Politics according to the Kingdom of God

Psalm 33:12-21 (BCP2019) ¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, *

and blessed are the people he has chosen for himself to be his inheritance.

(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)

Deuteronomy 10:17–21 (ESV) ¹⁷ For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. ²⁰ You shall fear the Lord your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. ²¹ He is your praise. He is your God.

(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)

If you’re a Christian, you’re a citizen of

Philippians 3:20 (NLT2) But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

In our politics, the more a candidate’s policies & a party’s policies diverge from policies, the more we should eschew that candidate and that party.

(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)

All political topics are in some way biblical topics.

Biblical topics that become don’t stop being biblical.

For instance, some of the current political topics are all biblical topics:

• Immigration and borders
• Abortion
• The budget/ deficit, and other Economics issues
• Israel and Hamas
• Education
• LGBTQ Issues
• Racism
• Terrorism
• Unemployment

The Scriptures have direction on all of these.

“What about the separation of Church and State?”

It’s not in the Constitution. It comes from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to a concerned group of Baptists in Danbury, CT, that affirmed to them that the free exercise of religion was their inalienable God-given right and therefore was protected from federal regulation or interference by the 1^st Amendment.

The 1^st Amendment:“ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

–Congress is limited from enforcing a national denomination, and

–Congress is limited from prohibiting the free exercise of religion.

All political ideas are based on SOMEONE’S morals and worldview.

Are there better morals or a better worldview than what we have been provided by God?

Proverbs 29:2 (NLT)  When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.

(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)

Ephesians 6:10–12 (NLT) ¹⁰ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)

EXAMPLE:

What are some of the scriptures that speak to the issue of abortion?

Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV) ¹³  For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. ¹⁵  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, ¹⁶  your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)

Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV) “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)

Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV) This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)

Our first consideration is to align our lives with , NOT what our favorite political party suggests.

APPLICATION:

Proposed 2024 Florida Constitutional Amendment 4

(“Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion”):

No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.

(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)

How well does this align with what we know from Scripture? Would Scripture allow for Amendment 4 or not? (MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)

Romans 14:10b–12 (NIV84) ¹⁰ For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. ¹¹ It is written:

“ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,

‘every knee will bow before me;

every tongue will confess to God.’ ”

¹² So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)

[For more information about Amendment 4 go to: TooExtremeForFL.com]

ACTIONS TO TAKE:

1. Pray over this Issue.
2. according to Biblical principles.

What the nation needs now is not for this candidate or that one to win; the nation needs the church be .

Beginning July 10, Wednesday night series: “Biblical Answers to Political Questions”

Ask your questions at: https://allsoulsjax.churchtrac.com/card/270

What do you want to remember from this teaching? (MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)