Politics or the Gospel?

"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence" (John 18:36).

The fact that Christ's Kingdom Is not of this world is enough to keep me out of the world's politics. If I participate in politics, then I am casting a vote of confidence in the system's ability to solve the world's problems. But frankly, I have no such confidence because I know that "the whole world lieth in wickedness" (1 John 5:19).

Politics has proved singularly ineffective in solving the problems of society. Political remedies are nothing but a band-aid on a festering sore: they do not get at the source of the infection. We know that sin is the basic trouble in our sick society. Anything that fails to deal with sin cannot be taken seriously as a cure.

It becomes a matter of priorities, then. Should I spend time in political involvement or should I devote that same time to the spread of the gospel? Jesus answered the question when He said, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:60). Our top priority must be to make Christ known because He is the answer to the world's problems.

--William MacDonald, One Day at a Time, Gospel Folio Press, p. 24.


What a great reminder that we are not citizens of this world, our citizenship is in heaven! As Christians, our chief concern is not to be in the dealings of the world, but the dealings of the Kingdom of Heaven. If Christians spent half the time spreading the news of the gospel that we spend spreading our politics, what wondrous things could God accomplish through us?

Rejoice in the Lord!

Philippians 3:1 (NKJV)
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

Paul here repeats himself. He is saying, it’s not tedious, and should not be tedious to you for me to write the same things over and over again. It is a safeguard for you, hearing me repeat these things over and over will help ensure that you receive them and accept them into your heart, not just let them go in one ear and out the other.

So what is it that he is repeating to them? Rejoice in the Lord! He wants them to get back to the root of their faith, to remember why they do what they do, to remember why they act how they act, and to remember for whom they endure hardship. Rejoice in the Lord! For He is Good! When we get back to simply rejoicing in Jesus, we tend to forget about the troubles we have, we tend to not try so hard to be good Christians, and we start to reflect Christ, because we are with Him, and He is working in and through us! Joy wells up inside of us because of our relationship with our Father in Heaven, and we begin to overflow and rejoice.

Are you rejoicing in the Lord? Are you delighting in His face? Are you basking in His Glory? If not, stop whatever you’re doing, whether it’s trying to be a good Christian, feeling bad about your past, feeling busy, feeling lost, hopeless or empty. STOP!

And rejoice in the Lord!

As the old hymn goes, turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.