Three Seasons Community
Church– 7-6-08
Our Founding Fathers did not believe in the
separation of God from government. They believed that this nation was
founded by God, protected by God, preserved by God, and blessed by God.
It all depends on God!
Matthew 22:15-21 (NIV) [Page 699]
All citizens—including His followers—are
obligated to support their government.
5 things every Christian can do to have Maximum
Patriotic Impact
The biggest burden for the health of our nation
does not rest on the White House, or on the State House, but on the
Church House, it rests on you and on me. [1 Timothy 2:1-4]
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
if my people, who are called by my name, will
humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked
ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will
heal their land.
A. Pay taxes to your government. [ Matthew
22:21; 17:24-27; Romans 13:6]
B. Take pride in your government. [Romans 13:7;
Psalm 137:5]
Sometimes, we must stand up to our government.
There’s a time and place for civil disobedience, but it should come only
as a last resort. However, if the government commands what God condemns,
or if the government prohibits what God promotes then you are obligated
to disobey.
Examples: Midwives to Pharaoh (Exodus 2:15-21)
Daniel to King Darius (Daniel 6:1-23)
Christians to the Imperial edict: "Caesar is
Lord" instead declared: Christ is Lord!" (Rev. 2:8-10; 2:13).
Peter to the Religious Rulers (Acts 5:29).
As Citizen Christians, we need to use our
freedom to defend our freedom or we may lose our freedom. [Matthew
5:13-16; Psalm 107:2 Isaiah 58:1]
"Let each citizen remember at the moment he is
offering his vote… that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in
human society for which he is accountable to God and his country."
Founding Father Samuel Adams
Step 1: Register to Vote:
Registering to vote is easy to do. Fill out the
Voter Registration Form and return it to the county election office.
Step 2: Register a Friend
Step 3: Vote Your Values
Voter apathy is indefensible, especially among
the Christian community, which has been commanded by Christ to engage
our culture as salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16) and participate in
government (Matt. 22:21). So go against the rising tide of apathy in
America—Vote!
Simply voting is not enough, you must vote your
values. Every candidate has his or her own set of values and positions
on important issues.
Jesus expects us to let our faith influence
every part of our decision making— (Matthew 5:13-16).
1. Be informed on the issues.
2. Study the party platform statements.
3. Know what the candidates stand for.
4. Check out the candidate’s website.
5. Find out their friends and their enemies.
6. Weigh the candidates’ values against
biblical values.
7. Prayerfully choose the ones who most closely
match up with your values.
www.iVoteValues.org is a great place to start.
Remember, how you vote today impacts tomorrow!
Don’t just vote—vote your values!
Core Values as a follower of Jesus: Life,
Family, and Freedom.
Life: Life
is precious. Miraculous. Delicate. Created by a loving God who makes
every human being unique (Ps.139:15-16). Life made in the image of God
is a fundamental, God-given right. [Proverbs 24:11] (NLT)
Family:
Family is essential. Basic. Necessary. The family is the basic building
block of society, and the first institution created by God (Example:
Gen. 1-2).
Find out where the candidates stand on the
issue of family. Find out how they voted on the Defense of Marriage Act
(DOMA). Ask for their position on the proposed Federal Marriage
Amendment (FMA) defining marriage as only between one man and one woman.
Christians ought to stand against any and all efforts to undermine and
redefine marriage, which is the foundation for a healthy society.
Freedom:
Freedom is priceless. Cherished. Fragile. [Galatians 5:1]
The Supreme Court has ignored the original
intent of the Founding Fathers, trashed three centuries of America’s
Judeo-Christian heritage, and turned a statement in one of Jefferson's
private letters on its head in declaring a two-way "Wall of Separation"
between church and state.
The Result: All religious influences must be
removed from public institutions. The Court outlawed public prayer in
the schools in 1962, out went public Bible reading in 1963, and in 1980,
down came the Ten Commandments from school house walls! This agenda of
radical secularization has not only been zealously prosecuted by the
activist courts, but by extension, the various public entities,
including some school boards, educators, and teachers.
Find out where the candidates stand on
religious liberty issues. Find out if they are aligned with groups who
seek to remove our freedoms. Find out which candidates are in favor of
protecting and even restoring our Judeo-Christian heritage.
What do we need to do?
Get Informed Vote Values
