Dear friends in Christ at Peace and Grue,
“For God so loved the world he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believed in him may not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
While John 3:16 is usually interpreted to stress the importance of faith in Jesus, it is striking to note that in almost every other instance in John’s gospel, “world” has a negative connotation. Mostly “world” refers to a creation dominated by the evil one, hostile to believers, and at enmity with God. Nevertheless, it is precisely this world that God loves so extravagantly.
Christians therefore should not erect barriers between faith in God’s Son and commitment to and action in God’s world. To remain silent on social issues is to risk betraying God’s fundamental commitment to the world. The question, therefore, is not whether Christians should be involved in political issues, but how.
It seems God was a Republican until 1968 when he became a Democrat. As the Vietnam War raged the liberal platform became equated with Jesus’ platform. Sin doesn’t matter, as long as you stand for the right social programs. Jesus is for the underprivileged, if you are not, you need to be changed into a liberal by the gospel.
This turned the typical law and gospel sermon into an us vs. them rant. We are on the side of the poor, so we are good. Nothing about my own most grievous fault. It is the militaristic, industrial complexes, making cruel designs on the underprivileged, who have sinned. Not us.
With fewer and fewer sinners left in the congregation, our image of God changed. Instead of a holy God who hates our sin yet loves us for Jesus’ sake, we found a God who comforts us for all the abuse inflicted upon us by the establishment. God is no longer a burning fire, but has become a warm lap where I can be indulged and affirmed for who I am. As our sense of our own sinfulness declined and our need for the warm lap decreased, it become easy to lose interest in the whole affair.
While this is admittedly a caricature, if the sin we diagnose is not our sin, pointing to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world will be for naught, When we assume that we know how God wants us to vote, our congregations will continue to decline until we are only left with those who agree with us. A God who so loved the world that he gave his only Son seeks to do much more. Like reminding you that no matter how good your intentions are, you won’t save the world, that is God’s job.
As we enter this political season, get out and participate (vote)! It is your God given civic responsibility.
Pastor Dan