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Your Vote (Probably) Doesn’t Matter That Much

(Update: a follow-up post can be found here: A clarification and a correction on voting)

This may at first sound fatalistic or even nihilistic, but I’m here to argue the point anyway: For the Bible-believing Christian in America in 2020, your vote (probably) doesn’t matter very much.

I’m not just saying this because of the lack of difference it is likely to make in the final tally of our upcoming national elections (though it’s part of the picture, as I’ll touch on again shortly). But I’m saying it because I’m eager to see voting and politics put in their proper place within the Christian life.

Now, of course, there are really good reasons for wanting to vote (some of which Chris detailed in his post last week). It is perfectly fitting and good to desire to see the good of one’s own society. When we see things that concern us in one direction or another, it is very reasonable to want to do something about them. It is good to care about the flourishing of our neighbors in their day-to-day lives and consider how to take measures to protect and promote that. It is good to want the law to be upheld; to want the government to play by the same rules as everyone else; and for no one to be taken advantage of by people in power. It is good to want those who are helpless to be protected and those who do wrong to be punished.

When we have such concerns, we naturally want to do something about them. Voting, being the direct way of putting people into authority to tend to such matters, seems like a natural response.

It’s also true that elections themselves can absolutely be consequential. Major shifts in policy and governance can occur by one party or person being elected to power over another. It’s not wrong to recognize that these shifts can have real-world effects upon hundreds of millions of people in our own country and, often, billions around the world.

But rather than tempering our expectations for how effective our vote will be in bringing about the outcome we want, or carefully measuring how much concern we need to give to elections despite their consequences, we often put a disproportionate emphasis on these things in our own personal interest and activity. I want to consider why that’s the case and how to correct it.


Why is this the case? Why do we give voting and politics such a disproportionate position in the Christian life?

One major reason is that there are many loud voices with an interest in getting you to vote. Rather than simply speaking about it as one small thing out of many in your life, these voices want you to think that it is the most important thing you can do. News sites that want you to come back over and over again to click on their articles about every possible facet of the election. Political candidates and parties who want your money and your vote because, after all, this is “the most important election in [some period of time].” And, of course, there is Facebook, who doesn’t seem to realize that I didn’t sign up for that platform in order to be pestered with a random string of numbers and a reminder to register and vote – a practice I’ve already been doing for 20 years.

Another reason voting gets so much attention among Christians (and others) is that political interest is generally easier than the hard work of personal spiritual transformation. In politics, you are the external, sometimes-dispassionate arbiter of who is the best candidate – maybe even the “right” or the “wrong” candidate. You can support and criticize, rejoice and blame – but none of it ever intrinsically requires you to give up a single false belief or ungodly attitude. So of course it’s easier to read about the latest thing that this or that candidate said or didn’t say, rather than to read God’s word or a Bible-based book about how to be gracious in your speech or how to serve your church more consistently. Politics demands essentially nothing more of your effort than your willingness to put your hope in it, and to turn out at the ballot box every two-to-four years.

In fact, there’s just enough morality and impact upon others involved in the governmental system that we can give this kind of attention to it while still justifying it as primarily a matter of ethical interest: We care about politics because we care about our country! This may be partly true. But is it really that simple?

In reality, for many, political interest may actually be little more than entertainment and self-righteousness masquerading as societal concern. We need to examine our own hearts and our reasons for why we pay attention, and see if they measure up to God’s standard.

Thirdly, voting and politics also draw our attention because focusing on and complaining about your circumstances is a lot easier than taking ownership about how you respond to these circumstances. We are a culture that likes to blame others for our problems. Everyone is a victim of what someone else has done to them. If something needs to change, it’s the other people; as Calvin (the comic strip character, not the theologian) once said concerning New Year’s resolutions: “Why should I change? In fact, I think it’s high time the world started changing to suit me! I don’t see why I should do all the changing around here!” A focus on changing our circumstances through government can easily outweigh a concern to do what’s right in the face of whatever circumstances you find yourselves in. Christians should not have this priority, however, and should instead recognize that our personal responsibility to respond in a godly way to whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.

Finally, it’s easier for politics to take a disproportionate place in our life because even the good things we desire – such as wanting government to operate a certain way or wanting good leaders to be elected – can easily tempt us to get out of balance and too focused on certain things over against others.


In response to our temptation to overvalue politics and voting, we should consider several biblical reasons why our individual votes are a lot less important than we might think

  • Nowhere in the Bible is voting commanded. 

On the one hand, that’s because of the form of government of the day when the Bible was written. On the other hand… it still isn’t commanded. And unless it’s commanded, it’s difficult to make the case that it is as important as the things God has actually, directly commanded.

For Americans, voting is a civic privilege, not a civic duty or obligation. 

It is not a law in the United States (or the State of Tennessee, where I live) that you must vote. As such, it’s not a matter of disobeying or disobeying the government to choose whether or not to vote in governmental elections. 

In fact, there are many other things that you could do according to the law of our land, but you don’t do.You have the right to speak freely, but you don’t always speak at every chance you get. You have the right to peaceably assemble, but you may not do this every time you have the opportunity. You have the right to bear arms, but you might not always have a gun on you (Okay, though… some of you might!).

You should not feel compelled by God or by legal statute to go cast a vote, or, even more, to agonize and spend countless hours researching and worrying about your vote as if you have to do it. 

  • No national election in our country has ever been decided by the vote of a single individual voter. 

This is a pragmatic reason, but it’s still true.

I was there in 2000 when George W. Bush won the presidential election by defeating Al Gore in Florida by the razor-thin margin of… 537 votes. Quite a number more than one!

The chances of a single vote being the difference-maker in a national election are non-zero, to be sure; and yet they are infinitesimal. But “What if…?“, you ask? It’s true, perhaps your vote may be the deciding one. It’s not technically impossible. But making a decision based on such an astronomical “What if” scenario is almost always an unwise decision. What other things with this small of a chance of happening do you take such care for? Do you stay home every day because there’s some chance you’ll die in a car crash (a greater chance, no doubt, than being the single deciding vote in a presidential race)?

How much time and attention are you going to give to something with an infinitesimal chance of making any functional difference in the outcome? Good stewardship of our time demands that we ask these questions.

Perhaps, then, if our vote is unlikely to directly affect the final outcome, we still need to feel compelled to vote the right way out of principle, right? Not necessarily, because…

  • The Bible doesn’t tell us what a vote implies

People vote for different candidates for many, many different reasons. 

Some look at the character of a candidate and assess what is most trustworthy or competent. Some look at the candidate’s platform and decide how that person will influence legislation and policy. Some look at how likely it is that such a candidate will help appoint other people (i.e. judges) that this voter prefers. Some consider how likely a candidate is to actually keep campaign promises.

Others want someone who follows the voter’s religion. Still others weigh more heavily the potential damage that would be caused by a potential officeholder who has a distorted or hypocritical version of that same religion.

There are still others who think of their vote as a protest against the “establishment”; as an effort to break up the two-party system; or as a long-term play if they think they’ll get 8 years out of a better future candidate from their preferred party rather than 4 years of a bad candidate from their party who causes backlash in the next election cycle.

We must beware of oversimplifications on this point. It is essential that Christians understand that a vote for a particular person is not necessarily an endorsement of that person’s character, insight, policy positions, or any other specific thing about them. Electoral calculus is complicated, and each person approaches voting decisions differently, which is within the range of our liberty as an activity that is neither commanded nor forbidden by God.

Therefore, while there is wisdom to be used in every decision that goes beyond the black and white pages of Scripture, and we can definitely have bad motives for voting one way or another, a vote doesn’t necessarily mean anything one way or another about your faithfulness to God. 


So if all of these things mean that voting has less significance than we might otherwise ascribe to it, what is more important for us to consider? What does God actually care about more than our vote, and what should we give more concern to?

