The Worst Thing that Could Happen

January, 2009-A conservative Republican who is also an outspoken Christian is inaugurated President. Congress stands ready to lower taxes, cut government spending, make abortion illegal, declare marriage to be between one man and one woman, and shut down the hard core porn industry. the Supreme Court, now a solid 6-3 conservative majority, is sure to declare all of this constitutional. The good guys have won.

Not so fast.

Declaring victory in such a situation might be alot of fun and it might feel very satisfying but what exactly would we have won? Speaking from a Christian perspective, not much.

Keep in mind that I consider the scenario highly unlikely.

Its not that we are not supposed to fight the political fight. Our system of government is unique in the history of the world. The opportunity for Christians to have influence in the choice of our leaders and in their decision making is something about which Christians in other countries only dream. It is every Christian's duty to extend his or her influence into the political process. The Bible says God ordains government to be "a minister of God to you for good" (Romans 13:4) Christians can and should play a part in directing government to fulfill that mandate from the Lord.

That said, political victories can not possibly replace evangelism, discipleship, and charity. We may be able to use the law to change people's behavior but, in doing so, we will not have been an agent of the Holy Spirit in saving people's souls.

In previous posts, I have written about the misguided, wrongheaded Liberals who equate higher taxes and more state administered social services with Christian charity. On the other side of the coin are conservatives who think the Kingdom will be ushered in on earth by means of the ballot box.

Here's the bottom line. No one changes from the outside, in. What if abortion were still legal and, because more and more people were committing their lives to Christ, no one showed up at the clinics anymore? What if welfare case workers were left idle because the body of Christ was growing and doing the charitable work that our society has currently delegated to the bureaucracy? What if the porn industry went out of business because people, changed by the Holy Spirt stopped buying their filth?

That would be a victory worth celebrating.

Note to the Emergent

I would like everyone in the Emergent Conversation to ask yourselves when was the last time you shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with someone in your sphere of influence. Or have you ever or is this something you do?

I have shared Christ several times recently, not because I am holier than you or more righteous or because I am conservative but because I am not holy or righteous or worthy of God's grace at all. God has made me acutely aware of my hopelessness and helplessness but more than that. Having saved me, He has given me a desperate awareness and compassion for the eternal destiny of people who are lost. I seek no glory here. Let only God be glorified.

Your conversation is like two people standing on the shore talking about the best way to save the guy drowning in the river. You can't even decide if the guy is really drowning.

I'm diving in.

Jesus Christ-the Lifeboat

All I am is a survivor of a sinking ship called the human race. I am sitting in a lifeboat soaking wet because I was just pulled into the boat by someone else. I have my hand outstretched trying to help anyone into the boat who wants on. The boat is big enough for everyone. Amazingly, many refuse the help. They like the water. They're drowning and they refuse to believe it. There is nothing more relevant or urgent than that.

I have heard it said (by those who have trouble reconciling their Liberal ideology and their personal brand of "Christianity" with the Bible) that God is not a Republican. This is true. But I'm pretty sure Satan is a Democrat.