1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Politics, Christian Style

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by th1bill, Nov 11, 2010.

Top Posters
  1. th1bill

    th1bill Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2009
    Messages:
    1,029
    Likes Received:
    30
    Faith:
    Baptist
    People, it would seem, want to have many flavors of Christianity today and the bare truth is that this is not possible. Jesus put it very clearly when He said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments,” (John 14:15, NASB).


    We must be very careful with this passage of scripture, so as not to open the door to the supplanter, that he might feed on the unlearned and the weak. Christians should always look to the Mosaic Law for the perfect picture of the Father, God, but at the same time we must be aware that there has never been a Jew nor a Christian saved by the Law. Every Saved Man is saved by the Grace of God, from Abraham forward.


    With this being true we will not be saved by working to obey the Law and neither can we live within a legalistic form of worship. What we gain from the Mosaic Law is the perfect word Picture of God and the Great Principals we must use to build our world by.


    Now, let's get to the point. I see a great deal of error on Christian Web Sites today, particularly ones that allow political discussions. I'm teaching here from 1 Timothy 1 & 2 with emphasis on verses 1 and 2 of chapter 2. Because context is so very important I have asked you to read, at least, these two chapters at one setting.


    We have seen from the passage in John that if we love our LORD that we will obey Him, so what does that entail? If we look at John 1:1-3 we see that Jesus created the Universe we live in and that nothing, remember that, nothing has been created that He did not create. That means that the very Bible we hold in our hands was created by Jesus. Jesus is not some johnny-come-lately that started some new religious movement, He is God!


    So, in the two verses of the two chapters I've drawn from today we see that we are to hold our leaders, kings, dictators, presidents and others in high esteem and we are to pray for them. We cannot obey this command while we are hurling insults, slander and opinions at them. These insults, simply put, are not Christian Behavior.


    In Matthew 7:15-23 we find a much cursed and extremely disliked truth that the worldly man inside the Church would strike from the scriptures if he could. I have been banned from more than one Christian Forum for stating this but that does not make it untrue nor does the threat of future actions prevent me from saying it, "When we behave like Satan, he is our father.”


    In he letter to the Romans 13 we see that there is no authority given to any man except God gives it. A great Life Application for this is seen in my distaste for our present President and there is much to be said against his presidency. Even with that being the truth I am most often seen instructing Christians to pray for him. While I have many reasons for disliking this man, the fact is that God has seated him in the seat held by him and therefore he is God's man for the hour.


    We, Christians, are oft heard stating that God is in control and I tekk you that it is past time that we walk the talk!
     
    #1 th1bill, Nov 11, 2010
  2. canadyjd

    canadyjd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2005
    Messages:
    12,977
    Likes Received:
    1,670
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Brother, will you please show me from I Tim. 1 and 2 where we are told to "hold our leaders, kings, dictators, presidents and others in high esteem.....". I see where we are to pray for them, but I don't see the command to hold them in "high esteem".

    We must be careful not to add to God's Word.

    Secondly, are you unable to see that you immediately engaged in the very behavior you were lecturing everyone else about?

    peace to you:praying:
     
    #2 canadyjd, Nov 14, 2010
  3. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2004
    Messages:
    10,295
    Likes Received:
    0
    Bill I do think that to say we are to hold the leaders in high esteem is a little beyond scripture, but the rest of what you said is accurate. We do need to take great care in how we speak of the Lord's servants and those who He puts over us (our leader). However you are aware that few today believe the bible and will reject any such call. The rebellion that is now in the church by claimed Christians is an epidemic. :tear:
     
    #3 freeatlast, Nov 15, 2010
  4. SRBooe

    SRBooe New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2010
    Messages:
    236
    Likes Received:
    0
    Folks, a U.S.president is NOT a king. He has no authority over a citizen as a King would.

    For U.S.citizens, the law has all the authority - not the president.

    It is NOT a sin to discuss the president, and it certainly is NOT a sin to vote against a president. If God had established Obama, it would be.

    Personally, I see the establishment of Obama as president being the result of the decline in American morality. He was not appointed by God.

    If you want your prayers to have more effect on America, pray for congress. They have more influence on our future than Obama does.
     
