A Nation Falls Without Leadership

For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.Proverbs 11:14 (NIV)

As much as I would like to see a political party embrace only Christian views, I think that would be a disaster. Let me explain before you decide to stop reading.

• An all Christian party should reflect an all Christian society. We do not live in such a society.

• An all Christian party would push people away from the church and would seem antagonistic. One of the main problems that young people have with Christianity, according to the book unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters, is that Christians are too political. I tend to agree.

The real factor for the success of a political party should be seen in the embracing of moral values that stem from the Judeo-Christian faith. That stance is a lot different and can be more inclusive.

Does this mean that Christians should not be involved in politics and hold our nation to a standard of living that reflects our values? Absolutely not.

The surest way of gaining wise guidance or leadership for our nation is for informed Christians to actively participate in voting or even as candidates. We have too often turned politics over to dishonest and disrespectful men and women because we fear that politics is for those who are corruptible. This is such a farce.

Charles Finney said it this way:

"...the time has come that Christians must vote for honest men, and take consistent ground in politics, or the Lord will curse them." — Revival Lectures

That's a very bold statement. Finney was a huge supporter of ending slavery and extending rights to the enslaved black Americans. He once said, "It is a great national sin. It is a sin of the Church."

There have been too many people who wash their hands of sinful practices in government all because they prayed about it instead of making their voices heard or they take the shameful neutral ground because they believe everything in politics doesn't have a moral ground for argument.

This is why our nation is floundering and threatened by world economic domination. Christians haven't called for righteous men and women to stand in the gap and hold our nation to standards of moral fortitude. Here's another statement from Finney:

"They (the voters) must be honest men themselves, and instead of voting for a man because he belongs to their party, Bank or Anti-Bank, Jackson, or Anti-Jackson, they must find out whether he is honest and upright, and fit to be trusted. They must let the world see that the Church will uphold no man in office, who is known to be a knave, or an adulterer, or a Sabbath-breaker, or a gambler, or a drunkard." — Revival Lectures

What would happen to politics in America if we held our leaders to this standard? I am including Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, and whomever else. Those in all parties can be held to these standards and should be held to them. If they violate them - they lose their position!

This is not hatred nor bigotry nor anything else that demeans people, and it is not a "test of faith". We in the church can hold our leaders up to certain standards. This is why unfaithful pastors are removed from their positions. This is why pastors who cheat on their taxes or are unfaithful in stewardship are put to shame. We have standards in the church and holding our governmental leaders to such standards is not wrong nor should it be discouraged.

Notice what Finney said about the voter - "they must be honest". We ourselves should be held to the same standards and abide by those rules. Our national future will depend upon changing our view of politics and understanding what government is for.

"...the time has come when they must act differently, or God will curse the nation, and withdraw his spirit. As on the subject of slavery and temperance, so on this subject, the Church must act right or the country will be ruined. God cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love and pray for, unless the Church will take right ground. Politics are a part of religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God. It seems sometimes as if the foundations of the nation were becoming rotten, and Christians seem to act as if they thought God did not see what they do in politics. But I tell you, he does see it, and he will bless or curse this nation, according to the course they take." — Revival Lectures

The foundations of our country have rotted. Now it is time to call in those who are honest and upright and who will start shoring up our foundations once again. We, as a nation, must return to the true original intent of the founding fathers, and we, as Christians, must return to God and His ways.

The Church must take the right ground.