The Truth in Print Vol. 24 Issue 11, Dec. 2018
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
Website
Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
When Political Views
Commandeer the Truth of God’s Word
The following brief series, parts one
through four, appeared in the church’s newspaper articles.
“One should never become so politicized in their thinking that for them a
rejection of a biblical truth is considered OK in view of their personal
political stand.”
A Mistaken View ~ When Teaching God’s Word You
Are Just Stating Your Political View (Part One)
When one teaches the New Testament --- the
Gospel of Christ as revealed to the apostles and prophets in the first century
just what might the world view it as being? There are several wrongful
viewpoints. Consider the following: Paul tells us that “the natural man” of the
world i.e. the man as presented in I Cor. 1:26-27 (the wise according to the
flesh, the mighty and powerful and capable, the noble
or well born) being uninterested in God’s revelation sees it as foolishness.
Paul explains in 1Co 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither
can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” This means to
rightly understand the truths of God’s Word you must read and accept the New
Testament as His revealed Word – it is not man’s wisdom or understanding.
The un-spiritual man is the one using the
world’s wisdom and understanding — caught up in standards men admire but not
God. And we might add often one who goes strictly by a political party’s
viewpoint in his thinking, thus rejecting what God’s Word says. Teachers of the
Gospel present truths condemning immoralities of all kinds because that is what
God’s revelation says (cf. the works of the flesh, Gal. 5:19-21), and not
because some precepts might be accepted by the civil political party they might
belong to.
What God’s inspired Word says in the New
Testament is neither Republican nor Democrat or even Independent along that
line of thinking if you will.
A Mistaken View ~ When Teaching God’s Word You
Are Just Stating
Your Political View (Part Two)
Our last month’s article stated when
preachers and teachers of the Gospel present truths that condemn immoralities
of all kinds (i.e. the works of the flesh, Gal. 5:19-21) they are not
presenting them because of their particular civil political party they might
choose to belong to. What the New Testament, the revealed Word in the first
century, has to say is neither Republican nor Democrat or even Independent
along that line of thinking if you will. Do not consent with the world’s
politicizing the truths of the gospel — being Christians we have to guard
against even that assumption. As things are today another’s politicizing your
belief in and statement of a truth of God’s Word in their mind is often, if
they agree with your statement, equal to their thinking both of you have equal
“standing” before Christ. This is a dangerous assumption carried out I believe
multiple times every day.
When the truths of New Testament are
politicized there will always be some upset, but more than that the world will
always have disregard for God’s Word just as the Lord said that they hated Him
for the Word He spoke and they will hate His disciples (Jo. 15:18, 16:33; Lk.
6:26). This relates to man’s wisdom that is of the world that looks upon God’s
Word revealed in the New Testament as foolishness, and a great interference at
times as it examines sin in the light of
His word (Jo. 3:19-21; I Pet. 4:1-6).
A Mistaken View ~ When Teaching God’s Word You
Are Just Stating
Your Political View (Part Three)
Our last monthly article stated: As things
are today another’s politicizing your belief in and statement of a truth of
God’s Word in their mind is often, if they agree with your statement, equal to
their thinking both of you have equal “standing” before Christ. This is a
dangerous assumption carried out multiple times every day.
What about one’s rejection of a biblical
truth? One should never become so politicized in their thinking that for them a
rejection of a biblical truth is considered OK in view of their personal
political stand. When the truths of New
Testament are politicized there will always be some upset, but more than that
the worldly will always have disregard for God’s Word just as the Lord said
that they hated Him for the Word He spoke and they will hate His disciples (Jo.
15:18, 16:33; Lk. 6:26).
A statement that abortion is against God’s
law is apt to be rejected, generally speaking, more around Democrats than
Republicans – but is this purely a matter of political beliefs? Bear in mind
now that the entirety of the New Testament, God’s Word, is for all men
everywhere (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 20:26-27). What if I specify that those engaged
in sexual relations outside of marriage Christ approved of must not be
fellowshipped by local churches doing such? (I Cor. 5:11, 6:9-11 etc.). More disagreement and possibly for some
because of political views -- but not just because of the majority’s political
views for such churches cannot endure sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:1-5).
A Mistaken View ~ When Teaching God’s Word You
Are Just Stating
Your Political View (Part Four)
In last month’s article we stated: A
Christian should never become so politicized in their thinking that for them a
rejection of a biblical truth is considered OK in view of their personal political
stand. When the truths of New Testament are politicized there will always be
some upset, but more than that the worldly will always have disregard for God’s
Word --- just as the Lord said that they hated Him for the Word He spoke and
they will hate His disciples (Jo. 15:18, 16:33; Lk. 6:26). We illustrated with
local churches not fellowshipping those in sexual relations outside of marriage
that Christ approved of. When the truth is taught there will be disagreement –
possibly some because of political views and even more because some churches
cannot endure sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:1-5).
It is when “specifics” are stated and
backed up with scriptures that so many tied to Political Correctness (many
claiming to be religious) attack the truths of God’s Word and try to prevent
Biblical truths from being stated publically or printed in a public venue. What
if I say something about Christ’s law on marriage, divorce and remarriage in
Matt. 19:1-9? (Also read Matt. 5:31-32; Mark 10:11-12 and Lk. 16:18) Surely now
more disagree. What if I say in the New Testament there is but one church that
Christ built? (Eph. 4:4-6; 1:22-23; 5:23).
Those who advocated “unity in diversity” and still do are directly
responsible for its fruit --- it has taken away the importance of “sound
doctrine,” robbed people of the advantages of hearing the Truth on specific New
Testament doctrines, and lead them to believe that essential truths about
Christ’s church are not important nor does it matter if they are practiced.
To learn more call, visit or visit
our website at: