Through the Bible - Jeremiah 31-32, Titus 3
Good morning,
Next Wednesday after the election has taken place somewhere between 40 and 50% (if the polls are correct) of the people in the United States will be disappointed, perhaps very discouraged. A couple of passages that I read this morning gave me an inclination as to what the Christian response should be.
The first was from Philippians 4:
Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. NKJV
Paul was writing from jail encouraging his readers to "rejoice always" because the "Lord is at hand". He is not a god far off but the God that is near, close at hand and in charge of the circumstances.
Today's verse will come from today's New Testament reading in Titus 3:
Titus 3:1-2 Remind the people to respect the government and be law-abiding, always ready to lend a helping hand No insults, no fights. God's people should be bighearted and courteous. (from THE MESSAGE)
or from the NKJV
Titus 3:1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. NKJV
John MacArthur writes "Paul admonished Titus to remind believers under his care of their attitudes toward "1) the unsaved rulers (v1) and people in general (v.2), 2) their previous state as unbelievers lost in sin (v.3), 3) of their gracious salvation through Jesus Christ 4) of their righteous testimony to the unsaved world, 5) and of their responsibility to oppose false teachers and factious members within the church. All of these matters are essential to effective evangelism."
As Christians, we may be disappointed in the outcome of the upcoming election, but either way, we should be mindful of our response in light of God's Word and the things that John MacArthur points out.
By means of faithful preaching and godly living, believers are to be the conscience of whatever nation they reside in. You can confront the culture not with the political and social activism of man’s wisdom, but with the spiritual power of God’s Word. Using temporal methods to promote legislative and judicial change, and resorting to external efforts of lobbying and intimidation to achieve some sort of “Christian morality” in society is not our calling--and has no eternal value. Only the gospel rescues sinners from sin, death, and hell. John MacArthur - Politics, Activism and the Bible
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. NKJV
In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
Titus 3:1-9
Graces of the Heirs of Grace
3 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
NKJV
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