Faith And Voting
Christians Being Salt and Light

Matt. 5:13-16; “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Ezekiel 45:9 "Thus says the Lord God...Put away violence and oppression and do what is right and just."

Our calling as Christians is to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).  In this text the word “contend” means to strive, fight, or struggle to preserve, defend, and advance the “faith”, i.e., the fixed body of truth and doctrine, that is given to us in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

This duty to earnestly strive for the truth of Scripture is the call from God upon all true Christians at all times and in all circumstances. Christians must stand for the truth and openly seek to advance the cause of Christ in private and in public, in the church and in the state, in their family and in their community. Christian political endeavor needs to be understood in the context of contending for the faith.  The doctrines and principles of Scripture that directly relate to the social and political sphere must be discerned and applied.. .READ

Many in the church are uncomfortable with the terms “liberal” and “conservative,” stating that God is neither a liberal nor a conservative.  Others say He is both liberal and conservative.  The terms are used today to define where one stands in the arena of politics.

Some are firmly convinced that politics have no place in the church.  Others contend that since Jesus stated we are salt and light, we are to shine that light in every area of human activity, including and especially in the political arena, since that is where policy decisions are made for all citizens.

The term “Liberal” usually refers to someone who believes that our government should solve most all of society’s problems through funding various programs.  These fiscal liberals are accused of supporting continuous tax increases, especially for those they consider wealthy.  Most Liberals support abortion on demand and nearly unlimited homosexual rights, including marriage and adoption.  They are usually not sympathetic toward traditional values.
 
The term “Conservative” usually refers to someone who would support preserving existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.  They typically believe in smaller government, less taxes, family values and traditional marriage.  A social conservative would also be pro-life.  A fiscal conservative would believe that by reducing taxes the economy will grow resulting in a higher standard of living for everyone...READ

Once again we are shocked by another tragic school shooting, this time in Ohio.  The story continues to unfold.  Tony Perkins, who heads up the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. commented on the shooting and reported that there have been as many as 25 such incidents across our nation since the beginning of the school year.  You can read his article here.

Just yesterday, here in Maine, a man who was reported to be “under the influence” was arrested for making statements against Western Maine Christian Academy in Wilton.

I sometimes wonder if we are becoming too accustomed to violence in our society.  Many people put tragic events like this most recent one out of their minds after some time and go on with their busy lives as if nothing happen.  This is even true of the attack on 9/11.

It might surprise some to realize that since 1997 there have been no less than fourteen such tragedies like the one that recently occurred in Ohio...READ

The culture we live in is challenging, secular, disappointing, and sometimes confusing.  Christians all agree that our society is nothing like it used to be.  Morality continues to decline, and those things that at one time were unthinkable, now seem to be the accepted norm.

It is like the weather; everyone talks about it but no one does anything about it.  So comes the question, “As A Christian Citizen, What Can I Do?

I would like to suggest ten things Christians can do to change the way things are here in Maine...READ

If you have been aware of the news this week, you know that Pope Benedict came under fire for a speech he gave recently.  It contained a quote from the fourteenth century and caused a violent reaction from the Muslim world. 

Here is the quote that the Pope included in his speech.  It was from Professor Theodore Khoury, written in 1391:
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached".  The Pope, after having expressed himself so forcefully, goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul. "God", he says, "is not pleased by blood - and not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature.  Faith is born of the soul, not the body.  Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats... To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death..."...READ