Now that the presidential election is finally over, what should be our response to the outcome? I do not want to dive into details of policy issues even though those things will significantly affect us all. I did however want to share some general insight about how we, as Christians, might seize the opportunities that this election has placed before us.
First, we should seize this opportunity to praise God. The only reason I can say this is because I believe in the absolute sovereignty of God. While the outcome of the election was not what I had hoped and prayed for, I trust that God directed the outcome. His will was not thwarted and His plans were not subverted by “the will of the people.” There are no emergency meetings going on in Heaven today! Listen to Job 12:23, “He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.” We can praise God because He is still on His throne and because He will accomplish His plans through our next president. Even if those plans are to bring us to brokenness and repentance as a nation.
Second, we should seize this opportunity to honor God’s Word. Listen to 1 Peter 2:13-14;17 - “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” As many of you know, Nero, the insane tyrant who joyfully martyred scores of Christians, was the Roman emperor Peter is telling his readers to “subject” themselves to and to “honor”.
We must not allow the outcome of any election to cause us to act contrary to this command of our Lord. We must honor the president because through God alone has he received his authority to lead this country. In John 19:10-11 Jesus confirms this to Pontius Pilate, “Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?’ Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.”
We must also subject ourselves to the president’s authority even when we do not agree with his positions and policies. Of course God is our ultimate authority. Our subjection to church and governmental leaders is conditioned on them not causing us to violate biblical principles. I urge you to read all of 1 Peter 2 to see how Christ provided this example for us to follow.
Third, we should seize this opportunity to trust God. He will direct the heart of our new president. Proverbs 21:1 says “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” God works through both godly and ungodly rulers to bring His will to pass. A good friend of mine is fond of saying “When we look at the world around us, we say everything is falling apart. When God looks down from heaven, He says everything is coming together.” I am trusting that God will be active in directing the decisions and policies of a new administration to accomplish His purposes.
First, we should seize this opportunity to praise God. The only reason I can say this is because I believe in the absolute sovereignty of God. While the outcome of the election was not what I had hoped and prayed for, I trust that God directed the outcome. His will was not thwarted and His plans were not subverted by “the will of the people.” There are no emergency meetings going on in Heaven today! Listen to Job 12:23, “He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.” We can praise God because He is still on His throne and because He will accomplish His plans through our next president. Even if those plans are to bring us to brokenness and repentance as a nation.
Second, we should seize this opportunity to honor God’s Word. Listen to 1 Peter 2:13-14;17 - “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” As many of you know, Nero, the insane tyrant who joyfully martyred scores of Christians, was the Roman emperor Peter is telling his readers to “subject” themselves to and to “honor”.
We must not allow the outcome of any election to cause us to act contrary to this command of our Lord. We must honor the president because through God alone has he received his authority to lead this country. In John 19:10-11 Jesus confirms this to Pontius Pilate, “Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?’ Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.”
We must also subject ourselves to the president’s authority even when we do not agree with his positions and policies. Of course God is our ultimate authority. Our subjection to church and governmental leaders is conditioned on them not causing us to violate biblical principles. I urge you to read all of 1 Peter 2 to see how Christ provided this example for us to follow.
Third, we should seize this opportunity to trust God. He will direct the heart of our new president. Proverbs 21:1 says “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” God works through both godly and ungodly rulers to bring His will to pass. A good friend of mine is fond of saying “When we look at the world around us, we say everything is falling apart. When God looks down from heaven, He says everything is coming together.” I am trusting that God will be active in directing the decisions and policies of a new administration to accomplish His purposes.
Finally, we should seize this opportunity to teach our children. This election provides a multitude of talking points where families can discuss important issues concerning our government, society, and culture. If your children are old enough to discuss the issues, use this election to help them develop a biblical worldview.
Continue to pray for our country, our president (both current and future), our legislators, and for our Supreme Court. You may ask, if I truly believe that God is in control and His plans will come to fruition, why encourage prayer? Let me close with this quote by Arthur W. Pink:
“To affirm that God will not and cannot bring to pass His eternal purpose unless we pray, is utterly erroneous, for the same God who has decreed the end has also decreed that His end shall be reached through His appointed means, and one of these is prayer.”
Grace and Peace,
David
2 comments:
thanks for the encouragment and reminder
one thing I've been lead to pray and discuss w/ my child is that our citizenship is truly in heaven and His kingdom is not built politically but supernaturally...
Praise our King of Kings!
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