  1. Following the direct commands in Scripture about how to respond to government, including: 
    • Praying for the salvation of government leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
    • Praying for the government to let us freely practice Christianity (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
      • (Note that nowhere are we instructed to vote for this, although it is surely permitted; but we are instructed to pray for it. Are you spending more time praying for this, or worrying about bringing it about through your hopes and vote?)
    • Paying taxes (Romans 13:6-7)
    • Obeying the law (Romans 13:1-5; 1 Peter 2:13-17; Titus 3:1)
    • Speaking honorably of government leaders (Titus 3:1-2)
      • On the basis of Exodus 22:28, Paul himself affirmed that he would not have spoken as he did toward Ananias – an evil man who had just instructed Paul to be struck for no legitimate reason – if he knew that he was a government leader (Acts 23:1-5).

It is all too easy for Christians to neglect these direct commands about government while claiming a moral imperative to vote according to their conscience or according to “biblical principles”.

  1. Spending our time doing what the Bible commands and prioritizes 

If we are in government, then by all means we should prioritize that role as a task that we have to do for that time period in our lives. But, more generally speaking, we have a kingdom that is not of this world, which is far greater than anything that we could establish here (Hebrews 13:14)

  1. Fulfilling our biblical roles and responsibilities – the ones that are explicitly commanded:

Are you a spouse? Are you a parent? Are you an employee? Are you a neighbor? 

Total up the amount of time you spent trying to be informed about what was happening in this election cycle. (And while you’re at it, be realistic as to how likely it was that you were ever going to vote any way other than what you ended up doing! Did you really, honestly need more information?) 

Now think what you might be like as in one of those roles if you had spent the same amount of time reading, thinking, praying, and talking about your attitudes and your conduct as in that role. 

What is your real sphere of influence? And what in those areas are you neglecting out of a disproportionate amount of attention being given to politics? Consider where political interest has caused you to neglect faithfulness to your God-given roles and responsibilities, and repent where you need to.

  1. Trusting God with outcomes

We often invest our concern into elections, even once we have voted, like a sports fan really hoping that his team wins – although, in this case, the real-world stakes are higher. In all this focus upon what the results will be, it is easy to cultivate a neglect of trusting God with what we can more or less do nothing about, and instead to be anxious (Philippians 4:6-9).

While it’s okay to care about things, and having concern for something, or even taking action, doesn’t always conflict with trusting God, we should be careful to ensure that we are doing what God has told us with respect to trusting him no matter what (Habakkuk 3:17-19).


Now, so that you don’t think that I’m telling you not to vote, I should say that I actually plan to go to early voting and to cast my ballot in the next few days. I’m thankful to have the privilege, and I look forward to participating in our election system!

But I have a lot of other things I’m planning to do between now and then that should matter to me a lot more than my vote. And I hope you’ll consider that, for you, the same thing is almost certainly true as well.

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Voting to the Glory of God

Voting to the Glory of God

Understatement alert – I am saddened by the state of American politics (although not surprised).  By any measuring stick (even that of four years ago) this year’s election process has been awkward, absurd, and embarrassing.  Although this world is not my home, and I do not view America as a special kind of “Christian” nation, nonetheless I believe it to be the best country in the world in which to live, and have received rich benefit from the common grace of God poured out through it.  There is no, one, form of government prescribed in Scripture, but I believe our founding governmental system is one of the best ever devised by man, and I hate to see a mockery made of it.

Governments are good (even “non-American” governments) because they represent God’s authority, grant a measure of protection against the unrestrained evil of the human heart, and provide men with a picture of God’s nature as the One who rules.

Ro 13:1–2 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

So, as November 3rd approaches, it seems good to consider what the Bible has to say about voting.  First, a study of the direct command on how to vote reveals . . . nothing.   How about a prophetic word?  Alas, no statement like, “out of the east a great Trump shall arise . . .” exists in the pages of Scripture (and no, good hermeneutics does not allow you to substitute “Trump” or “Biden” in place of Cyrus in the book of Isaiah, just, no).  A return to solid ground takes us to a consideration of the Biblical principles that should guide our voting.  Among the many we could choose from, 1 Corinthians 10:31, seems the best place to land as an overarching precept in this extremely difficult and potentially devise debate.

1 Co 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

If “whatever you do” includes eating and drinking then it certainly encompasses voting.  To do something for the glory of God requires that it must be done to make God look great, be a benefit to God’s people and be in accordance with the principles of Scripture.  How might we apply these requirements to voting?

