I have observed that evangelicals tend to overreact to world events (a man in Israel gets a cold and someone will write a book showing how it's proof that the anti-Christ will soon be revealed).
While I have purposely avoided subjecting myself to the evangelical reaction to the recent election, I have read and heard enough to know that hyperbole is alive and well in the evangelical community.
For some the outcome of the recent election proves that all is right in the world or at least that things are finally going in the right direction.
With that being said I want to put forth three important biblical truths that I believe ought to temper and guide our reaction not only to this election but to all of the events that transpire in this world.
- Remember the fall – it seems to me that around election time many in the evangelical church seem to forget the utter depravity of man. No politician or political party is going to save America. This even begs the question as to whether or not as Christians we ought to be concerned with “saving” the American way (this is fodder for another post).
- Remember the curse – after the fall God cursed Satan and established two kingdoms—the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, or if you prefer the city of God and the city of man. As a consequence we (the church of Christ) did not win or lose anything in this election. The election represented two parties fighting for control over one of the kingdoms of this world; nothing more.
- Remember God’s providence – many have made bold claims about what this election means. But ultimately we have no idea what this election means since God puts people in power according to the secret counsel of His own will. This means that this election could bring a blessing but it is just as likely that this election is a form of God’s judgment; we simply do not know.
Finally I think we would do well to remember the simple admonition from John 16:33
"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
This morning I heard a radio preacher say that if you follow Jesus your problems don't go away but you receive a map or a compass for life. That might well be true to a certain extent but that is not the good news of the gospel; even with a map people sometimes get lost. Followers of Jesus don't get a map, they get a Christ. This means that His life of obedience becomes their life of obedience, His resurrection and exaltation is credited to them and His future victory is their future victory. As followers of Christ the life we live is not one of following directions but of living by faith in the only one capable of following directions. Paul beautifully summarizes the Christian life in Galatians 2:20 by saying:
