Thursday, May 8, 2008

An Evangelical Manifesto

This morning, I was reading this article in my local newspaper Group wants politics out of evangelicalism. More than 70 evangelical leaders released a statement called "An Evangelical Manifesto" in an attempt to reclaim the term evangelical.
Evangelical must be restored as a religious label, not a political or cultural one, according to the statement. It defined the term as someone who follows the word of God as revealed in the Bible.
"We confess that we Evangelicals have betrayed our beliefs by our behavior"
I am a strong Christian and I am also a Patriot but I am very nuetural when it comes to politics. I do NOT like telling other people what to do with their lives. In the United States, we are in a "democratic country" which means the Government will follow what the people want. United States are NOT a "Theocracy Government" (i.e. Christian Moral Laws). The idea that Jesus Christ has absolute and final authority over all of us in every detail of our lives is simply regardless of legalistic control by some evangelical Christians in the political world.

Governments are God's ordained. Jesus taught that the government should work in harmony with the church and should recognize its sovereignty in spiritual matters (Matt. 22:21).I do believe very much in being a responsible Christian citizen.

In conclusion, we must careful not to identify Christianity with any political parties because Jesus Christ have HIS OWN Party which is HIS KINGDOM. Christ stands alone, above and outside of every ideology of any political parties. Jesus does not and will not join any of our parties. Jesus said "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence" (John 18:36).

1 comment:

Norma said...

Isn't it odd that those who are concerned that some Christians emphasize the final creation of God--man and woman--as good the the best relationship, and who don't want life destroyed in the womb, are the very ones who are pro-choice and inclusive. Sorry, but this manifesto looks a tad disingenuous and self serving to me. Evangelicals didn't make abortion a political issue, the liberals did. They've always known it is a spiritual truth issue. The same evangelicals who care about life at the beginning, seem to be the ones also caring for it all along the line--from food pantries, to prison ministries to fighting euthanasia of helpless people.