175: Politics – Sneaky Golden Calves
Politics. Even the word itself has become evocative, stirring up strong emotions in many who hold firmly to their views on policies, leadership, and morality. As the United States of America approaches another presidential election, Pastor Adam and Steph offer a series of questions we can ask ourselves to see where our true allegiances lie. Are we being misled by the sneaky golden calf of politics, or are we putting our trust in Jesus and allowing his teachings to be the filter by which we shape our views? By asking ourselves these questions, we can discern whether our political beliefs are grounded in faith or in the fleeting promises of worldly power and government. *Scripture referenced in this episode: James 4:17, 1 Peter 5:1-3, Hebrews 13:17
21 Questions to Consider
1. Have you heard the name of a political figure more today than you have the name of Jesus?
2. Have you spent more time today thinking about the president (or another politician) than you have thinking about the creator of the universe?
3. Have you spent more time listening to talk of politics—on social media, talk radio, cable news, and so on—than you spent in the Word of God or with gospel-oriented media?
4. When I discover that a fellow believer disagrees with my political preferences, do I make assumptions about their level of sanctification and commitment to Jesus based on their political affiliation?
5. Do I continually make excuses for why I support certain policies or politicians, even though I know they undermine my gospel witness?
6. Do I judge myself as having noble motives when it comes to politics, yet assume the worst about people on the other side of the political divide?
7. Do I look for excuses to judge my ungodly behavior when it comes to politics rather than asking forgiveness from God?
8. Have I become more obsessed with achieving a specific political outcome than I am about leading people to Christ?
9. Am I more willing to allow injustice to occur than to suffer injustice myself?
10. Can I truly say that my political choices and preferences are informed by and consistent with a biblical standard of ethics?
11. Do I attempt to justify my politics based on the “realism” of general revelation (e.g., that sometimes we must make compromises) rather than on reality as revealed in special revelation (e.g., “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” – James 4:17)?
12. When I (reluctantly) pray for politicians with whom I disagree, do I primarily pray that they will lose the next election or otherwise fail to gain political power and influence?
13 Am I more likely to be shaped by the political views of an acquaintance on Facebook than I am by the inspired words of Scripture?
14. Would I find it easier to recite the names of 12 presidential candidates than I would the 12 disciples or the 12 tribes of Israel?
15. Have more of my conversations today been about politics than about the gospel?
16. Do my words and actions reveal that I am more concerned about the way Christians will vote than I am with whether they are enjoying God?
17. Based on my thoughts and actions today, does it seem as if I’m more concerned about the next four years than I am with eternity?
18. Have I been willing to overlook when politicians on my side say they are Christian and yet act in ways that bring dishonor to Christ?
19. Am I more concerned with political pragmatism than I am with obeying every command of Christ?
20. Do my concerns about possible political outcomes show that I may not truly trust that God is sovereign over the nations?
21. Am I more offended by these questions (and my honest answers) than I am in how they reveal my idolatry?