Politics? Or God's Kingdom?

Many Christians today are caught up in the politics of this world. They watch all the news regarding who said what and who did what among the worldy politicians. Let me ask you this question, as a Christian are you ready to live in God's Kingdom? No more sin...no more pain..no more death..and God's love will rule for all eternity!

Sad that many "Christians" will not think about nor talk about the Second Advent of our Lord. In fact, I have heard many Christians say things like; "I hope the Lord takes longer to return..I am having too much fun down here!" Now how sad is that? Is their "fun" defined as, watching who the latest killer is on TV?...watching Britney Spears and seeing what she will do next?...listening to AC/DC and smoking another cigarette? Because if this is their idea of having "fun" then they really don't know what sin is and they really don't know who the Lord is.

Well, if you are truly ready for God's kingdom then you will live like your already there! Remember the old saying; "Actions speak louder than words"? If you truly believe in God's kingdom it will show in the way you live your life. [Matthew 7:21-23; 15:7,8]

The fact of the matter is, there are only two masters. Look what the Bible says; "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" [Romans 6:16 NIV] Notice that true faith has obedience to God's commandments.

Who is the ruler of this fallen world? Look what the Bible says; "We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one." [1 John 5:19 NIV] So Satan is the ruler of this fallen world. Why then should Christians concern themselves with the politics of an evil kingdom? Look what Jesus said about His true disciples in this prayer; "I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours........They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." [John 17:9,16 NIV]

From this it is clear that true Christian Seventh Day Adventists are to keep separate from this world. The term used, "the world" is an expression which simply means rebellious fallen humanity. Satan's world is organized through the political systems of this earth. It is true that God has the final say and that no organization exists without His allowance, but this also means that though these fallen governments exist as part of God's plan it does not mean that He has blessed their fallen system of things or that He aproves of their decisions.

We as Christians are to "respect" the governments that be. [Romans 13: 1-7] The question then becomes, to what degree am I as a Christian to submit to government authority? First off, please consider that the Bible says nothing about Christians voting for the latest "Ceaser". No where, not one Scripture commands Christians to vote. Please keep in mind that it also gives no cammandment for Christians not to vote. We are simply commanded to give respect to authorities and realize that they are existing because God is allowing them to exist.

Please remember, that during the time of the apostle Paul the lunatic Nero rained supreme. Paul never said to agree with Nero or to even vote for the next Nero..he simply said respect the system and let it alone. Nero went on to kill Christians just because they were Christians. Christians literally did not resist this persecution when apprehended for their faith. They displayed what true martyrdom is: laying down their life for their faith as an example.

Christians did not vote for Satan's government in any way. Some Christians today say things like; "I am voting for the lesser of two evils." Wow! The Bible says that evil is evil and good is good. Lesser of two evils? Isn't this what the Jews did? They hated both Jesus and Barabbas....Barabbas was their "lesser of two evils".

Here is something that you must keep in mind as a Christian; In the book of Revelation the fallen churches are addressed as, "Babylon the Great". Now note this, in the same book of Revelation it says that the "kings [rulers] of this earth" are committing spiritual "fornication" with "Babylon" [the fallen churches]. So is Christ's true church involved politicaly with the "rulers of this earth"? The simple answer is, NO!

The political governments throughout Biblical prophecy are addressed as, "beasts". These "beasts" make up an important part of Satan's world....the world that Christians are to be separated from. In the prayer that Jesus gave us as an example He taught us to pray that God's kingdom come..."thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

The apostle John commands us; "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world." [1 John 2:15,16 NIV] And the apostle James warns us; "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." [James 4:4 NIV] Wow! How much more clear can the Bible get regarding this issue?

When government fails to protect its citizens from wickedness and/or simultaneously promotes wickedness, then Christians should begin to look for a new place to live or maybe even hide! We must be very careful. The final persecution is not too far away!

When the citizenry submits, complies and/or agrees with evil government, then the Christian minority should be very careful. This was the reality of the Roman Empire of Nero’s day. As Christians we cannot vote for people who worship another God. We cannot vote for people who kill babies. We cannot vote for people who support the gay lifestyle....who is left? In otherwords...Jesus is our only King! And we are to vote for and support only His kingdom!

May we have faith enough in these last days to stand strong for what we believe in as Christian Seventh Day Adventists...so help us God.

Written by, Eric W. King [January 6,2008]

For another article regarding God's Kingdom...click this article;

God's Kingdom? Or your kingdom?