We run our website the way we wished the whole internet worked: we provide high quality original content with no ads. We are funded solely by your direct support. Please consider supporting this project.
Is the Separation of Church and State Satan’s Idea?
I encourage you to read this article. In it, Rick Perry claims that the idea of the separation of the church and state is from Satan, and he and others will next week embark on a 40 days to save America campaign, which (as far as I can tell) means “40 days to save America from Obama” campaign.
Seems to me Perry got it exactly wrong. Satan is the one who tried to get Jesus to identify his kingdom with the kingdoms of this world, and even offered to let him run the whole thing. Thankfully, Jesus had the wisdom to refuse the offer (LK 4:5-7). He knew that his kingdom “was not of this world” (Jn 18:36).
There are a few things Perry and his folks get right. For example, we should pray for our country. Just remember to pray for all others as well. And we should want to see faith in Christ spread throughout the land. Just remember that faith in Christ has nothing to do with who is president or with any other political issue.
The kingdom we belong to as followers of Jesus is the alternative to the ugly, venomous, hostile, power-over kingdoms of this world, not a slightly superior version of them. Lets put that kingdom on display by how we live our lives. And a good starting point is by following our Lord’s example and never letting our King and his kingdom get wrapped up in whatever version of the kingdoms of the world we happen to think is best.
Keep his kingdom holy, which means “consecrated” and “set apart”!
And pray for Rick Perry!
Greg
Category: General
Tags: Politics, Religious Idolatry
Related Reading
9 Reasons Faith ≠ Certainty
One of the things that Christians typically believe in and that I’ve struggled with a great deal is the concept of faith. Like most Christians, I once assumed a person’s faith is as strong as that person is certain. And, accordingly, I assumed that doubt is the enemy of faith. That is, after all, how…
Homosexuality and the Church: Finding a “Third Way”
Here is a word I a shared this last weekend with Woodland Hills Church (where I’m senior pastor) in response to numerous questions I’ve received over the last several months. People have asked me why the leadership of WHC refuses to jump on the bandwagon of evangelical churches in the Twin Cities who rally their…
Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain
These things need to stop as it relates to our faith and our politics. Image by Katie Tegtmeyer. Sourced via Flickr.
Oh Constantine
Once upon a time there was a Roman Emperor named Constantine who used the enemy-loving Jesus to kill his enemies. What does this have to do with us? Find out:
A Response to Tony Campolo on Fighting the Powers: Some Final Thoughts
In my previous post I argued against Tony’s claim that God expects governments to carry out his will and that Christians are therefore to influence government to carry out this task. I rather argued that, given that governments are premised on human rebellion and are under the oppressive, deceptive and corrupting influence of Satan, we…
Shouldn’t preachers rally Christians to fight political injustice?
Question: My pastor has publicly supported your book The Myth of a Christian Nation. But he’s recently called on the church to take a stand against the injustice of our local government cutting funding for inner city recreational facilities. This seems right to me, since we’re suppose to defend the cause of the poor and…