Vote to Make God Look Great

First, making God look great. This is tricky, because human governments are secular, full of evil, and run, generally, by flawed unbelievers who are in rebellion against God.  Additionally, American politicians understand that talking about a belief in God is still an important part of appealing to the public (yes, even in 2020).  So, seeking to please God by basing our vote on who gives lip service to God is a dicey proposition at best. Finally, since most votes are for unbelievers of varying personal moral standards, a God glorifying vote will be difficult to discern based the personal moral character of the candidates.  We know, as a Biblical principle, that character matters in leadership, but we may not even have the option to vote for a person of character.  All the candidates will most likely be deeply flawed (and how accurate is our understanding of their personal character to begin with?).  The decision is made even more difficult when the candidate with the worst positions – those that will affect the lives of millions of people for worse – may actually have the better personal character. 

So, making God look great in our voting will mean that we vote for the candidate with the most biblically defendable combination of character qualities and policy positions – realizing that as the field is narrowed there will most likely be fewer and fewer truly godly combinations (if there were any to begin with).

Additionally, making God look great in our voting will involve how we vote, not simply who we vote for.  That is, going to the voting booth without:  slander (we must refuse to repeat, and steadfastly ignore, all the latest Twitter takedowns and Facebook fiascos), grumbling (why are we in this mess? why can’t we have a decent candidate to vote for?), anxiety (will we be persecuted as Christians? will I lose my job?), or idolatry (if my candidate is elected our problems will be solved, only if “our guy” gets in can God be honored).

Vote for the Benefit of God’s People – the Church

Second, a God-glorifying vote will consider what is best for God’s people – the church.  While we certainly desire that all men be treated justly, our special concern is that the body of Christ will be able to live “tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:2b).  This is what is truly best for all of society.  We must weigh the candidates in light of the stated and enacted policies of their party in regard to the climate they will create for the free exercise of Biblical Christianity.  This includes governmental protection of teaching, speaking, and conduct that pleases the God of the Bible.  We are more concerned about religious climate change than environmental climate change!

Vote for the Candidate and Platform that Most Closely Adheres to Biblical Principle for Government

Third, we should vote for the candidate who will enact policies that are in closest adherence to Scriptural principles for government (those that are not specific only to the Kingdom of Israel, but to all kingdoms and governmental systems).  These include:

  1. Punishing evil and commending what is good – Romans 13:1-7
  2. Bearing the sword in protecting the nation against those that would harm it – Romans 13:1-7
  3. Collecting sufficient taxes to enable the government to carry out its Biblical mandate – Romans 13:1-7
  4. Defending the innocent, afflicted and needy – Jeremiah 25:15-18
  5. Promoting justice and righteousness at all levels of society – Jeremiah 25:15-18
  6. Finding and punishing those who pursue dishonest gain – Jeremiah 25:15-18
  7. Providing opportunities for health and well-being – 1 Kings 4:25, Micah 4:4
  8. Establishing just laws, a fair judicial system, and honest judges – Deut. 1:16-17, Deut. 16:18-19

Again, the policies of a secular nation state will not generally conform directly to Biblical principles.  They cannot be expected to exalt Christ directly.  So, in the case of our country, we seek the person and political platform that most clearly promotes the echoes of these principles.

To Vote or Not to Vote

The question then arises, if both candidates are ungodly people, and both platforms (or sets of policies) are generally devoid of Biblical principle, are we required to vote at all?  Since the Bible does not command a citizen of an earthly kingdom to vote, this will be a matter of conscience.  Some will choose to withhold their vote. To them, a vote for a flawed person with flawed policies seems a direct endorsement of that person or those policies.  Others will choose to vote, believing that choosing the lesser of the two evils (in an already evil system) is of benefit to both the believers and unbelievers around them. In doing so, they believe that their vote is not a personal endorsement, but a practical reality.  Still others may choose to write in a candidate (as is allowed in the United States) not in any hope that they will be elected, but as a statement in protest of the “official” choices being presented.  

