“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25
As of the writing of this post, no one has been declared a clear winner as the President of the United States for the next four years. Whoever is declared the winner will have a profoundly different effect on our lives. This is why we care so much about this election. This is why record numbers of people from both sides have come out to vote. My mind is full of so many thoughts related to this week. I’ll share with you a few I hope are encouraging:
First, our God is sovereign over all this world, and His purposes will be accomplished for His own glory. This is the great and final hope for all who believe in Jesus. Our foot is set upon the rock of Jesus Christ our Lord (Isaiah 26:3-4). God’s sovereignty is the greatest comfort to those who love Jesus and look for His coming. The shepherding of God is the greatest encouragement to those who love and obey His voice. However, for those who hate and rebel against the perfect ways of the Lord, and those who reject His salvation, this sovereignty is also a rock. Yet, it is not a rock of sure footing, but a rock against which they will destroy themselves as they rage against Jesus and His will (Psalm 2).
Second, each person will one day be held accountable for their actions and words. Our actions matter. The stances we take and the things we work toward matter. We will all one day give an account to God for what we have spoken and done. Apart from the grace of Jesus Christ, none of us could stand. Jesus is for us both just and the justifier (Romans 3:26). However, the third part of the great commission of Jesus (Matthew 28:18) is that His followers must be taught to obey what He has commanded. We must obey and live according to God’s will – a will that is clearly defined in Scripture. We do not have liberty to name the name of Jesus and then go and live in opposition to His will. We do not have the authority to pick and choose our own morality. The Lord God has declared right from wrong, and His will shall stand. Nations that reject His will come to ruin in due time.
Third, we are called by Jesus to love our enemies. One of the hard things about our form of government is that our leaders are chosen by vote. The moral and ideological views of candidates on a ballet can be very far apart. The idea that the vote of your neighbor caused a passionately ungodly person to be placed in office gets personal quickly. We can even begin to view our neighbors and differing family members as enemies. But Jesus calls for us to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us. As Christians, we are never to cut off, hate, or stop lovingly sharing the gospel with those who are against us. Knowing Christ as Savior is the starting point of all change. We should never expect those who do not love Jesus to honor His commands.
Fourth, we are in the middle of a real struggle of good against evil. Good and evil are never directly represented by one human being, but there is such a thing as good and there is such a thing as real evil. The opposite is to believe that there are just personal opinions that work or don’t work in a utilitarian sense. That is not how the Bible defines our choices. Our life choices have a strong moral component that is defined by God’s character. We are either living in accordance with God’s will and character (obedience), or we are living counter to God’s will and character (rebellion). We all start out in the rebellion category, and once we pass from death to life by grace through faith, our heart changes and we increasingly obey God’s will. People who call themselves followers of Jesus, but refuse to obey His moral commands must re-examine their souls. “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
Albert Mohler speaks of America as a “cut flower” society. Many parts of our society still look beautiful from Christian influence in the past. But the flower is fading as the Christian influence wanes because there is no root. May the Lord give revival to our land! What we need more than anything is the outpouring of God’s Spirit to bring many to salvation.
May we live in a way that honors and pleases Jesus every day,
Pastor Vic