PRELUDE TO NAVIGATING TRUMP
Perhaps one of the most divisive political figures in American history is President Donald Trump. Christians are divided about him. Some don’t see how a Christian could ever vote for Donald Trump while others don’t see how Christians could do anything but vote for Donald Trump.
Let’s talk a little bit about navigating the problem of President Trump. (I’m pretty sure it’s going to take more than one blog.)
First, let’s remember that it’s not our job to decide who’s a Christian and who isn’t. That’s ultimately in God’s hands. Good Christians can be mistaken about things, including political issues and political candidates.
But let’s remember that it is our job – or perhaps better, the job of church leadership – to determine who may be permitted into the membership of our local church.
People sometimes forget this. They think Jesus taught us to love (He did) and that love means uncritical acceptance of everyone (it doesn’t). Neither Jesus nor the apostles welcomed everyone. The New Testament makes it clear that some must be kept out of the church because of their beliefs and/or their practices.
But that shouldn’t apply to politics, should it? We should welcome professing Christians into our church no matter what their political stripe, shouldn’t we?
So how would you like our elders to handle a committed member of the Nazi Party who wants to become a member of our church?
If someone seeks membership in our church holding Christian doctrine in one hand and Nazi political ideology in the other, he is going to be confronted and called upon to repent, and he is definitely not going to be granted membership. Those two ideologies are at odds with one another and cannot be meshed.
It seems to me unrealistic to say that one’s politics have nothing to do with one’s faith.
The next question is “What other political positions today are at odds with our Christian faith?”
Let’s talk a little bit about navigating the problem of President Trump. (I’m pretty sure it’s going to take more than one blog.)
First, let’s remember that it’s not our job to decide who’s a Christian and who isn’t. That’s ultimately in God’s hands. Good Christians can be mistaken about things, including political issues and political candidates.
But let’s remember that it is our job – or perhaps better, the job of church leadership – to determine who may be permitted into the membership of our local church.
People sometimes forget this. They think Jesus taught us to love (He did) and that love means uncritical acceptance of everyone (it doesn’t). Neither Jesus nor the apostles welcomed everyone. The New Testament makes it clear that some must be kept out of the church because of their beliefs and/or their practices.
But that shouldn’t apply to politics, should it? We should welcome professing Christians into our church no matter what their political stripe, shouldn’t we?
So how would you like our elders to handle a committed member of the Nazi Party who wants to become a member of our church?
If someone seeks membership in our church holding Christian doctrine in one hand and Nazi political ideology in the other, he is going to be confronted and called upon to repent, and he is definitely not going to be granted membership. Those two ideologies are at odds with one another and cannot be meshed.
It seems to me unrealistic to say that one’s politics have nothing to do with one’s faith.
The next question is “What other political positions today are at odds with our Christian faith?”