Last week I started talking about the value of questions. In that first post, “Questions & the Heart,” I suggested a few personal ones that can help us evaluate our walks with God. Today I want to pose some questions about Christians and politics.
It is hard to imagine anyone who knows and believes the Bible who is happy about the moral condition of our nation. That would include the state of politics and the spiritual condition of many of our politicians. It doesn’t matter which side of the political aisle you are on or who you voted for, most of us would have to admit that many in office today would never have been elected a decade ago and others would have resigned in shame.
And even though we may support many of the policies of one leader or another, most of us are tired of the posturing, the lies, the putting your finger in the wind to see which way the wind is blowing, and the loss of all common sense when it comes to many issues.
As I was writing this morning’s daily post, entitled “Do We Simply Have the Leaders We Deserve?” I started thinking and several questions came to mind. I boiled them down to these three:
Do I believe in the sovereignty of God in politics, as well as other areas of life?
Did God use flawed men in the Bible?
Can God still use flawed men today?
Questions, Politics & Flawed Men
Let’s jump right in with the questions.
Do I believe in the sovereignty of God in politics, as well as other areas of life?
Do I? Even when things, including elections, don’t go my way?
Speaking for myself, I can say “yes.” But I wish I could, also, say I have never complained about who God has allowed to be in office during one administration or another.
In Job 42, Job said,
2 “I know that you can do anything and that no one can stop you. 3 You ask who it is who has so foolishly denied your providence. It is I. I was talking about things I knew nothing about and did not understand, things far too wonderful for me (NLT).
I realize that when I complain about the things God allows, I’m also complaining against God’s sovereignty.
Psalm 115.3 says:
But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases (NASB).
Proverbs 19.21 says:
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
And Romans 9.21:
Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
And there are many others. Just Google Bible verses on the sovereignty of God and you’ll find dozens.
Did God use flawed men in the Bible?
You don’t have to go very far in the Bible narrative to answer that question.
We could start with Adam who stood by and, apparently did little or nothing to stop his wife from eating the forbidden fruit. He was, after all right there with her (Gen. 3.6).
Or we could talk about Samson and his escapades with women. One by the name of Delilah would be his downfall. Yet, even in his death, he destroyed more of God’s enemies than in all the rest of his life (Jud. 16.30).
Or how about Noah? After he withstood years of persecution to build the ark, he planted a vineyard and got drunk (Gen. 9.20-21).
Abraham, the father of faith, was so faithless he told his wife Sarah to lie to protect him on two different occasions (Gen. 12.11-13, 20.2).
Or how about Jonah? He was responsible for one of the greatest revivals ever … right after he disobeyed God, ran in the opposite direction, and almost cost a ship full of sailors their lives (Jon. 1.1-5, 3.1-10).
And what about David and Solomon? Both were greatly used by God. God called David a man after His own heart (Acts 13.22). And Solomon was one of the wisest men who ever lived (1 Ki. 4.30). Yet, both had major problems with women (2 Sam. 5.13, 11.2-4; 1 Ki. 11.3).
Peter denied the Lord (Lk. 22.54-62), yet went on to lead the early church and die a martyr’s death.
And I could list many more, including Lot, Isaac, Gideon, Jephthah, Moses, Jacob, Job, and Paul.
Flawed men, yet God in His sovereign will used them to accomplish His purposes.
Can God still use flawed men today?
The fact is, He does. Each one of us is flawed.
God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13.8). The same God who used David, Peter, and Jonah can and will use flawed, sinful men today for His divine purposes. It is not that He looks the other way when it comes to sin. In fact, we can see many instances in the Bible where He allowed His flawed sinful people to suffer the consequences of their behavior. But He doesn’t need perfect human beings to bring about His perfect will. That fact that He uses any of us speaks of His great mercy, power, and grace.
The truth is, if I’m going to be honest, sometimes I just don’t like His plans. I want my will not HIs. So instead of praying, believing and trusting, I’d rather grumble and complain. But, with His help, I’m working on that.
How about you? How would you answer those questions? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Here is what has been happening this past week at Soul Survival:
“Do We Simply Have the Leaders We Deserve?”
“When You Feel You’ve Let god Down”
“Can Anything Good Come from Persecution?”
“The Battle for Truth & Religious Liberty”
And in case you missed it, our last newsletter:
Coming Up in the Daily Posts:
In the coming days, we’ll talk about how to tell the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow, one cause of paranoia, how to respond to instruction, what to do to be used by God, and the homework God gives.
Be sure to sign up here so you won’t miss any of these upcoming daily posts.
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Blessings,
Donna
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