One key to remember here is that governmental systems are raised up by God as a general protection for mankind. It is good that they are in place even when they are run by evil men with ungodly policies.  Since the Bible is clear that it is better to be governed than not to be governed – it seems  that our voting choices should move in the direction of the best form of governance possible, given the options that are presented.  This is not, of course, true in the church, where one could not in good conscience agree to the appointment of any Biblically unqualified leader. 

So, vote to the glory of God.  Choose a candidate whose person and policies most closely conform to principles that will bring God glory, who will lead to the best treatment of the body of Christ, and who will do the most to enact biblical principles for the just treatment of all men.

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Bummer in the Baptismal

Sometimes, in the midst of intense and difficult circumstances, there is a certain wisdom in finding the humor that flows through life – with the church being no exception. In my thirty-five years of ministry I have had multiple occasions to laugh at humorous circumstances and my own inept responses to them (or, more often, my cause of them). Probably because I have been involved in some form of youth ministry for all of those years, I choose to call these episodes “ministry bummers,” and present the following episode for your enjoyment. You should know that this event took place several years ago, and we have, finally, plumbed the baptismal tank (just a bit of foreshadowing to whet your appetite).

The ordinance of baptism is supposed to be a simple, external reminder of the spiritual cleansing and regeneration that have taken place in the heart of a true believer.  However, as is usual in my life of ministry, nothing is ever as simple as it seems.  You see, our church has a special kind of baptismal, one in which the baptizee climbs into the tank and the pastor remains on the outside.  Oh, and we have no running water to the baptismal so it must be filled with a hose several hours before the time of the baptism (did I mention that my church is in East Tennessee). 

On this particular Sunday, all seemed in place.  The person to be baptized was present, the congregation was present, the pastor was present, and oh yes, the water was present, in abundance.

Bill (not his real name), the man being baptized, was standing in front of the tank and had just begun his testimony, when I noticed a bit of water on the floor beneath his feet.  A quick glance at his face and I could see that he was not pouring sweat – so how did the floor get . . . . Just then, I heard an urgent whisper from behind, “Uh, Chris, look at the tank.”  I glanced at the baptismal and saw the shimmer of light reflecting off the water – which was rapidly spilling over onto the sanctuary floor.  My first thought was the classic avoidance technique – I’ll pretend that nothing is wrong and maybe this will all go away.  But then, my many years of experience in the ministry kicked in, and I did the next best thing, I panicked.  Running around behind the tank (while Bill was still speaking), I stared stupidly at the hose for a several moments before recognizing the water shut off valve was still open and slamming it shut.  I breathed a sigh of relief – problem solved and disaster averted.  Then the thought hit me, “If Bill tries to get in the tank like it is, the people in the first row will think they are at Sea World.” 

What to do?  Bill was still going strong, and not too many people had noticed my dash behind the tank, but there was no way to remove water without alerting everyone who was not fast asleep (relatively few since I had not yet started preaching).  By this time, I had been joined on the far side of the baptismal by several faithful men (sounds like the beginning of a bad country song).  We held a quick pow-wow and sprang into action.  Greg grabbed a second hose and slid open the window in the front corner of the sanctuary.  He took several quick inhalations on the hose to cause flow – and got a lung full of tepid baptismal water for his efforts.  Realizing it was futile to drink the tank dry, he quickly thrust the hose out the open window where it began spewing contents onto the street two stories below.  Alas, the stream of water was pitifully small, not nearly enough to empty the baptismal before the sacrosanct lunch hour was upon us and the building would empty like magic.  So, we grabbed a few mop buckets and began heaving water out the window (and onto a brand new 4×4 parked just within range of our water “shot put”).  So much for the subtle approach.

Despite our attempts to be careful, a lot of water had spilled out onto the floor, causing those closest to pick up their Bibles and feet.  Fearing that we were ruining Bill’s powerful moment, I glanced at him and realized that he had not even noticed what was going on.  He was totally locked in on the now somewhat anxious eyes of those in the audience.  By this time, men out among the congregation with mops, yet still, Bill pressed on.  He finished up by stating, “now it is time to be baptized,” and turned around.  As he took in the scene of men continuing to fling liquid and wring mops, Bill retracted, “Maybe later?” 

