IS POLLING SPLINTERING YOUR CHURCH?

IS POLLING SPLINTERING YOU CHURCH?

Sunday, October 30, 2016

  How is your local assembly doing as the political election draws near? Some churches are silently or vociferously splintered as members disagree over who to vote for. I hope your local church is not doing so. We must not lose sight of the truth that we are Christians, God’s John 1:12 family, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven first, last, and always. But are we in always in all ways living the part?

  Indeed, as salt and light we are to exercise influence whenever wherever we can in the world. This includes voting. It does not include political contentions superseding our eternal citizenship to be lived in concord.

  From the Word, a few topical verses to consider:

Psalm [ESV] 133:1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

1Corinthians 3:1-4 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, "I follow Paul [Donald]," and another, "I follow Apollos [Hillary]," are you not being merely human?

1Corinthians 12:25-27 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Ephesians 4:1-6 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Philippians 2:1-4 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

  Salt and light acted out to the fullest degree may entail gracefully chauffeuring a Christian elderly non-driver to the polls when you strongly suspect, or even know, they are going to vote for the other party.

For now and when after all here is said and done who is it that takes the measure?

EBB4