Unity in an Election Season
Over the coming weeks we will be inundated with constant new coverage and personal political opinions as we approach the election. Satan would rejoice to see allegiances to political parties (kingdoms) outweigh and overpower the unity of the citizens of God’s Kingdom. There is a threat we will face in the coming weeks of allowing politics to influence and impact our unity in Christ if we choose to fight for our political affiliations rather than fight for unity in the Spirit and the bond of peace. As an older faithful pastor once said, “Conflict in the church brings glory to Satan and disgraces God.” (Kent Hughes)
Recognizing this potential threat, we need to remind ourselves of what we affirmed in our statement of faith as members of Emmaus Church when we joined one another, covenanting together through church membership.
Though our ultimate hope is not in governmental policies or politics, we believe Christians have an ethical responsibility, to the extent that they are able, to promote and practice biblical justice and morality to and within a lost and dying world. We believe that Civil Government is of Divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; government officials are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed— except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the King of the kings of the earth.
This statement we affirmed when we joined Emmaus reminds us of few truths from God’s Word:
Our hope is not in our government or governing officials. Meaning when a candidate is put in office we don’t overly celebrate neither do we overly despair. We remember earthly rule is short-lived and under a higher authority because we know that no matter who is in a governing position, they have been put there by God (Rom. 13). We trust God and his ways, leaning on not on our own understanding but on God’s sovereign rule. We also remember that under God’s providence we have been sovereignly placed in a time and place where we have the privilege of having say in who we support towards governing positions. Therefore, we have a responsibility to care and seek to be as faithful as we can to God’s Word in the stewardship of our rights as citizens in this country. As we know that no political party is synonymous with Christianity, we recognize that our responsibility as citizens of Heaven is to regularly pray for all our governing officials despite their political affiliations.
Brothers and sisters of Emmaus, let us protect from the schemes of Satan by maintaining a right and true perspective on civil government, our role in it, and our hope in God alone. Let us not value our earthly leaders over our eternal King. Let us, by the power of the Spirit we share in our unity in Christ, strive to stir one another up in love and good works seeking to be a faithful outpost of Heaven in our life together rather than just another group of people who can easily be divided by our political opinions. The unity we share in Christ is stronger, sweeter, and more sustainable than any unity we could ever have in our political opinions.