Over a month ago, on October 9th, I posted an article titled, "Why I Will Not Vote My Values." Since that time, America has watched pass a pivotal and important election. I want to revisit the topic of that article and provide what I hope will be a little clarity in my position (and perhaps spark a little discussion and excitement for the future of this blog).
First off, I believe it is a blessing and a wonderful gift to live in a democratic republic such as America. The freedoms we receive are unlike any of any nation before. And voting, yes, is also a gift. It is an opportunity to voice our opinion as to the direction and tenor of the federal government; as Christian's we believe wholeheartedly that those decisions are steeped and mired in the absolute truth of morality. As such, the opportunity to take part in directing any institution, even a worldly institution, toward righteousness is an opportunity with which we are blessed.
Secondly, I would never condone passivity in the Christian fight for righteousness and justice in the world - not even passivity based on a full understanding of God's sovereignty. It is a mark of apathy, not faith, which will lead any supposed Christ-follower to sit ringside when some of the greatest moral fights are being fought. While we live by faith, and live in full assurance of God's providential control over every aspect of this world, we also understand that according to his righteous design, the medium by which God most often chooses to enact change in the world is through the Church.
And this is my point; this is the reason I did not cast a vote in the November 4th election: The medium by which Christ institutes change in this world is the Church, and I believe American Christians today have lost an appropriate vision of the subversive, counter-cultural, and counter-governmental nature of the Church. I believe Christ commands us to stand for righteousness and truth and justice in ways which the world has never seen BUT to allow our stand to be taken from within his incarnate body on earth: the Church.
All of these statements need to be clarified, caveated, explicated carefully in light of Scripture, and laid out in the most precise way so as to show how these things must be lived within the full extent of the resurrection and incarnation of Christ, and must dovetail exactly with the redemptive and salvific process of Christ-following. With any luck, I will hope to do just that over the next months here on this blog.
But this article ends now, with this statement: I didn't vote not because I see no value in voting, but because I object to the Christians who have put their hope and faith for change in the hands of the government. We'll see later how these things work themselves out through Scripture and the Church.
-------
On a much more personal note, I leave tomorrow morning to begin the trip to Duluth, MN where on Saturday, November 15th, I'll have the honor and blessing of seeing my brother John marry the lovely Jenna Rose. Blessings and prayer to them!
4 comments:
thanks. some of the words were hard to understand but i think i'm kinda getting it.
Hey Dave! I agree that Christians try to change the country by the means of government and not so much with the Church at large. I think so many Christians are also too concerned about abortion, it's a big issue and it is a problem but there are worse problems out there than abortion... and when a baby dies I think they go to Heaven but what happens when a poor homeless man freezes in downtown New York sleeping in the park? Has those people ever heard Christ? There are way more pressing matters... matters that dictate the rest a persons eternity. Why should we try to Christianize the government? It's a worldy establishment that God has to hold with His grace and mercy and without it this country would be so radicly depraved and evil. Every man has the ability to become a Hitler and everyman is evil. How can people say lesser of the 2 evils? All men are evil and the only difference with us is that we have the sin record of Jesus which is no sin at all! But we both know this is not our nature and was done by Christ on the cross. PD, 2 men from Church (I won't say any names) told me I wasn't Christian because I support Obama now that he will be President and I just think to myself "I though we as Christians are sopposed to support our people in leadership and pray for them?" whether as a Christian them men like Obama or not we should all be praying for Obama's salvation.
Sorry if that was hard to read. I had a lot of typos, I must be tired, lol. Well love ya bro. Hope all goes well at your brothers wedding.
Not voting is kind of an odd way to protest, isn't it? I mean, would you go on a hunger strike if the Church supported sustainable agriculture as a means of change?
That said, I think your analysis is spot on. Reminded me of what Dr. Jacobs (of the wheaton english dept.) says here.
Post a Comment