Over the last few months, I’ve seen various social media comments that state something like this:

America has lost it’s mind because:

• People who say there’s no such thing as gender are demanding a female President
• Boys can compete with girls and win as long as they think they are girls
• Universities that advocate equality discriminate against Asian Americans in favor of African Americans
• Criminals are caught and released but stopping them while robbing stores is bad because it’s a violation of their rights
• One president demanded and got quid pro quo from Ukraine while another who suggests it is impeached
• Immigrants with TB and polio are welcome but Americans have to prove they are vaccinated from COVID-19 to keep their jobs
• Five billion dollars for border security is too expensive but one and a half trillion for free healthcare is not
• If you cheat to get your kid into college you go to prison, but if you cheat to get into the country you go to college for free

While we may debate some of these points, I think it is fair to say that our American liberal culture does seem to have lost its collective mind. What does the Bible have to say about this?

I think Paul addresses this in Romans 1:16-22a. He explained that believers in Jesus have the righteousness of God; revealing truth. Unfortunately, those whose ungodliness produces unrighteousness ultimately suppress truth. They are under the wrath of God. Without accepting Jesus, they are subject to their own artificially created righteousness which leads to depravity, sin and foolishness. Those who reject God and continue to reject Him, He gives over to their own lusts, impurity, dishonor. This is where Paul gets into the detail of the fruits of unrighteousness including sexual immorality of women with women and men with men (Romans 1:26-27). God also left them to exist with a “debased mind” so they would do whatever should not be done including evil, covetousness, malice, gossip, slander, hating God, insolence, pridefulness, boastfulness, inventors of evil, disobedience to parents, foolishness, faithlessness, heartlessness and ruthlessness. Most relevant to what we see now, Paul describes that, even though they know the fruits of this behavior is death, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them (Romans 1:28-32). One simple example of this is PRIDE month; celebrating and honoring the debasement of men, women and children.

This behavior is not unique to our country today, but was also symptomatic of Christians during Paul’s time who lost their way and rejected God. Even though Paul is describing the God-rejecting people of his time, it sounds like he is giving a sermon about today. There’s nothing new to see here but something we must learn about from history. We must not reject God and his son Jesus Christ or just look around to see the consequences.

So what should we learn from this? I learn that I should not look to this world for hope. There are wonderful, righteous Christians around me and I am grateful to God for them, but I cannot expect the worldly systems to change unless they accept Jesus. I tend to get angry or overwhelmingly sad when I see such injustice and foolishness from the media, political leaders, Olympics, even some Church leaders. Anger won’t help. My job is to help them to see Jesus as their only hope. No laws, policies, or regulations will help. The only solution is for them to turn to God and our savior Jesus Christ, repent from their sin and seek His face. “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). That is a promise from God that will only come when WE (believers in God; not the unbelievers) call on Him, humble ourselves, pray and seek His face. He won’t respond with healing the land when we vote, boycott, protest, yell, get angry. No! He promises to respond when we humble ourselves and pray to Him.

That helps me SO MUCH. I pray it helps you, too.

As federal election season comes to the United States, I ponder what Jesus taught us about our responsibility and engagement in politics. I feel drawn to state my opinion about political candidates in order to share what I believe are Christian tenants that should drive election choices. I thank God that we have the privilege to vote for our preferred candidates in the United States and that we still have freedoms to enjoy and exercise in our country. However, I am also called to model my life after my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, so here it goes.

During Jesus time on earth, Rome, a pagan country occupied Jerusalem. Consequently, Jews didn’t live under the Laws from Leviticus and Deuteronomy but rather under Roman law. Many Jews thought a Messiah would save them from foreign occupation and become a king for their land.

As Roman citizens, Jews were under excessive Roman taxation. The tax collectors or publicans were Jews who bought the right from Rome to collect Roman taxes. In fact, Matthew was a publican. These tax collectors earned their living by taxing Jews above the Roman tax rate and pocketing the difference (Luke 3:12-13) (Luke 19:1-10). Jews hated paying taxes to the Roman government but that was the law of the occupying power. So, as a Jew in the politically pagan non-Jewish government of Rome, should Jews pay taxes to a government that oppressed them?

When the Heridonians (those Jews who were in favor of Herod and the Roman Empire rule over Israel) and the Pharisees (those Jewish leaders over the religious lives of the Jews) asked Jesus if he agreed with Roman taxation of the Jews, they were trying to trap him (Mark 12:13-14). If Jesus said no, don’t pay taxes, then he was defying Roman law and the Herodians would go to Caesar and complain about his illegal behavior. If he said yes, then he was against the Pharisees and the Jewish religious leadership. They thought he couldn’t win. Instead, Jesus said “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Mark 12:17).

Jesus clearly answered their question by giving authority to Caesar and to God. It is God who removes kings and establishes kings (Dan 2:21). Since God establishes kings, then we are to respect and be obedient to them. He uses all the world for his good purpose. In fact, God has even used evil nations to reprove his own people (Habakkuk 1:5-6).

Consider what the Bible teaches where followers should draw the line. It teaches that where the laws of men defy God’s laws and Jesus instructions (Acts 5:27-29), follow God. Not just in the New Testament but also in the Old. Babylon besieged and took over Jerusalem. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar ordered to capture members of the royal family and bring them into Babylon in order to indoctrinate them for three years (Daniel 1:3-4). Notable among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (Daniel 1:6-7) who were given new Babylonia names, the first step to make them into Babylonian leaders. Although they were Jews, they were respectful of their occupying leadership but drew a bright line in their obedience when the Babylonian king issued orders that were against God’s laws.

• They didn’t eat ceremonially unclean foods (Daniel 1:8-16) because of Lev 3:17, Lev 11:41-42, Deut 14:21, Lev 11:3
• They did not worship the golden image of king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (Daniel 3:10-12) because of Exodus 20:4-6
• Daniel would not stop praying (Daniel 6:12-13) because of Jeremiah 29:12, Prov 15:8, Psalms 16:6, Psalms 142:2, Psalms 102:17

Ultimately, Paul describes a Christian’s responsibility to the government in Romans 13:1-7. That we are to acknowledge that governments authorities are put in place by God, who is over all things. Since the governing authorities are put in place by God, they are to be obeyed, no matter what they may establish. This is a hard word but know that, according to Daniel, this does not give government laws superior authority over God’s laws. However, we are to acknowledge the sovereignty of God and that He raises up and brings down kings according to His plans.