Here We Go Again: Biblical Insights to Counter Chronic Political Hype

By Mark D. West

America is broken. Dissension, anger, and hopelessness, all describe the political feelings of many Americans. Families and friendships are fractured. Our struggles seem to grow worse with each new election as we hear the same old hype: "This is the most important election of our lifetimes." These realities apply to Christians and non-Christians alike. Yet, aren't Christians supposed to offer hope? Sadly, there's little evidence that Christians have the answers for America's struggles.

But there is hope. In "Here We Go Again" an old approach is revisited. Christians are reminded of an unconventional way of living, one that Jesus and his disciples taught and modeled for Christians to follow. In thought-provoking ways, "Here We Go Again" practically applies the truth of Scripture to many of today's most pressing political questions. Should a Christian vote for the lesser of two evils? Is Christianity’s goal to transform culture or to Make America Great Again? How should a Christian treat his political enemies? Can your vote thwart God's will? And more...

In"Here We Go Again" you will be challenged to realize that much of what you have been conditioned to believe, might be at odds with Scripture.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 20, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385024094

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Copyright © 2024 Mark D. West.

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Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 979-8-3850-2407-0 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-2408-7 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-2409-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024908083

WestBow Press rev. date: 5/16/2024

CONTENTS

Introduction

The 535: When Red and Blue Is Missing White

PART 1: LAYING THE GROUNDWORK

1Why Jesus Did Not Seek to Change the Political

2The Disciples’ Dilemma is Ours, Too

3There is No Political Solution to a Spiritual Problem

4Flags, Kingdoms, and Christian Schizophrenia

PART 2: CULTURAL CHANGE?

5Cultural Transformation: A Christian’s Priority?

6Christians, Politics, and Culture

7Salt of the Earth? What Did Jesus Mean?

8Daniel, Government, God, and You

9Make America Good Again

PART 3: GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

10God and Political Campaigns: Is He

Relevant or Remote?

11Who Can Stop God…in a Democracy?

12Drowning in Fear? How to Find Peace in the Midst of an Electoral Storm

13You Need Only Be Still

PART 4: SOME OF OUR STRUGGLES

14Is Government Evil?

15Chasing Soap Bubbles

16King for a Day

17The Impeachment Trial and Us

18Superhighways, the Constitution, and Our Opinions: Why We Fight

19America and Polytheism: When God is Not Enough

20Negative Political Ads, Bribes, and a Corrupt Political System

PART 5: VOTING

21Your Vote: Just One More Test

22I’m Mad as Hell So I’m Voting For ________

23Should a Christian Vote for the Lesser Evil?

24Situational Ethics in Voting

25Viability: A Flawed Argument

26Compromise When Voting

27Candidate A or Candidate B: Who to Vote for in a Primary?

28If You Reject the Mainstream Candidates,

Consider This

PART 6: THE NEXT GENERATION

29Hope and Change…for Millennials

30When the Lessons We Live Contradict the Principles We Teach

PART 7: WRAPPING UP

31King David vs King Saul: How to Treat One’s (Political) Enemies

32A Message to Elected Officials: You Won! Now What?

33A Nation Lost

34A Different Spirit

35Exit Your Echo Chamber to Make a Difference

36An Election Prayer

37The Tyranny of the Dot

Bibliography

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live

righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

—Matthew 6:33

INTRODUCTION

Over the years, if I’ve heard This is the most important election in our lifetimes once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. After years of devoted involvement in the political process, I began to question the accuracy of that statement. Inherent in that statement are several inferences. First, if something is the most important X of our lifetimes, it requires or demands our immediate and complete attention and focus. Second, the statement would suggest that the previous elections were not as important as the current one, even though at the time, they were presented as near life or death moments.

Of course, it’s possible that something could be the most important X in one’s lifetime, and then later, a more important something came along to trump the prior most important X. However, when, without exception, every two years, each new election is trumpeted as the most important election in our lifetimes, it begins to feel like the story of Johnny crying wolf. Therefore, I suggest that a healthy skepticism should be raised when we hear this same old worn-out tactic being deployed each election season.

Now, don’t hear what I’m not saying. Are elections important? Yes. Do they have an impact on our futures? Yes. Do opposing candidates offer differing policies that could have real-world implications for you and me? Certainly! But should fear be a motivator for you and me to succumb to the tactics that professional politicians use to spread dissension and division? Absolutely not.

