August 5, 2016 Brethren Letter
Dear Brethren,
What Jesus taught was that this present world, with its governments, its religions, its economics, its society, is an evil world – it is Satan’s world – it is a world in competition against, and AT WAR AGAINST, HIS COMING KINGDOM – THE WORLD TOMORROW! No, Jesus did not enter into THIS WORLD’S politics! He called His Disciples out of this present evil world-out of all its customs and philosophies and ways-to a life of SEPARATION from the world. (Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, The Plain Truth – November 1960)
What news topic would you say is probably the most widely discussed on American television now? Would you say it’s “Presidential politics?” Well, I think it is the number one topic. It seems a day doesn’t go by that we hear about the latest political polls. One candidate’s numbers are up; the other candidate’s numbers are down. One is gleeful over the polling news; the other gets concerned. Humorist Will Rogers stated it well, when he said this about “politics”:
If you ever injected truth into politics you have no politics.
That quote sure gets to the point! Why is it that we as God’s people don’t get involved in this world’s politics? The apostle Paul gives us an answer.
(18) Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
(19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
(20) Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. (II Corinthians 5:18-20).
We are ambassadors for Christ! We represent a different GOVERNMENT, the Government Jesus Christ will bring to this earth! We’re shown in II Corinthians 6:17, that we are to be separate from the world’s ways. “Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. …” (2 Corinthians 6:17). We see in the book of Hebrews that Abraham wasn’t part of the system of his day. He had his focus on God’s future Government!
(8) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (9) By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; (10) for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:8-9).
That’s what God’s people should focus on today, just as Abraham did! “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
For the rest of tonight’s letter, I will include a Correspondence Letter which addresses the subject of “voting” to better understand this entire subject.
Please have a wonderful Sabbath!
Your Brother in Christ,
Gary Liebold
Dear Friend:
Thank you for your question concerning voting.
Those who are converted to God’s way of life are ambassadors for Jesus Christ (II Cor. 5:20). As ambassadors and citizens of the Kingdom of God, Christians are no longer to be involved in man’s systems of government.
Notice: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20, RAV). Christ taught that His Kingdom was not of this world.
Consequently, His servants have no part in, but, rather, are called out of this world. See John 18:36 and Revelation 18:4.
The Bible reveals that it is God who sets up rulers and removes them according to His will (Dan. 4:17). The governments holding power do so only as long as God allows. While they do, Christians are instructed to be subject to them (Rom. 13:1). If, however, there should be a conflict between the laws of God and the laws of man, then, of course, we are to obey God rather than man. See Acts 5:29.
Jesus Christ said He will return to set up God’s Kingdom, a world government with righteousness and justice. We are admonished to pray for His Kingdom to be established on the earth (Matt. 6:9-10), because then and only then will this world’s problems be solved.
PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE DEPARTMENT