Politics: violence and Emotion or Reconciliation

[HKHaugan]

Politics: Violence and Emotion or Reconciliation, Your Choice 

The words of Hebrew Scripture set the stage for the coming of the Messiah and continue to reveal His plan for human reconciliation. But reconciliation doesn’t start with intellect or psychology or religion or just the desire to ‘get back to the way things used to be.’ It starts with a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (2Cor.5:19). 

It is the Lord God Adam and Eve decided to leave out of their lives. When they stopped looking at Him they lost their relational grip. The spirit of sin took over. They lost intimacy with God and one another. That’s when mankind fell apart and we inherited their condition. What they did was to listen to the words of the devil and not God’s 

The fact that both Genesis, the first book in the Old Testament, and John’s Gospel, the fourth book in the New Testament, start with “In the beginning.” Here it becomes apparent that what follows in both is the Spirit of God empowering something new. The first was visible Creation and restoring morality through the Law. The second was God’s self-revelation in Jesus His Son through whom intimacy and eternal life was restored. Thus, every moment of life became a new and engaging spiritual experience of God restoring each believer personally and relationally.

 Not only that but what both imply.

 The first, God’s mental and physical power. The second, His spiritual personal reality. Further, both emphasize that what is behind everything we see, is everything we can’t see. This means that everything visible holds within it a spiritual meaning. Apply this principle to both and we suddenly discover that all the Old Testament stories are to be read for their spiritual significance, their fulfillment leading us to the New Testament stories which are to be applied personally. Both contain newness since both imply that every moment, event and experience is brand new all the time in every new believer. The universe may seem to be the same in the way it is contained, maintained and sustained. But it too has tremendous movement within it. The words of Scripture are the same. They remain unchanged as God remains the same to keep newness moving and everything He has created is moving forward because Creation itself implies He is looking forward. He has a plan He is working out through Jesus Christ. And, He is calling us to be a part of it.

 If we know all this, it’s important we understand the enemy working against God and us. The devil rebelled against God and was thrown down to earth. Jesus saw him fall like lightning from Heaven (Lk.10:18). He is angry, alone, afraid and depressed, a menu for evil aggression. His strategy is to infect everyone with his self-centeredness and carry his menu. Then to use that menu to keep people from looking forward spiritually, from being spiritually creative and being spiritually reconciled and unified. He wants to destroy relational life, unique individuality, making everyone think the same, look the same and feel totally and ultimately alone. You can see his work in the media reporting riots, the violent demonstrations and promoting the subtle atmosphere of political correctness that thrives on the spirit of fear. Then you have the harassment of those who don’t fit the political agenda of the harassers who have the backing of hidden demonic conspirators who finance their activity. You can see it and feel it in the faces of hate and voices of obscenity-filled rhetoric that have neither reason nor meaning in their uncontrollable rage. This is the nature of satan, the devil, who is constantly raging against God.

 The devil is the master of deceit, the father of lies, the inciter of rage and mindless anger. You can see it on your TV, read about it in the news and witness it in the unsettledness around us. The devil shifts our focus to personalities to hate as opposed to the personal, relational and economic issues that move a society.

 I pose this question to consider. What is more important in politics, the personality of the politician or the policies he or she backs? Let’s carry it further. Is it the appearance, the way they carry themselves, their hairdo, my personal evaluation of them, or what they stand for? Which is more important? Now this, do I judge a candidate on what I know about them personally or what the media show me and tell me and the opinion of others. How can I judge someone I don’t know personally? Wouldn’t it be more mature to make a political assessment based on issues and policies that determine the security, economic progress and provide opportunities for the population for which they are responsible?

 Personally, I stand on the truth that I cannot judge someone I don’t know personally because that is how I will be judged by others and at the end of my life by the Lord. If I call someone I don’t know a racist, or any name for that matter, am I not also under the same judgment? When I choose politicians, who do I allow to influence my judgment calls? Is it the impersonal media, friends or some distant voice?

 For myself, I choose objective policies not subjective personality judgments. I choose issues that affect the lives of people and communities, someone who supports economic growth, protects individual human life from conception, guards against foreign intrusion from illegal immigration and military threats, regulates free enterprise minimally and prosecutes economic offenders maximally, defends religious freedom, seeks to promote the welfare of its citizens, keeps our formative history in the forefront of education and maintains strong law enforcement and citizens’ rights but aggressive screening of those who enter our country from abroad. The envy, jealousy and hate that motivate some foreign nationals is a dire threat in this age of technological advancement. Many in the Middle East and other places would like nothing better than to see this country go down in flames. Some of their voices are heard right here in this country and vigilance is necessary.  

 If we are believers, our first priority is prayer. Prayer for those we elect known or not known personally. Prayer for the people we know in the different tasks they have. Our second concern is to be witnesses to the truth of a loving God in Jesus Christ wherever and with whomever we are. Our third need is to participate in the political process, to be informed about the actual policies that affect the lives in our communities and keep in office those who best support the values and principles that made our country what it is today.

 It is not about their personalities. No one is perfect. No one is a role model. We are not voting for role models. We are voting for policies and programs. It is about their ability to maintain with consistency those policies that keep us employed, viable competitors in the economic world and socially and militarily protected against those who would destroy our individual citizen’s rights as established in our Constitution. These three work together in our daily witness and are the basis for reconciliation in the world.

 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore, one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience (Romans 13:1-6).”

 Our guide:

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb.4:12).”