Our Goal Is To Be Like Christ

Vitriol (def) Bitterly abusive feeling or expression.

Compassion (def) Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.

My grandmother used to say "Don't wallow in the mud with the pigs" whenever I started bad-mouthing anyone or anything. I've been watching a horrifying thing happening: good, decent Christians becoming more full of vitriol towards which ever political candidate and party than full of compassion. I think it is good for all of us to take a deep breath and consider the words that are coming out of our mouths and the attitudes of our hearts. And, by the way, I definatly include myself in that.

Eph. 5:1-2 admonishes us "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

As we are expressing our political opinions this season let us remember that every person running for office, and every person on the planet, is loved by God just as much as He loves us. Let us look upon them as God looks upon them, let us love them as Christ loved us and died for us when we were lost in our sins and our hearts were as black as any other sinners. Let us pray for those who are running for office and not curse them because believe me, Christ isn't in heaven cursing them. He wants them to come to a saving knowledge of Him, and if they are saved, to do His will on the earth.

As Christians we dare not wallow in the mud of the popular culture and media. We dare not condemn another human being. We can look at their actions and opinions and say, "I do not support that and here is why" but we cannot move into hatred and name-calling, even in jest. As we know Paul in Eph. 5 also warns us against coarse jesting.

Today I urge you to take a long hard look at your attitude towards our candidates. I urge you to pray for the candidate you are not in favor of. Pray for their families. Pray for their staff. And pray that God would have mercy on our own hardened hearts and help us to love all mankind like Christ loved us. That, my friends, is the beginning of true revival in our land.

Comments

[Tracy Pingel]

Hi Lori,

I would like to add food for thought...regarding the part "He wants them to come to a saving knowledge of Him, and if they are saved,to do His will on the earth."

Could it be that we are all saved, but that there are those who don't don't know it yet or refuse to believe it? And so, then my prayer is also 'let your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."

Thanks for sharing!

[Lori]

Hi Tracey, Good to hear from you. I have to disagree with you about the "all saved" thing unless I'm not understanding you. (And please let me know if that is the case.)

The Bible says in 1 John 5:11-12 "This is the testimony that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life, he who has not the Son has not life." That clearly indicates that some are saved and some are not.

Rom. 10:9-10 says "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, & with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Jesus said in Luke 12:8-9 "Whoever confesses me before men, him the Son of Man will also confess before the angels of God. But he who denies me before man will be denied before the angels of God."

John 3:16-18 states "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his son into the world to condom the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He who believes in him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God."

So all these passages indicate that not all are saved and that if you don't believe or know you are not going to heaven. If all were saved, whether they know it or not, then why does the Bible speak of the necessity to confess Christ before men?

I firmly believe that the weight of Scripture says that everyone is not saved. We have to make a conscioua decision and accept the sacrifice of Christ before we can be saved or have everlasting life.

Tracy, again if I am way misunderstanding you let me know. Tell the kids & Dave hi!

[Tracy Pingel]

I would take it in a different direction and instead of solely looking at 'saved', instead dig into the what is 'saving knowledge'. And, along with that, what belief (confession) and denial (refusal) are and are not.

[Julana]

These candidates definitely need prayer. Who would want that job?

[Eleanor]

Excellent! Thanks for the reminder, Lori. It is sorely needed.