CHRISTIANS MUST BE THE SALT & LIGHT OF THE WORLD!

Weekly Opinion/Editorial

CHRISTIANS! STAY HOOKED UP!

by Steve Fair

     Tuesday is primary election day.  It is important that every citizen, regardless of their political philosophy, exercise their right/responsibility and vote.  One group of voters that have become disengaged in the political process in recent years is the Christian conservatives.  Once a very powerful voting bloc that could virtually guarantee the election of a candidate, the Christian political influence has waned because many have stopped voting for a variety of reasons.  Here are three:

     First, they feel betrayed and conned.  Many of the candidates who campaigned on family values and Christian principles were not doing it out of conviction, but out of convenience.  When they were elected, the revealed their secular philosophy and failed to champion the issues the Christian voters supported.  That betrayal has come home to roost and many Christian voters dropped out of the political process.  They didn’t see their political involvement making a difference and they stopped investing their time in politics.  That is all the more reason for Christians to stay in the process- to expose the phonies and to work to get principled, ethical people elected to office.

     Second, they view the world as secular.  Christians know this world is not their home- they are just passing through.  They are sojourners.  They got involved in the political process because they believed it would further the spread of the Gospel and that didn’t happen.  They pulled back because they believe that most political types are pragmatists that practice situational ethics and don’t believe in absolute truth.     

     Third, they believe the process is rigged.  Many Christians believe the political process in America is not unlike the WWE- that the special interest groups script out winners and losers.  They think only those who will go along to get along can progress in politics and real people don’t get elected and if they do they can’t make a difference. You can’t argue with their logic when you see the fruit of many elected officials.

     So what are Christian voters to do?  Drop out because they are not seeing the needle move?  In Romans 13, Paul admonishes the church at Rome to stay engaged in secular government.  He tells them that a sovereign God rules in the affairs of men and that installs(and brings them down) kings and elected officials into their positions.  Elected officials may think they are in charge, but in fact He is the real power behind the throne.  That should encourage the Christian to know that God is in control of the situation.  Even when secular progressives win and take office, God is in control.  Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that believers are to be salt and light in society.  If that salt and light is removed from a culture, it will only get worse.  Christians must stay engaged.  They must be the salt and light otherwise our culture in America is doomed. 

     Noah Webster said: “When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, “just men who will rule in the fear of God.” The preservation of government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty.”

     Senator James Lankford says, “Washington doesn’t fix America- America fixes Washington.”  His point is that individual citizens working to make a difference in their families, their church, their community will change our culture and our society.  President Garfield said: “Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature.”

     The level of a person’s involvement in the political arena is a personal one.  Whether they choose to become very engaged in campaigns and Party politics or to simply be an informed voter is a decision between them and their God, but no one should drop out.  Men and women in uniform have fought and died for our right to vote as a free people.  Never take that for granted.  Christian- cast your ballot on Tuesday.