5TH COMMANDMENT (3)

Some years ago, I was caught up in the corporate politics of a work place. Intrigue, incompetence and stupidity had already brought down one member of the management. A new management team was assembled and things never much improved. Personal vendettas multiplied and the different sides struggled for power and sympathy. Several of us decided early on that this was an uncivil war to be stayed out of. Once, one of the people involved, bluntly asked if I was for or against them. I assured them that I intended to stay neutral, they would neither get my personal support nor would I participate in the office politics because I was hired to do a job and that job had nothing to do with their self seeking glory! Well, I didn't gain a friend, but neither was I considered an enemy!

Again, in the early seventies, as part of my county's Ministerial Committee, I was able to speak to the budding liberals and the more rabid evangelicals who would almost spit whenever they uttered the word Presbyterian. This was before the liberal church pushed me out for holding heretical ideas of Biblical inspiration and Confessional integrity, but that is another story. Both sides learned to trust me and I was able to arrange a slightly more peaceful attitude in the county. Of course in their own ways, both sides stabbed me in the back when they had the first opportunity. Since then, I have been a lot more cautious about political involvement of any kind what-so-ever.

I think that my life's experience has given validity to the teaching here before us today. However, the Church of Jesus Christ and all Christians in general do have a purpose to play in the interactive and often intercine political levels of every kind. More than once I have quoted Harry Truman to the effect that

"if a man's wife can't trust him, then neither should anyone else!"

Unfortunately, I am unable to pass along publicly anything like that in our present day and time. Last fall, while the Vice President was soliciting gifts in a pagan temple, we received an advisory email that interested parties wanted to make certain that we did not pass along any information about where political candidates stood on the issue of abortion because that could cloud our tax exempt status. I don't take kindly to such threats, when they are only enforced towards the more conservative political edge of our society, but these threats are unfortunately there and they are real. Very many more conservative organizations are being audited by the Internal Revenue Service than organizations that are liberal.

Once we were allowed to voice a moral concern about those in power. Whenever old John Knox thundered against the immoral rulers of his day, the powers in Stirling Castle quivered and quaked more than they would have if the Highland Clans were in rebellion and on the march. Historians of the American Revolution write often about the "Black Regiment" of pastors and ministers who encouraged and sustained the rebels with prayers, support and encouragement. This happened because the vast majority of the clergy were convinced of the immoral usurpation of power by the crown of George III from the lawfully elected Parliament and colonial legislatures.

At least in the colonial courts, the juries time after time refused to convict persons charged with treasonable behavior and thereby nullifying the effects of the laws. Again, in the period when the underground railroad was active in the northern states, it was well nigh impossible to get any jury to convict anyone for aiding and abetting an escaped slave.

Now within those two periods of time, there were two major revolutions in progress, one succeeded, the other did not. In both cases, the American and the Confederate revolutions were lawfully organized because political bodies from townships, counties and states voted for armed resistance. This should be remembered in our troubled times when unauthorized and often illegal militias clamor for support. By the same token, leftist extremists who just happen to be in power should not expect our support either. However, in all cases we are to be on our knees in prayer for the health and wealth of the Republic, her administrators, officers and agents. Very often, well placed Christians can affect the course of history for individuals and nations as a whole.

Even presidents can be converted. Abraham Lincoln entered the White House unsaved. Before his death, he came to a saving faith and would have been baptized on Resurrection Sunday had he not been assassinated on Good Friday on 1865. Historians have often noted the progressive Christianization of his speeches and sympathies during his administration. Some have proclaimed his second inaugural address as one of the finest secular writings ever to have been penned by the mind of man.

Such is our hope for William Jefferson Clinton. The latest issue of World magazine has devoted its main article to "Faith in the White House." I doubt if you remembered when he first came to office that I encouraged you to pray for a fuller conversion so that his personal ethics better reflect the biblical wisdom of the ages, but such advice is still very much in order. We may also pray that God's justice may proceed as providence will allow. Marvin Olasky observes that

"Promoting immorality is not an impeachable offense, but gross acts of corruption involving foreign influence may be."

Thus, while we respect the office and pray for the man we may well understand that while the infamous gangster Al Capone of the twenties got away with murder, robbery and bootlegging, he was brought down and sent to prison for not paying his income tax. Remember, we have done nothing rebellious in our prayers, we have hoped for the good and trusted that God does and will act in history in ways that often astound and perplex the historians. We have only to consider the demise of the evil empire almost overnight in the last decade. The communist crimes while different in personal application, the intent was the same of the crimes of over taxation, miseducation, and powerbrokering which infect the American Republic as well. Russia had its GULAG, America its ABORTUARIES and God must act to judge both nations according to His holy standards. And we may trust that He will act in His good and providential time.

Before we leave this sixty-fifth question, there is one more application separate from that applied to the Civil Government. That is in the organization and operations of our Christian bodies. It should be remembered that the first few Westminster generations took what they had learned about governing their churches and applied that knowledge to the organization of democratic and republican governments. It remains for us to continue to apply those principles within Christ's Churches. The last two verses of our Romans' portion echo the passage before us in Philippians:

Philippians 2: 1-4

"Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself, let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."

How very much the many Christian Churches need to learn from this admonition. The Church cannot speak today, because the Church is splintered into many factions which mimics and mirrors the political landscape, so that almost any politician can claim some religious support and even call it "christian". Some time ago, I received in the mail a copy of a liberal investigation into the activities of several leading televangelists and their conservative organizations. I was not surprised at his allegations. However, if I could have found out who this anonymous reporter was, I would have written and asked him if he would also investigate the humanistic invasions of the several churches during this century to make them more malleable to the political correctness of the worldly powers.