An IFA intercessor put together this analysis of some of the common divisions in the American church regarding government. For each topic, he offers two extremes and the biblical balance. Please read and share your thoughts in the comments.

1.  Some say, “Why should we even care about America? America is too far gone to save!” On the other hand, others say, “Revival will happen for sure this Fall, quickly and totally restoring our nation.  So let’s just declare and decree an instant nationwide awakening!”

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Biblical Perspective: Remember Nineveh? God revived Israel several times and also sent great revivals throughout church history. God is not done with America.  While He must judge sin, He greatly desires to restore.  His timing and ways may take longer than we would like, but we are assured in Scripture that the Lord hears the prayers of His people.  He has shown many godly people that He will certainly send a massive revival.

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2. Many Christians believe in an immediate rapture: “We will certainly be raptured at any moment before things get any worse! God loves us so much that He will not allow us to suffer.”

Biblical Perspective: Over and over again Jesus and other biblical authors warned us that we will suffer for following Christ.  All the apostles and many believers throughout church history and in many countries today have been persecuted and even martyred for Jesus. While we know Christ will return for his people, no one knows the day and the hour, and all who made predictions in the past were wrong.  Instead, we are commanded to occupy, seek first His kingdom and be about our Father’s work, making the most of our short time here.

3. There are those who believe “Trump, Trump, Trump, all the way. He’s my man!  He’ll solve all our problems!” Others believe that God can’t use someone with as bad a past as Trump and/or don’t like his tweets and personality.

Biblical/historical perspective: God has used flawed human leaders to accomplish his purposes in the Bible and throughout history. Some Old Testament examples are Gideon, Samson, and David.  A few from history are Sam Houston (who defeated Santa Ana), Ulysses Grant (defeated Lee and ended the Civil War), and Patton and Churchill in World War II. We should not put Trump or any leader on too high a pedestal. They are all human with flaws, but God can use them for His purposes.  Lincoln said, “I can’t spare Grant; he fights.”  This saying came to my mind years ago as I prayed for Trump.  He’s no quitter, but he is certainly not our Savior; only Jesus is!  A governmental leader should never be expected to take the place of what the church is to do.

4. What about the prophets? Many said God had clearly shown them that Trump would win in 2020 and serve two consecutive terms. Yet others believe that God doesn’t speak at all today (outside of the Bible) because we have the completed canon of Scripture.

Biblical Perspective: Yes, the Lord still speaks today, but all “words from the Lord” must be compared to Holy scripture.  We should not despise the prophetic, we are told to “Test the spirits to see they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

5. Some churches believe the church’s job is to focus only on evangelism, discipleship, and church planting, and that is why we never address government or politics, which are so dirty and divisive. Other churches talk about politics often.

Biblical Perspective: We use the whole counsel of God’s Word to address current events and evaluate candidates. The saints should be properly equipped so they know how to vote in line with the Bible.

6. The staggering percentage of evangelical Christians who don’t vote has been widely reported. Often, the attitude is, “It doesn’t matter whether I vote. God is in control, and His will is always done!” Others may say that everyone must vote for all Republicans (or Democrats) without even examining the candidates.

Bible Perspective: “All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing” (attributed to Edmund Burke). It makes a huge difference whom we select to lead us.  The Bible says, When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding, but when the wicked perish, the righteous increase (Proverbs 28:28; see also 29:2). While ultimately God’s end-time plan will be accomplished, in the short term, He is grieved at the sinfulness of fallen mankind (and the terrible consequences that result) and the indifference of His people.

7. Some say, “Revival is all we really need; it will take care of all our problems in our nation. Just look at what happened under Charles Finney’s revivals!” Others say, “No, we should pray mainly for politics and government so they can solve our problems.”

Biblical Perspective: While we should earnestly beseech the Lord for revival in our nation, revival in the “church house” alone, as wonderful as that would be, may have a short-term and limited impact. Awakening and revival can become a long-lasting and far-reaching reformation when taken into the home (transforming marriages and families), then the schoolhouse (education sphere), the “White House” (governmental sphere), and so on.  In the middle of the second Great Awakening, Finney said, “The church must take right ground in regards to politics…. The time has come for Christians to vote for honest men, and take consistent ground in politics or the lord will curse them” (p. 235, in America’s God and Country, by William Federer).

8. Some people are consummate pessimists (Calamity, Calamity, Calamity is just around the corner!) and others are always optimistic (Don’t worry, soon happy times will be here again.)

Biblical Perspective: Isaiah 60:1-2 offers the perfect balance: Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. While the darkness increases, we must not focus upon the turmoil, but on the Lord, who will arise over us.  During this present evil age, it is imperative that we keep our eyes on Jesus and walk closely with Him. Time in the Word, worship, and prayer and in obedience to Christ’s clear commands will ensure a right focus.

In these tumultuous days in which we live, let’s ask the Lord for understanding for our times, keep engaged, focused and keep Jesus at the center of all we think and do.  We of all people should be full of hope, joy because of His promises and His mighty Spirit within us!

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(Les Lanford is an IFA intercessor. Photo Credit: Timothy Eberly on Unsplash)