Inconvenient Biblical Teaching - Political Issues

"When someone comes to you telling about another Jesus whom we didn’t tell you about, you’re willing to put up with it. When you receive a spirit that is different from the Spirit you received earlier, you’re also willing to put up with that. When someone tells you good news that is different from the Good News you already accepted, you’re willing to put up with that too."
-The Apostle Paul, witing to first church in the City of Corinth, 1st century, A.D.
2 Corinthian 11:4

[10th message of the Why I Don't Believe Series]

The messages in this series discuss how some people who reject Christianity do so because they either cannot accept an inconvenient biblical teaching, or they have an irreconcilable stance against the teachings of Jesus the Christ.

This is understandable as all of us do not want anyone telling us what to do. The bible actually alludes to this as free will. We have also discussed that some people do the opposite as they find themselves doing what other people tells or expects them to do -- one reason for this is peer pressure or because they do not wish to be cancelled (a fate worse than death in some societies).

But Jesus Didn't Teach That

So much of what people dislike about Christianity has actually nothing to do with Christ Jesus or about Christianity.

In fact what normally turns off most people about Christianity has to do with people who profess to be Christians but actually knows very little about Christ (so we can say they are Christians in name only).

Political

Humans are by nature, political beings and many people have made everything political, including those who profess to be Christians.

Every little thing is political now. And people have taken a side by selecting their political parties. Many seems to be more involved in politics than the politicians themselves.

Every politician is first and foremost a career person, they are in it for the long haul. To do so they have their plans (both short term and long term). They have their own agenda, their party's agenda and by common sense they will not be transparent about any of those. If anything the business of politics like show business or the news are not to be transparent. In fact everything about them are blurry and muddled, in a need to know basis and exclusive.

Not Political

Christ wasn't a political figure. He wasn't concerned about Himself, in fact He cared not about Himself but of others.

He didn't care about His reputation, about ratings or if people will vote for Him or not.

He cared not about His interests or the interests of His mother or His family or His family's business.

He didn't involve Himself with politics. If anything He said to give Ceasar what is due Ceasar (referring to the payment of taxes even to a corrupt and oppressive government) and to obey their authorities and to pray for them.

The Gospel Message

Christ has one message, the one He spent over three years to share with anyone who cares to hear about it. When He was done, He commissioned His closest followers to bring His message to the ends of the earth. And it is now finally being fulfilled in our generation (through social media, the internet, TV, radio and new technology).

The gospel message is the Kingdom of God. It is above any political party and any government.

This is probably why Jesus said this:

“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

when asked about the prevailing social injustice in His time.

Everyone Welcome

And the political climate during the time of Jesus would have been far worse than it is now.  At their time Rome ruled what was the known world. There are certain areas where they have their own rulers but they were  allies of Rome. The rest have Roman appointed leaders and everyone were Roman subjects.

Jesus would have never cared if one is blue, red, green or whatever poltical color. He would not have been concerned with that.

He would not have been concerned with the color of our skin, our social or economic status, physical condition, educational attainment, age, gender, our accent or where we came from.

What He would be concerned about is where everyone of us are going and how to help us get to where He went to. Heaven is a place God has prepared for His creation. The Kingdom of God being there in the afterlife but also here now in our life on earth -- living a life free from the limitations set by government rulers and politicians.

Free Will

But as we have mentioned in previous messages of this series, all of us are given free will and the freedom to choose how we live our life.

Christ respects that and respects our freedom to choose our political colors.

When we respect each other's right to choose and see others in the same way God sees us -- one color, one citizenship (a citizenship in heaven) then this world will be a better place (like heaven on earth).

None of us has the right to judge anyone's choices. To God we are all made righteous by Jesus Christ.

Why I Don't Believe Series