    #4 SRBooe, Nov 17, 2010
  5. John Toppass

    John Toppass Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2008
    Messages:
    1,080
    Likes Received:
    8
    I, for one, will continue to pray for Obama, congress, the Justices in all courts. I will pray for their salvation and that they would perform in a way that would glorify God. I also pray for all voters and pray a special pray for those who continue to approve (by their vote) of murdering babies in their mothers womb.
     
    #5 John Toppass, Nov 17, 2010
  6. th1bill

    th1bill Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2009
    Messages:
    1,029
    Likes Received:
    30
    Faith:
    Baptist

    1Ti 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
    1Ti 2:2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
    1Ti 2:3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
    The scriptures are quite clear on this matter and as for my doing the same thing... I have not! I dislike this man and there is much that I will not list because then I also would be guilty. My post stands.
     
    #6 th1bill, Nov 19, 2010
  7. th1bill

    th1bill Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2009
    Messages:
    1,029
    Likes Received:
    30
    Faith:
    Baptist
    It is all very simple! We read and we, hopefully, are obedient. If we are not, we are not servants of the Most High God and are not saved!

    I know this teaching is very distasteful and I have been given many Coffee Breaks on Christian Web Sites for saying this but the Truth is just that and if we shy away from it we are lost.
     
    #7 th1bill, Nov 19, 2010
  8. th1bill

    th1bill Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2009
    Messages:
    1,029
    Likes Received:
    30
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Sir,
    You are certainly disagree to disagree with me but i believe you will change you're opinion about the status of the "leader" of this nation with a little Bible Study.

    Your note on the congress is dead center though.
     
    #8 th1bill, Nov 19, 2010
  9. th1bill

    th1bill Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2009
    Messages:
    1,029
    Likes Received:
    30
    Faith:
    Baptist
    And when any of us pray in the will of the Father, as you are doing, we will find that God has blessed us!
     
    #9 th1bill, Nov 19, 2010
  10. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2004
    Messages:
    10,295
    Likes Received:
    0
    I agree Bill. Today we have man made doctrines that are overriding the word of God. We teach that a person can get saved and at some point in their life turn from God and live in sin (its called backsliding), but the word of God rejects that, (1 John 3) and yet because of the rebellion in the church today man's teaching trumps God's word. Certainly many will hear "I never knew you." There are many more examples, but the point is that no longer is the church teaching or holding to the authority of the word of God. While it is exceedingly sorrowful what we are seeing is spoken of in scripture.
    For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; :tear:
     
    #10 freeatlast, Nov 19, 2010
  11. jaigner

    jaigner Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2009
    Messages:
    2,274
    Likes Received:
    0
    Sir, with all due respect, the Bible has to be interpreted. We cannot go straight from reading to application. We have to determine what the passage meant in its original context and what it is saying to us today.

    The Bible can be very dangerous if it's not interpreted. Sometimes it is as plain as can be, but other times, when we understand the original context and take the intent of the original language into account, it leads us to a different position.

    Unless you read Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic, and unless you are old enough to have lived in biblical times, which I doubt, we are in the same boat here.

    So when believers disagree, it's not because of rebellion or failure to obey. It's about an interpretation issue.
     
    #11 jaigner, Nov 19, 2010
  12. SRBooe

    SRBooe New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2010
    Messages:
    236
    Likes Received:
    0
    Yes, Sir, you are spot on. That is why we have to pray for understanding of the scriptures and not pick and choose verses to prove a point that we prefer while ignoring the others.

    Thanks for your post.

    As to positions of authority in the U.S., a little study of American government will help with that. I am aware of who has authority over me and who does not.
     
    #12 SRBooe, Nov 20, 2010
  13. canadyjd

    canadyjd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2005
    Messages:
    12,977
    Likes Received:
    1,670
    Faith:
    Baptist
    canadyjd said:
    th1bill responded:
    Let me point you to your original post: You said:
    Immediately after stating that anyone "hurling insults, slander and opinions" at our elected leaders are guilty of non-Christian behavior... you then insult our President by proclaiming your "distaste" of him. You then give your opinion of him by saying "there is much to be said against his presidency" and your "dislike" for "this man".

    You are guilty to violating your own standards in the same post in which you proclaim them.

    If you can't see that why should anyone pay attention to anything you post?

    peace to you:praying:
     
    #13 canadyjd, Nov 21, 2010
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Loading...