During my years in political activism, I, on occasion, also used hype and fear to motivate those I sought to lead. However, over time, as I began to consider what I was doing and saying, I questioned the veracity of my own claims. Much of my questioning came because of my deliberate decision to saturate my mind with eternal Truths. These Truths were at odds with culture itself, and too often with my own truths as well.

I would posit that it is healthy, and even necessary, to regularly review and check our premises and beliefs, to affirm that they are valid, true, and pass the test of time. It’s also critical that when we judge ourselves, we are using a standard that is itself true and has passed the test of time as to its own reliability. For me, the Standard of Truth by which I evaluate and measure my own truths is the Bible, God’s Word. John chapter 1 states unambiguously that Jesus is this Word. Later on in John 14:6, Jesus Himself pronounces, I am…the Truth.

For a Christ follower, this recalibration of our beliefs and actions to align with the Word of Truth should be a lifelong process. We will never arrive completely, but we should never stop recalibrating. Scripture states, Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did (1 John 2:6). Christians understand this as the process of sanctification, which is a lifelong journey. We learn this from another verse in John 16:13: the Spirit of Truth…will guide you into all Truth.

When we engage a guide, it suggests we are going on a journey. A journey always requires time to arrive at the destination. On this spiritual journey for truth, we will regularly need our truths to be aligned with and revised to His Truths.

My own personal journey for Truth took on a new life in 2016 when I began to seriously, and systematically, immerse myself in God’s Word. When I did, I began to realize that many of the truths I had clung to so tightly were my own truths or culture’s truths rather than God’s Truths. Since then, I have had to recalibrate my truths to God’s Truths to live my life as Jesus did (1 John 2:6). To be clear, I have not arrived—not even close. As mentioned, this is a lifelong journey, so there will be constant change. I thank God He is patient and longsuffering. We should never forget though that if our truths are at odds with God’s Truth, then our truths are, in fact, lies.

While America was founded on some noteworthy values and principles, many of those founding principles have been lost or forgotten over the centuries. Sadly, today, the political process has devolved into something that in no way could be called Christian or much less even civil. The level of animosity and vitriol is boiling. The division is such that friends and families are being splintered, many beyond repair. Too often, many of these divisions are between those who claim to be Christians. No doubt Jesus must be grieved to see spiritual brothers and sisters hating each other over something as temporal as an election, or a political candidate.

Because of my previous political engagement, and my time in the Word (the Bible), I began to glean Truths from the Bible that seemed to provide me with insights into how I should respond to, and even counter, the regular election and political hype. Because I enjoy writing, I began to commit what I was learning to short snippets and blog posts. What follows are some of those writings. Hopefully, as you read them, they will provide some opportunities for you to personally examine your own truths to see if they are in fact God’s Truths. Let me clearly say, though, that I do not believe anything I’ve written is the authoritative conclusion on any of these matters. I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 8:2, which says, Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.

As I stated previously, our search for God’s Truth is a journey. If we are Christ followers, we have the Holy Spirit as our guide. When He is leading, we will be led to the Truth. However, at times, we might choose to take the reins, and what follows may be our own conclusions or truths instead of God’s Truth. I pray that what I am sharing are God’s Truths rather than my truths. I acknowledge that as my thoughts continue to align more closely with God’s, I may come to realize that some of what I have written may need to be updated.

As you turn the pages that follow, I pray that God will allow these insights to test your own and that God will sharpen your understanding where it is needed. Blessings.

Mark West

Nokomis, Florida

THE 535: WHEN RED AND

BLUE IS MISSING WHITE

(This is a poem about the deep political divide in Washington and beyond. The 535 refers to the 435 members of the House and 100 members of the Senate. Without a return to God, there is no reason to expect unity or any hope for this nation’s future.)

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Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family

splintered by feuding will fall apart. (Matthew 12:25)

The colors of the American flag represent the following.

Red: hardiness and valor

Blue: vigilance, perseverance, and justice

White: purity and innocence

CHAPTER

1

WHY JESUS DID NOT SEEK TO

CHANGE THE POLITICAL

P olitics is deeply divisive, even among family and friends, including God’s family. Even these fallible thoughts on my part could be divisive, although they are not shared to be such.

Why do I share them? I suppose it may be the same reason you might share yours: because we both think our thoughts have merit. They do, both yours and mine. Ultimately though, I want thoughts to not merely be human-inspired but God-aligned, both yours and mine.

Recently, as I was reading the Bible, Jesus’s words jumped off the page of Scripture.

Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not