The Election Is Over And Deliverance Is Here…Or Is It?

Before we get to today’s article, I just want to mention that am writing from the perspective of a man that has experienced many of the challenges of which I write…. and those spiritual battles continue daily. The articles are implications of what it means to obey the commandment to raise your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. They require some reflection and are particularly for Christians who, as Peter would say, are diligently seeking to confirm their calling and are making every effort to supplement their faith. Said more succinctly, serious Christians. If you know other believers who desire to walk more faithfully with the Lord, please forward an article to them and tell them to sign up for future articles. Thanks so much!

The Election Is Over And Deliverance Is Here…Or Is It?

This has been a hard article to write, and I have vacillated many times this week over whether or not to write it at all. Why? Because I am stepping into an area of passion for many people and there is a good chance that I will be misunderstood. That said, it begins.

First, I want to say that like many Christians in America, I am happy about the latest Presidential election results. I believe we can anticipate a respite from liberal government laws that have been pushed into American culture for many years. From a Conservative Christian’s point of view, Progressive Liberals have worked hard to undermine traditional conservative values regarding family, gender, education, meritocracy, and more. These conservative values were the heart of America for hundreds of years. They were based on the United States Constitution and Declaration of Independence and rooted ultimately in a Christian worldview.

So far, so good, right? Yes, but Christians need to think more deeply about what is happening. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tell us that there is a god of this world and according to 1 Peter 5:8, that god, or devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour, and we need to be sober. Ephesians 6 describes him as the schemer and describes the armor that we need to extinguish his fiery darts. He is always scheming to deceive us, and he is playing the long game.

We may listen in to a kind of conversation that was illustrated for us by C.S. Lewis in his book, “The Screwtape Letters.” In that wonderful book, Lewis gives us a window into a fictitious discussion between the devil and one of his minions with the intention of helping Christians understand the devil’s schemes. It might sound something like this:

Devil: Listen carefully my slave. It has taken about 40 years to accomplish my plan, but it is now bearing new fruit. We have provoked God’s people long enough that they have become desperate for change. We have invited them to anger and anxiety and, in the process, have tempted them to look for help apart from their so called, King Jesus.

Minion: why is that important?

Devil: Because if we starve them long enough, they will be willing to accept and support things that they would have never before.

Minion: Such as?

Devil: For example, their leaders. There was a time when a man running for office would be immediately rejected if he had committed crimes or had foul speech. But because we have succeeded in reducing morality, that man is not only accepted but celebrated. And as a bonus, we have even convinced his followers, many of whom say they love that terrible Jesus, to behave in the same way. In fact, they believe that in order to win, they have no choice but to speak as their opposition. They show no fear before their God of their words. They are now fighting for spiritual things with worldly ways.

Minion: We must celebrate, my sire!

Devil: No, there is more for you to learn. I want you to take note of our combined tactics and how they work together. You see, we have also been able to get them to love all of the conveniences and worthless things in this world. So, by making it harder for them to fill their desires, they long for a deliverer who can restore their deprivations.

Minion: This is truly amazing. Can we celebrate now?

Devil: Not just yet. You need to learn more. Now that we have come this far, we need to drive home the full effect. I have been able to convince some that creating a Bible with the new leader’s name on it is a wonderful idea. In fact, we have been able to create a Bible that takes advantage of Christians’ gratitude for this new President and his desire to honor the laws of the land by placing those laws in the same book as the Holy Word of God! In addition, I am working on getting a Christian flag raised at the White House and maybe a Cross in the garden. In that way we may be able to get more Christians to believe that the country is returning to Christianity and have less urgency for evangelism- even though not one person in the country placed their faith in that Christ because of the election.

Minion: Surely master, you are wiser than Jehovah!

Well, enough of that illustration and I hope you are beginning to see my concern. But before I ramble on, I want to make clear what I am not saying.

I am not saying the President is not a Christian. That is not for me to say- only God knows.
I am not claiming that every Christian is thinking this way. I am just sharing my observations over the last several years.
Am I saying that I am offended by the new Bible? Yes, I am. Apart from some notes to help a person better understand the Bible, I believe nothing should be placed alongside the Holy Word of God.

So, let’s go to the Word of God for more insight because 1 Corinthians 10:11 says, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.”

First, we have to be careful not to think like everyone else. In Deuteronomy, God gives His people very specific instructions that they must be careful not to intertwine themselves with other nations because if they do, they will begin to believe what they believe, which was an abomination to God. Paul puts it plainly Romans 12:2 where he says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Secondly, we all have a tendency in our hearts to place our dependence on the things of this world rather entirely on God. Because of this sinful tendency, God did not want His people to have a king, but in a moment of chastening for their desire to be like the nations around them, He gave them a king and you can read of the disastrous results in 1 Samuel, chapters 7 through 15. However, in fairness, it is important to note that through the years there were good kings who ruled Israel. These good kings were the men who destroyed the idols and false worship that had been established in the land by their predecessors. In fact, even the kings who were not Jews were used by God to bless His people. Nehemiah (Nehemiah chapter 2) was blessed to rebuild Jerusalem by king Artaxerxes as was Ezra blessed by King Darius (Ezra Chapter 6). Thankfully, Proverbs 21 tells us, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever he will.”

Another example of how our hearts are prone to wander toward a reliance on earthly things is shown in 1 Chronicles 21 where David sinfully takes a census of Israel and God kills 70,000 men as a punishment. Clearly, God demands we rely on Him only.

And finally, there is the example of the Jews and their desire for greater freedom not from the power and punishment that sin brings, but freedom from their oppression under the Romans. This was used by Satan to blind the mind of unbelievers so they could not see the glory of Jesus Christ, even as He walked among them!

Brothers and sisters, we must be vigilant. We must be sober. We must guard our hearts against being drawn into any thinking there is something other than the pure gospel that truly can change this world for God’s glory. It is not a particular political party or Conservatism that will change the world in a way that pleases God. It is not Conservatism plus the gospel because the gospel plus anything is cursed by God (Galatians 1:8). It is the gospel alone. And we need to find ourselves speaking more easily of the gospel than politics. Can we do that? With God helping us, we will.