Ever wonder how many buckets of water it takes to un-fill a baptismal?  Too many.  I signaled the music team.

After singing their full contingent of songs for the morning, we still weren’t finished.  They picked another song and plowed on.  Finally, I gestured for the human water cannons to cease fire and the flurry of activity came to a screeching halt.  Now my fear was that we had emptied too much water and would have to turn Presbyterian and do a sprinkling.  With some trepidation I led Bill into the tank and, as the siphon hose dripped the last of its contents down the side of the building, I was able to fully immerse him in the waters of baptism. 

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I Protest – Part 2

I Protest – Part 2

In our last post we discussed the “protest culture” of America and briefly considered a Biblical response to violent protest.  That was the easy task.  Today we will assess the church’s role in peaceful protest.  This is extremely important because many voices are calling upon the church to demonstrate its concern for social justice by actively joining the protest movement – particularly in regard to issues of perceived racial inequality.

Unlike violent demonstrations, peaceful protests are legal and so we may not condemn them as a violation of the law of government.  Additionally, they do not inherently violate the law of love.  However, if we cannot condemn peaceful protests out of hand, are we required to recognize them as a biblical solution to problems of injustice?  The answer, biblically, is no. 

In all of the New Testament there is not a single instance of the church mobilizing a protest against the evils of the day – which were far more rampant than then in 2020.  Neither Jesus nor the Apostles called on the church to march the streets in peaceful protest or rise up in violence – instead, they called upon us to make disciples. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20)

To reaffirm the Scriptural understanding of the churches mission is not to ignore injustice.  We should be quick to affirm that what the world calls “racism” – the hatred of a person simply on the basis of his race (as generally represented in skin color) – does in fact exist, and it exists within the church.  Additionally, before we throw out slogans like “there is no such thing as race,” and “the problem is sin,” we must affirm that fact that in the history of our country, some races of people have been, and continue to be treated more harmfully than others. To ignore this is to rightfully open ourselves up to the accusation of being uncaring and unjust.  Overlooking the truth that the destructive treatment of those in our country with black skin by those in power has left a legacy of pain and injustice is also harmful and disingenuous. In recognizing this reality of the fallen world we live in, we are weeping with those who have had many occasions to weep.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation (Romans 12:15,16). 

The evils of our day should cause us to search our own hearts and carefully consider the theology and philosophy of ministry of our church to see if there is any incipient “racism” to be found.  We are certainly not required to agree with the current voices that maintain that there has been no progress in racial inequality.  This is demonstrably not the case. We also need to be able to recognize that many, if not most, who are protesting today have been the beneficiaries of the tremendous strides forward that this county has made on the issue of race (a fact which seems entirely absent in the current discussion).  We must not be bullied by our culture into getting “woke” and agree that all non-black people are inherent racists (which in and of itself smacks of overt racism). 

This “white=racist” argument is not true of unbelievers (regardless of the claims of the Critical Race Theory proponents).  Although partiality and hatred (racism) are endemic to the sinful human heart, no one is racist simply because of their skin color – if they hate others because of their race it is a personal choice they have made to violate God’s law. It is definitely a misrepresentation of true believers who have been transformed into new creations by Christ.  We may struggle with racism, but we are not at the core, racists (if a person remains racist to the core they cannot be a true believer – 1 Cor 6:9-11). Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Cor. 5:17). 

With this expressed, it is appropriate to broaden out our appeal for every person (regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status) to be treated fairly under the laws of our country.  The Bible does not use a term like “racism” but condemns all forms of hatred and partiality as wicked in the extreme.  To hate any man, and to harm him as a result of that hate, is condemned as a sin that Christ came to die for.  “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell (Matt 5:22)

However, we must always move from this affirmation of justice to a call for all men everywhere to repent.   Although the Biblical record certainly acknowledges the barriers that exist between races, genders, socioeconomic groups, etc., the same solution is always provided.  Christ came to break down those barriers and to bring unity to all who repent and take hold of His sacrifice (Eph 3:12-18).  Only the Spirit of God can bring true unity by placing every believer into union with Christ so that we become His family, His body. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26-28).

