinidad [http://cebctt.com/])- the one I was at for most of my teen years (http://web.archive.org/web/20070502183429/http://www.pelionbaptist.com/)- and the "megachurch" Newspring (www.newspring.cc) that I went to for a while and my current church, which offers a blend of classic and contemporary styles. (www.brushycreek.org)
I don't agree with the views in the video- because I think it's most important that your heart is truly worshipping Jesus and I don't think He really cares what kind of music you're playing- (and you know He must be God if He can stand country music and actually enjoy it when it's praising Him! )
Yeah, I'm definitely NOT God.  I can stand country music when it's praising God- but enjoy it? ....I don't think so! (lol- I've learned to put up with it a little more over the years- still one of my least favorite styles of music, but there are a few country songs that I like.)
I recently read through a book at the library called "Why I Left the Contemporary Christian Music Movement".  Very interesting read- written by a guy who was into secular rock music, led worship at a church that did a lot of contemporary Christian music- and is now at a very traditional church that only uses traditional music- i.e. hymns.
http://www.amazon.com/Left-Contemporary-Christian-Music-Movement/dp/0852345178/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-6198925-3183029?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174948872&sr=8-1
Anyway, I guess this is to say that I've been to both ends of the spectrum to some degree.  I've been at churches that stick closely to traditional hymns (and by the way- "And Can It Be?" by Charles Wesley still rocks my socks off! :-))  and my current church likes to use more recent worship music (like that great song that goes "And I know that You're alive- You came to fix my broken life- And I will sing to glorify- Your Holy Name- Jesus Christ!" :-))
And I wanted to be fair and listen to the author's points.  And the author of the book at least, does have some valid points.  He does bring out 1 Thessalonians 5:22 "Avoid every kind of evil." - Absolutely! We should definitely do this because we should do everything in The Bible.  Of course, if you read the verse right before that it says this - "Test everything. Hold on to the good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
I guess I grew up as a kid singing hymns in church, along with worship choruses (like Rich Mullins' "Awesome God", "What a Mighty God We Serve", "Seek Ye First", and lots of others you probably don't know for geographic reasons ...)
Of course, as a kid we also sang the hymns A LOT faster than the way they're sung in some of the churches I've been to in the USA. 
What I don't get is where these guys see that The Bible ever says rock and roll is evil?  I've yet to find that verse.  (And not to brag, but I have read them all at least twice- working on the third go round now....)
Who decided what was God's style of music? 
I think the heart of worship is WAY more important to God than the style of music.  This is the same reason God doesn't care if you sing like a nightingale or crow like a...well, crow.  The important thing is not so much how pretty your voice sounds- but how pretty your heart looks.  If you're truly worshipping God, I really don't think He cares beans about what style of music you're using.  I mean, this is the God who created like a gazillion kinds of bugs!  He made people different shades of skin.  I mean, the same style of music (yes, even that beloved country-rap ) does get boring after a while.  So I don't personally have any problem with different styles of music- as long as it's truly worshipping God.  The lyrics really make the song for me- not the music (though having good fun music you can rock out to is cool too)
Now keep in mind that I fully believe you can sing "How Great Thou Art" every single Sunday and God would never get tired of it.  I never get tired of singing it- it ROCKS!!!  Because God ROCKS!!!!!
But there's nothing wrong with playing blue's licks!  As Larry Norman put it "Why should the devil have all the good music?"
I can also sing "What's In a Name?" by Petra and totally rock out to it- and it definitely praises Jesus- Name above all names!
    I think we do need to not be a stumbling block to our brothers and sisters (1 Corinthians 10:32- "Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God")- but at the same time Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 9:22 "To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."
And then there's the Psalms.
"Let them praise His name with dancing and make music to Him with tambourine and harp." (Psalms 149:3)
"Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and the lyre, praise Him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord."  (Psalms 150)
Note that "Praise Him" is the most frequently repeated phrase here.  That's the most important thing. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ- with the Gregorian chants, with the pipe organs, with the baby grand piano, with the acoustic guitar, with the electric guitar, with the harp, with the drums, with the violin, with the flute, with the trumpet, with the tambourine, with your own dancing- and most importantly with your life!  Praise God with everything you've got! 
If hymns are reaching people and bringing them to salvation in Christ- AWESOME!  If Gregorian chants are reaching people and bringing them to salvation in Christ-AWESOME! If rock and roll is reaching people and bringing them to Christ-AWESOME!
Because ultimately it really doesn't matter what music you use or if you use any at all.  The Holy Spirit is what draws people to Jesus and brings them to salvation.  Not the music, the pews, carpet, pastor's preaching or anything else.  Just the Holy Spirit.  We get the awesome privilege of being His tools to witness for Him - and when we just share the Good News that Jesus Christ loves you to death- (literally on His part- but don't worry- He rose again! Talk about a love that really reaches from beyond the grave! ) then that's all that matters.  The Holy Spirit uses us and helps us get the right words out and brings people to salvation.  And we see that everything is about God- and we are used by Him for His purposes if we're open to Him.
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)