As you have already observed, our nation is experiencing uncertainty and division in the midst of the recent election. The data shows that people who voted were basically divided between Clinton and Trump with Clinton winning the popular vote and Trump winning the electoral college. However, there were 90 million registered voters who did not vote! This should concern all of us.
I had have meaningful conversations with many citizens who come from various age groups and backgrounds. I have also observed fiery posts on Facebook from the left and from the right. It’s a great privilege that we live in a nation where we can express our opinions freely and not fear punishment. However, I am surprised by how some Christians are handling this. Some believers’ tone and their choice of words certainly do not point to the fact that they are believers. We are called to be different.
For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 1Peter 2:15-16
First and foremost, while Constitutionally we have Freedom of Speech in this nation, Biblically we do not. The book of James is full of scriptures about our choice of words and how our tongue should be used for life not for death and destruction. While we have political freedom to speak freely, in Christ, we are not free. We are His servants representing His interests on the earth, and we are to only speak words that advance the Kingdom of God not tear down the body of Christ.
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. Ephesians 2:14-17
Secondly, Jesus does not give His allegiance to a political party or a denomination. He supersedes man-made organizations. God is not divided, and He is not taking sides with a political party. He cares about righteousness and justice. Each party may have certain issues that seem righteous and moral, but neither party is righteous and moral. As believers, we should not let political parties divide us. We should speak up about all the issues that God cares about regardless of which party has a better stance on that issue. We cannot allow a political party to define our values because any values represented by a party are a subset of what God cares about.
I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.