Additionally, we must proclaim that the greatest relational barrier is not between various groups of human beings, but between all men and God himself.  This barrier of sin can only be overcome through the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Above all, we must affirm that to join hands with those who are calling for peace and justice apart from Christ (or with an inclusive Christ who does not require repentance and faith) is antithetical to the mission of the church.  While the church affirms a desire for all people to be treated justly, she understands that the only true, lasting, and guaranteed justice comes from a right relationship with God through Christ. 

The ability of human governments to provide justice and safety is short lived and precarious at best. The only guarantee of justice the church can offer is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  This comes through the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel to a lost and dying world.  The church must not succumb to pressure to abandon its primary mission – to see true righteousness permanently established – in order to strive for an unattainable temporal righteousness that will only result in eternal destruction in the end. 

For the church to partner with those who hate Christ, in an attempt to bring a peace apart from Christ, is to denigrate the sacrifice of Christ and dishonor the God who sent Christ.  Certainly Satan does not mind which way he distracts people from eternal hell – either through inciting them to violent, harmful protests or calming them into benign peaceful rallies, both of which leave those protesting, and those being protested for, dead in their trespasses and sin. 

Certainly an individual within the church may choose to peacefully protest, as his conscience allows, in order to express a desire for earthly justice to be accomplished.  However, he or she must be very careful not to imply that their motivation and desires are the same as unbelievers who protest in a similar fashion. 

As a church, then, we long to provide a godly, biblical, compassionate, and truthful response to a culture in crisis.  This will not happen as we exchange heated words on social media, wring our hands in despair while listening to Fox news, or march the streets in protest.  We need to press forward in the mission of the church to make disciples of all the nations.  We must communicate our love and care for those harmed by the evils of the world by introducing them to Jesus Christ, the only one who can provide healing and lasting peace. 

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (John 14:27).

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I Protest

The art of protest is fundamentally American.  In fact, our nation was founded in protest (think Boston Tea Party) and our constitutional republic has built in mechanisms which allow for, and even encourage, protest. So, it should not be surprising for us to see the remonstrations which have sprung up in recent days.  From rallies over COVID restrictions (and violations of those restriction) to demonstrations resulting from perceived miscarriages of justice – we have seen, quite literally, an explosion of protests over these past months (we even have protests about the right to protest!).   Now with elections looming, there are rumors of another wave of angry demonstrations about to sweep across our nation.  As members of the body of Christ living in America, we need to consider these protests from a Biblical vantage point – not simply an American one. 

There have been two kinds of demonstrations – lawless/violent and peaceful (or some combination of these).  Unlawful protests are the easiest to respond to.  Those who protest with violence and lawlessness are clearly violating the principles of Scripture and this must be condemned. 

First, the law of love does not allow for unloving behavior towards others (looting their stores, destroying their property, killing them – all of which has taken place) in retaliation for harm done.  It certainly does not allow for violently taking up of the offense of another to harm those who were not even remotely involved. “For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:9-10)”. This principle of love holds for the believer as well as the unbeliever (even though the unbeliever can never truly love in a Biblical way since they never desire to glorify God through Christ).

Second, the biblical law of authority states that all men (and certainly believers) are to be in subjection to the governing authorities, because those authorities have been established by God.  To oppose the authority of government is to oppose God.  Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.  Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves (Romans 13:1-2). We can appeal to governing authorities, we can vote an individual in an out or power, but in the end we are to submit to their authority.  It is important to note that an injustice committed by someone invested with government authority does not validate unlawful responses (regardless of whether the system itself is generally “just,” or “unjust”).  Since all governments are unjust to some degree, they are to be submitted to even when they have allowed injustice.  Remember that Paul wrote the instructions in Romans thirteen to those who were governed by some of the most evil and unjust men who ever lived. 

But what if a protest is involves groups of people who have been harmed and mistreated by the government in the past (as is demonstrably true for black people in the history of our nation)? The Bible is clear here.  There is no biblical principle of justice which allows for setting aside of the law of love or authority when one has personally been treated unjustly or when another has been unlawfully harmed.  Past oppression, injustice, and lack of love never justify present lawlessness and lovelessness.  Certainly no church can join violent protest, affirm it, or make excuses for it. 

