Roll Over Rover: Not This Time

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Joshua 1:7

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success^[a] wherever you go.

(ESV)

Joshua is about to lead God’s people into the Promised Land and face the giants he saw when spying out the land 40 years ago.  Joshua 1:7 is a word to him from the Lord reminding him that even though there are giants in the land, God will be with him and enable him to defeat the giants.  However, this word of encouragement comes with a command to Joshua to do according to all the law Moses commanded him and the people of Israel to do.  Unfortunately, the history of the Nation of Israel is a history of a people not following all of God’s law and suffering accordingly with periods or persecution and captivity. 

This picture of obedience to God followed by times of wavering and even turning our backs on God is something most of us who have chosen to make Jesus our Savior can relate to.  Thankfully, our salvation is not dependent on our own works of obedience to God (Ephesians 2:8) but instead is a result of God’s grace and the work of Jesus on the cross.  However, our disobedience does come between us and a close fellowship with Jesus (1 John1:6-7).  Therefore, to enjoy a close fellowship with God, we must strive to live lives of obedience to God. 

We are witnessing a moral and cultural decline in our nation and world.  Unfortunately, much of this decline can be attributed to the failure of churches and Christians to take the Gospel outside of the confines of the walls of the church and into a community that desperately needs it.  Instead, many churches and Christians are content with claiming to take the high road by staying out of the political fray and thus subjecting the nation to un-godly leadership coming out of a corrupt political system. 

In an article appearing on the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission on August 4, 2015, four reasons are given for Christian involvement in the political process.  (1)

1)      The Christian worldview speaks to all areas of life – Some Christians claim that anything other than the explicit preaching and teaching of the Bible is a distraction from the mission of the Church.  (1)  While this explicit preaching and teaching is important and is why we as Christians regularly attend services at our churches, this teaching from the Bible should encourage us to live lives for Christ outside of the Church.  Instead of rolling over and withdrawing from the political process as some Christians do, we should take what we learn from the Word of God and apply it to our lives outside of the church, including the political process.  We as Christians should therefore engage in the political process, viewing it as an opportunity to share Godly principles in an ungodly world.

2)      Politics are Unavoidable (1) – One of the main reasons the church in the United States has thrived is that it has for the most part functioned in an environment of religious liberty.  Missionaries and ministers working in countries lacking religious liberty can attest to difficulties they encounter with having to function in a political environment lacking religious liberty.  As are beginning to witness to loss of some of our long held religious liberty in the United States, (2) churches in the United States may face having to function in an unfriendly political environment.  However, by participating in the political process now, we still have an opportunity to protect our religious liberties.

3)      We need to love our neighbor (1) – As Christians, Jesus has called us to love God and our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39).  In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus expanded the definition of neighbor to include people of all races, social status, or occupation.  In a political environment pitting race against race and social status against social status, it is more important than ever for Godly people to participate in the political process in a loving manner.  As Christians, we know that God will care for us no matter who is elected.   However, we should participate in the political process as a way of extending the love of Christ to the lost by voting for leaders that will protect them and their liberties. 

4)      Government restrains evil and promotes good (1) – Romans 13:1-7 expressly states that the role of government is the restraining of evil and promotion of good.  While earthly governments run by imperfect people often fail in this role, we as Christians must participate in the political and electoral process as a means of promoting government fulfillment of this role. 

For far too long many of God’s people have withdrawn from the political and electoral process.  The results of this withdrawal have been the moral decline of culture and a loss of religious liberty.  Well-meaning Christians have, in essence, rolled over like a submissive puppy dog to this decline.  I urge my fellow believers not to roll over this election and instead stand up and support candidates vowing to protect religious liberty.  In this presidential election, that candidate is Donald Trump (3) and not Hillary Clinton. (4)  Therefore, I support and will vote for Donald Trump this election.  I also urge Christians to do their research when it comes to voting for members of Congress and their local leaders for they too can support policies threatening religious liberty. 

Let’s not be Christian spectators this election rolling over but instead be players standing in defense of our religious liberties. 

1. Closson, David. 4 Reasons Christians Should Care About Politics. erlc.com. [Online] The Ethics & Religious Liberty Comission, August 4, 2015. [Cited: October 22, 2016.] http://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/4-reasons-christians-should-care-about-politics.

2. Smietana, Bob. Is Religious Liberty On The Decline In America? www.religiousfreedomcoalition.org. [Online] Religious Freedom Coalition, February 22, 2014. [Cited: October 22, 2016.] http://www.religiousfreedomcoalition.org/2014/02/22/is-religious-liberty-on-the-decline-in-america/.

3. Grossman, Cathy Lynn. ‘I will protect Christians,’ Donald Trump tells Liberty University students. religionnews.com. [Online] Religion News Service, January 18, 2016. [Cited: September 28, 2016.] http://religionnews.com/2016/01/18/donald-trump-liberty-university-evangelicals/.

4. Shoebat, Theodore. Hilary Clinton: Christians In America Must Deny Their Faith In Christianity. shoebat.com. [Online] Shoebat.com, April 24, 2015. [Cited: September 28, 2016.] http://shoebat.com/2015/04/24/hilary-clinton-christians-in-america-must-deny-their-faith-in-christianity/.