Godless Politics

This is not a fiery diatribe against the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton, or the liberal left-wing media in the United States.  It is a blunt assessment of some of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who have professed to be disciples of Jesus and how they have conducted themselves over the course of this presidential election cycle.

I have spent the last five months of my life immersed up to the neck in the book of 1^st John.  This is a letter that urgently, unapologetically, repeatedly, and dogmatically pushes the need, no the commandment, that Christians are to love each other because God first loved us (1 Jn. 2:9-11, 3:11, 4:7, 4:7-12, 4:20-21, 5:1).  In fact, John states that God literally is the embodiment of love.  Therefore, if you do not love he says you do not know God.  

Furthermore, John is quite helpful in that he gives us a precise definition of biblical, godly love.  1^st John 3:16-17 reads: We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?  The Bible’s definition of love is a total commitment, up to and including death, to put the interests of others before your own.  Christ was willing to be tortured to death in obedience to His Father’s will and for the sake of His elect bride, the church.  And even if you lack the opportunity to give your life for a brother or sister in Christ, John doesn’t let you off the hook.  He explains that even if it’s just a mundane material need that someone has, you are still to put them before yourself by providing their need for them out of your own goods.

This is such a fundamental principle, giving up your life and/or your resources for someone else, that we really don’t need any more information to flesh out the definition.  The Bible certainly does provide it in other books, but we could get by just fine with only 1^st John and still know perfectly well how to love.  This kind of love does not tear others down because it considers their feelings as of paramount importance.  It does not become frustrated with them because it is tender toward their ignorance, real or imagined.  It does not get impatient with them because their time is more valuable.

My point is this.  I’ve seen a lot of garbage lately from Christians who have been attacking other Christians for their political stance with aggressive statements, derogatory comments, rude and insensitive responses, and sarcastic quips.  These forms of communication stem from the aforementioned selfish, frustrated, and impatient superiority.  If you think they don’t you are deluding yourself and your conscience knows it.  The Bible states emphatically that this is not the love of God, God commands us to love (1^st Jn. 3:23), the Christian who practices such things does not know God (1^st Jn. 4:8), and most damning of all, is a liar (1^st Jn. 4:20) who dwells in darkness (1^st Jn. 2:9).

And I would like to state, for the record, that I am obviously not naming any names.  So if your hackles just went up and you feel like I’m talking about you please understand it is your own Holy Spirit led conscience that is convicting you, not me.  If your hackles didn't rise and you have been active on social media during this campaign season, please go back and read through your posts, put yourself in the shoes of the person you were speaking with, and ask yourself if they saw the love of Christ in how you communicated with them.  It is quite possible you have blinded yourself to the sin you are committing.

If you are a disciple of Jesus and you are guilty of what I have described...stop it!