However, the church should call on the government to punish evil doers and give praise and protection to those who are doing right. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,  or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right (1 Peter 2:13-14).  Certainly we can and should affirm that justice should prevail and all necessary steps taken to limit (for it will never be eradicated) abuses of power, but to use the power of the mob is never an appropriate way to accomplish this. Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,  to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men (Titus 3:1-2).

So, violent protest lies outside the boundaries of biblical response, while calls for righteousness and justice are appropriate actions for true believers.  The concept of peaceful protest is much more complex and so we will take up that topic in tomorrow’s blog post.

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Our Glory and Joy

Our Glory and Joy

For you are our glory and joy” – 1 Thessalonians 2:20

What does the blog title (Our Glory and Joy) refer to? 

The phrase is drawn from 1 Thessalonians 2:20. Paul and Silvanus (“Silas”) and Timothy had recently been run out of Thessalonica before they could establish the young church there as thoroughly as they desired. They had tried to come back – Paul even multiple times – but were hindered by Satan (1 Thess. 2:17-18). But they wanted the Thessalonians to know that they hadn’t wanted to leave, and that their hearts were bound up in the spiritual stability and growth of these young believers they had come to love. So they asked: “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.” (1 Thess. 2:19-20, NASB). 

The heart of the missionaries toward these believers was focused around several things: 

  • The affection they had come to have for them (1 Thess. 2:8)
  • Their stewardship with the gospel of Christ (1 Thess. 2:4)
  • Their focus upon the coming day of Christ (1 Thess. 2:19)
  • Their recognition that constant instruction and exhortation of those who had believed the gospel was necessary in light of that future (1 Thess. 2:11-12)

These attitudes are all in the picture when Paul refers to these believers as his glory and joy. They are his “glory” in that they are his “boast”; but it is not the kind of proud, human boasting that seeks fame and credit for one’s own accomplishments. Paul himself knew all too well that even his precise faithfulness was not the ultimate cause of spiritual fruit (1 Cor. 3:6-7). Instead, it refers to what he gets thrilled about. And for Paul and his fellow workers, it is their spiritual growth in preparation for the coming of Christ which causes excitement. This is what he is – in the best and most humble sense – “proud” of. 

These men also find their joy in the spiritual condition of these believers, and anticipate that they will have even greater joy when they stand together complete at the coming of Christ. And to that end, Paul and the other missionaries see it as essential that they complete the work of establishing the church in such a way as to ensure the spiritual growth and stability of these young Christians. 

This is, of course, not the only time, nor the only church, that Paul felt this way about. He referred to the Philippians as “my joy and my crown” (Phil. 4:1) and spoke of having “reason to glory” in the day of Christ because of the outcome of his labor among them (Phil. 2:16). He even implies that this future thrill will not be simply one-directional, as he tells the Corinthian church, “we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus” (2 Cor. 1:14)

And it is for this very reason that, when things weren’t going so well – whether the church had been deceived (Gal. 4:19); left inadequately established (1 Thess. 3:2, 10); or simply deprived of the potential help that Paul could bring (Phil. 1:24-25) – Paul longed to be with and to encourage the beloved fellow believers who were under his watchful care. 

All of this reasons explain why we would choose such a name for this blog. Our concern is first and foremost with the gospel of Christ – that all would believe the saving message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. But we also understand that those who have believed good works must be, as Paul says elsewhere, “careful to engage in good deeds” (Titus 3:8). 

This blog is a place where we can help instruct and encourage our precious fellow believers to do just this in ways that may not be easily done during the normal meeting times of ministry. It’s a way to further exhort and equip believers to do things that honor God. It’s a place to help Christians think carefully according to the mind of Christ rather than human ideas. It’s a forum for addressing issues of sanctification, of theology, of ecclesiology, of practical Christian living, of understanding the times, and more. 

We love the gospel; we love the church; and our focus is to help believers know how to “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls [them] into his own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12). For this reason, we write on behalf of those who are, as it was for Paul and the others, “our glory and joy.”