Racism and The Church

The past Presidential election has shown that when it comes to voting many Americans allowed race to be the key factor in their decision. This should not have been the case for professing Christians but sadly it was. One thing that I have learned is that for some Americans there is a thin line between their loyalty to God and their loyalty to their race. I personally know many professing Christians that voted for Obama despite his views on gay marriage, abortion, Christianity, etc. The overall explanation that I've heard for Christians voting against their beliefs is that they wanted to see a black President. Now there are Christian organizations using racism as a means to get their agenda accomplished. Either your identity is in Christ or your race. I have resolved that Jesus alone is my savior not President Obama.


Grace & Peace

I'm often dumbfounded when I hear Christians justify the moral failures of pastors or others in some type of ministry position. Where did accountability go? Did we lose sight of the big picture? God has a standard and we are in no position to lower that standard. The issue isn't judging but rather holding one another accountable so that God is honored in how we live our lives. Of course, when we do rebuke one another it should be done in love.

I have talked to numerous people about biblical issues only to see that their emotions and feelings have more influence over their beliefs and decisions than scripture. Our feelings and emotions should never cause us to go against what we know to be true according to God's word. All Christians should have a Christian worldview that helps them to see everything through the right lens; when we don't our vision gets blurred and when our vision is blurred we cannot discern truth from error. It is a sad day in Christianity when pastors and other leaders commit adultery, fornication, etc and they are not held accountable or when they are held accountable the "don't judge" card is thrown out. Many Christians quote the "all have fallen short" scripture to justify moral failures within the church.

Sin should never be justified but condemned. No, we are not perfect but when we fail to meet God's standards we should be held accountable. We will not live sinless but we should sin less as we grow more into the likeness of Christ. So I encourage you not to view accountability as judging but rather as a necessary obligation we have to one another. "But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (3:13).

A balanced and biblical view of Obama

Ligon Duncan offers this helpful response to how we should view Obama:

For those Christians who are more concerned than overjoyed about the prospects of an Obama presidency, there should be a remembrance that as our President, Barack Obama will have God-given authority to govern us, and that we should view him as a servant of God (Rom. 13:1, 4) to whom we should be subject (Rom. 13:1, 5; 1 Pet. 2:13-14). Thus, again, we are to pray for Barack Obama (1 Tim. 2:1-2). We are to thank God for Barack Obama (1 Tim. 2:1-2). We are to respect Barack Obama (Rom. 13:7). We are to honor Barack Obama (Rom. 13:7; 1 Pet. 2:17).

For those Christians who are more overjoyed than concerned about the prospects of an Obama presidency, there should be a remembrance of our ultimate allegiance: Jesus is Lord (and thus, He, not we, decides what is right and wrong), we serve God not man, and the Lord himself has promised to establish “the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him” (Malachi 3:18). Thus, where our new president opposes or undermines biblical moral standards in our society, fails to uphold justice for the unborn, undermines religious liberties or condones an ethos that is hostile to the Gospel, we will pray for God’s purposes to triumph over our President’s plans and policies.