By Jack Glover

Jesus was not a politician, although he would have been a good one, especially when it came to answering hard and tricky questions. Look at the ways He dealt with the questions asked by the scribes and Pharisees when their motive was to find fault with Him.

The scribes and Pharisees (also the Sadducees) were the leaders of the Jewish religion. They did not live in a democracy but under Roman control. Their nation (Israel) no longer exercised any governmental control because of sin and rejection of God’s laws. Jesus had come to teach and restore them, but they rejected Him, too. Most nations at that time lived under kings or military control, so the people had little input into the laws they lived under.

There were those among the Jewish leaders who thought Jesus was falsely claiming to be the earthly king they expected, but Jesus proclaimed: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” (John 18:36).

Indeed Jesus was a king. The laws of this kingdom had been in his Father’s plan from the beginning and were unchangeable. His kingdom was not limited to one nation as was true previously (Luke 24:47).

This new spiritual kingdom was open to people from all nations who would obey the laws of entry and continue in them. Of Jesus and this kingdom it was said: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” (Luke 1:32-33).

Jesus never challenged Roman rule. In fact, He turned the tables on those who challenged Him concerning payment of taxes by saying “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matt. 22:21).

Like Jesus, Christians are subject to government (Rom. 13:1). However, our relationship to government is different than that of Jesus. Our nation is a democracy, where each person is given a voice, allowed to vote, criticize actions, etc. This gives Christians the unique opportunity to express political views that are based on scripture. We can vote for leaders according to how their views, on any subject, compare with scripture. Many Christians fail to use this privilege to stand against the evils that are overcoming the United States and the government that rules it.

In very few days, our nation will have an election that will give every Christian a voice in determining what kind of people will rule over us. I have expressed previously the need for Christians to get involved in changing the path of our nation. We have been granted the blessing of being in subjection to government while, at the same time, voting to change leaders and laws. It’s a privilege few enjoy.

We may not think politics and religion mix, but in this case they do. Separation of church and state is not a biblical principle. Christians must oppose evil no matter its source (Eph. 6:10-13). Jesus or the apostles never joined a protest against the Roman government, but they spoke plainly against sin. Sin is sin, and a Christian cannot support it in any form by one person or a group of persons.

It is obvious that those in our government are supporting many kinds of sin. How long will it be before a Christian is breaking the law if he speaks against homosexuality? Will we be forced to accept “same-sex marriage” as we have abortion, loss of public prayer, display of the Ten Commandments, etc? Does it ever occur to you that Christians have the right to fight against, or vote out leaders, who support these sins and many others. Many of them are guilty of some of the sins themselves. Is it any wonder they support laws that allow them to exist freely in our society?

One more time we call on Christians, and others who are concerned about the direction our nation is going, to vote against sin, no matter what your party affiliation is. Every time an election occurs, our nation is deeper in and more supportive of actions that the Bible plainly list as sins. Each election we see a nation deeper in sin and the justification of it.

Do we ignore such scriptures as this: “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, [b]factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21). Paul said, ” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18).

History, and the scriptures, reveal that God will not allow a nation to exist in sin forever. Either we can make an effort to change it or God will. When God makes the change, it is never pretty. Look at the history of Israel and other nations as they progress through the Bible. Is that what we want to happen to us?

I don’t know when or how it will happen, but it will happen if we don’t insist that our leaders, courts and people turn to righteousness. Christians fight sinful practices, not support them. “Like a trampled spring and a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.” (Prov. 25:26).