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Wednesday, November 08, 2006

U.S. Christians Guilty of "Political Idolatry," says New Zealand evangelist

New Zealand Andrew Strom is a revivalist with a strong message and, after living in the US for a bit, I think he's had enough of us. I don't recommend all his writings, but in the wake of the elections yesterday I thought you would find his comments today thought-provoking. Ignore the caps if you can:

Something I find a little distressing in America is that the Christians are so often relying on POLITICS to accomplish SPIRITUAL results. Thus they ally themselves fervently with one particular party and treat it like "God has won" if that party wins - and "God has lost" if it doesn't. I almost see this as a kind of BLINDNESS.

The fact is - most of America's problems today are SPIRITUAL problems that can only be solved by a sweeping move of God's Spirit. Yet we are relying on Politics and Politicians to accomplish many of these things?? How bizarre!

How bizarre that we strive and strive to get the "right (worldly) guy" elected. How bizarre that we treat the President like some kind of mega-preacher or mega-minister. We put our "hope" in him and his Political party for all kinds of SPIRITUAL things! What is wrong with us?

I don't know of any other country where the Christians put such hope in worldly political parties for things that ONLY GOD CAN DO. Is this not a kind of IDOLATRY??

Yes - there are issues of righteousness to be concerned with - and it is good to vote. But what is with this OBSESSION with Politics amongst the Christians? Do we not realize it is a kind of "phony war"? Imagine if we spent all that time PRAYING instead of STRIVING for Political victory. We might be actually having a Revival right now!

Can Politics make America truly righteous? NO! Only GOD can do that!

I want to issue a call to all true Christians right now: "REPENT of trusting in MAN instead of God. REPENT of trusting in Politics to do things that only God can do. REPENT of striving and striving to get the "right party" in power - and thinking that will solve this country's SPIRITUAL problems. REPENT of making an IDOL out of any party or any PRESIDENT. The Presidency does NOT equal God's move! REPENT of putting so much energy and effort into things that WILL NOT SOLVE the PROBLEM!

If only the Christians of this nation would PRAY instead of running to POLITICAL ACTIVISM - everything would be different.

What if all of this is a false trust - a false hope - a false gospel? What if our worship of Republicanism is out and out IDOLATRY??

God help us all.

How much truth is there in this? What do you think?

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I must agree.
We have to look to God.
Thanks

Anonymous said...

I'm reminded of some lyrics sung by Sting,

"Men go crazy in congregations,
they only get better one by one."

My relationship with God is personal, between me and him. Politics cannot legislate a personal relationship. A righteous nation is built from the bottom up, from a foundation of righteous individuals; not from the top down.

If the majority were righteous, then politics would not be needed to "make" a righteous nation, as it would be that already!

Anonymous said...

I agree that many of America's problems, even the WORLD'S problems, are spiritual.

My solution would be a huge flush of religion off the planet.

Man's been killing in the name of a god for thousands of years. You'd think we would have figured out by now that religion is the problem, not the solution.