Leadership

If leadership of the American Church is going to fawn at the feet of political authorities, then at an absolute minimum, they should assess and select such people on the basis of scriptural guidelines. Following is a selection of characteristics, extracted from the bible that describes people of good character, and especially those who should lead.

Let’s start with the basics, applicable to all people:

The 10 Commandments

·       Do not worship other Gods

·       No idols

·       Do not take God’s name in vain

·       Obey the sabbath

·       Honor parents

·       Do not murder

·       Do not commit adultery

·       Do not steal

·       Do not lie

·       Do not covet

OK that is old fashioned stuff – so let’s look at the New Testament.

From the New Testament

People of the bible should be (Galatians 5: 22-23):

·       Loving

·       Joyful

·       Peaceful

·       Patient

·       Kind

·       Good

·       Faithful

·       Gentle

·       Self-controlled

As opposed to (Galatians 5 19-21):

·       Sexually immoral, impure, sensual

·       Idolatrous, sorcerers

·       Picking fights, jealous

·       Angry, enjoying rivalries and dissent

·       Divisive (name calling)

·       Envious

·       Drunk

Leadership

Likewise, our leaders should, at a minimum, refrain from taking pride in sin. Indeed, they should be held to a more exacting standard (1 Timothy 3:2):

·       Above reproach

·       Husband of one wife

·       Sober-minded

·       Self-controlled

·       Respectable

·       Hospitable

·       Able to teach

·       Not a drunkard

·       Not violent but gentle

·       Not quarrelsome

·       Not a lover of money.

Scripture is also full of passages that roundly condemn nations and their leaders who:

·       Oppress the poor

·       Indulge in pride

·       Are greedy

·       Are self indulgent

As I am bombarded by the news media discussing our leadership on all sides, the dissonance with these lists are jarring.  Admittedly, none of us succeeds in achieving all of these, but believers are, by definition, repentant.

The Church

Therefore, defending any unrepentant politician from the pulpit because they are supposedly “good” for the church is profoundly disturbing. God is more than able to protect his bride.  Indeed, YAHWEH is extremely jealous of His status as the only true God and He will walk away from the evangelical church if they continue to bow to people ahead of Him.