(First published via Substack on March 22, 2024)
What’s the current cultural adage— the two things you aren’t supposed to talk about are politics and religion. No way! The fabric of civilization seems to be tearing from both ends, and we as Believers must engage in the shaping of the public discourse.
We are called to “let our light SHINE before men” (Matthew 5:16) and no sphere of society is off limits.
For too long, many Believers have operated as if we must follow God in a way that the government allows; that the institution of the government takes precedence over the institution of the Church. Living in America, we are blessed to avoid most of the friction Believers across the globe face.
I’m not advocating for disobeying laws (unless they directly contradict the scriptures like shutting down the church for a virus : ), but I wholeheartedly believe that the years of blindly accepting the status quo from our political leaders must end. Here in America, our religious liberty is a Constitutional right, and it’s time we start fighting to ensure our freedom to worship is around for our children and grandchildren.
Before we go any further, let’s ask the important question— what does scripture say about this? In Acts, Paul demanded his rights as a Roman citizen be honored. He did not just sit idly by and let his captors abuse him.“I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.” And when his rights as a Roman citizen were violated, he made sure to make it known! “But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” If the Apostle Paul stands on his rights as a Roman citizen and refuses to capitulate, then he sets a precedent for us to do the same as American citizens.
Part of standing for our rights is projecting our values at the ballot box. America was founded as a government by the people and for the people. Somewhere along the line, we seem to have lost that. Let’s reclaim it. And let’s stand for Biblical truth, no matter the costs. The conversation around social issues has spiraled out of control because we have not stood together and voted for Biblical-based morality. Make no mistake — the woke ideology is a religion, and its followers are devout. They will trample on our rights to advance their agenda. It’s time to stop ceding territory. Believe it or not, there was a time when Democrats, even progressive ones, could oppose same-sex marriage.
In 2008, Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama had this to say about marriage, “I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Now, for me as a Christian — for me — for me as a Christian, it is also a sacred union. God’s in the mix.” The former president is correct— God is most certainly in the mix. But of course, Obama later “evolved” on the subject. Evolution on subject matters is only allowed to get more liberal, not the other way around. Today Christians are chastised for holding this view, yet just a short while ago this deeply-held tradition was the standard.
We as Believers hold incredible potential to shape our nation. Our founding fathers didn’t shy away from being guided by the wisdom of the scriptures. Think about this— according to Pew Research, in 2021, self-identified Christians made up 63% of the U.S. population (210 million). In total, 155 million votes were cast in the 2020 presidential election.
Biden won Arizona by 10,457 votes, Georgia by 11,779 votes, Wisconsin by 20,682 votes, and Nevada by 33,596 votes. That’s a total of 76,611 votes across just four states. According to Pew Research, in 2021, self-identified Christians made up 63% of the U.S. population (210 million). In total, 155 million votes were cast in the 2020 presidential election.
If we stick together and vote our conscience, maybe we can return to a time when the Democrats and Republicans alike can recognize that Marriage can only be between a man and a woman, because God is a part of it. Each of us has a single vote, but together, the body of Christ can enact major changes in our nation. It’s time we stop accepting the status quo, and exercise a fundamental right as an American to vote!!!