FALSE GODS ARE FALSE HOPES.

I am sometimes asked, “Why do you, a retired minister, speak or write so frequently on political topics? Is not your highest calling to declare the good news of God’s kingdom in Jesus Christ?” Are you being unfaithful to the “spirituality of the church?” I ordinarily reply in some of these ways:

First, the Gospel of Christ's kingdom is political, but not partisan. When the first followers of Jesus confessed, “Christ is Lord,” they risked their lives. They would pay taxes and honor the government (render to Caesar what was Caesar's), but would not confess Caesar as lord. When Jesus testified to Pilate, My kingdom is not of this world, (John 18:36) he was crucified by self-preserving Jewish politicians who alleged Jesus was a threat to the Roman emperor.

Second, now retired from vocational ministry, I am not diluting or distracting myself from the ministry of God’s Word. As a registered Independent voter, I do not misrepresent any church or ministry as endorsing one party over the other. Neither major political party fully complies with the biblical values of Christians. There is no “Christian party," and it's increasingly difficult for a Christian to be "all-in" on every political agenda or platform.

Third, and most important, my efforts to do “public theology,” to seek the common good, remains an intensely pastoral calling in these times. I often cite the Apostle’s words: I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3) Too many churches and professing Christians now seek to achieve kingdom goals with worldly, political means. When the Bride of Christ is being seduced by politicians, can a Christian minister remain silent?

At the start of his public ministry, Jesus was tested by the devil, who showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, ‘To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.’ (Luke 4:5-6) The Apostle Paul reminded Christians that though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. (2 Corinthians 10:3) The elderly Apostle John ended his first letter: We are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ … the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

The topic of American idolatry is so timely because many American Christians and churches have concluded that kingdom goals and Christian values can be, or must be, advanced through worldly means. But false gods will seduce you into harmful false hopes.

So I seek to do some “public theology,” so that Christians will be salt and light, Christ's ambassadors, and local churches will become Kingdom embassies, to pursue the common social good of our neighbors. In the following posts I will note that false gods will not only FAIL you, but also DISFIGURE you and HARM you and others.