Fred is excited because the new governor is a born-again Christian. "Now we have an opportunity to really change the State for the better," Fred said.
I think Fred is assuming that because the man holding the office of governor is a professed Christian, that somehow the State is going to become more Christian.
It
doesn't work that way, Fred. I wish it did. Just because a Christian
fills an office, does not make that office Christian. It does not matter
what the governor professes. As soon as he puts on the mask of governor,
the duties of his office control his actions. He must act in behalf of
the State, not in behalf of Jesus Christ.
How many times have you heard someone say, "Let's get Christians back in government. Let's vote in the Christians. Let's fill the legislature with Christians. Let's get back to a Christian nation once again."
Sorry folks, it doesn't work that way. Again, it does not matter what a particular candidate professes. It is immaterial. Whoever fills the office, must perform as the office prescribes.
Let's take the case of a melodrama. I write the play. I create roles for the actors. The first role is that of a terrible villain. The second role is that of a lady in distress. Then I select actors to fill these roles.
Now I just might pick a professing born-again Christian to fill the role of the nasty villain who captures the lady and ties her to the railroad tracks. I don't care how much that actor professes Jesus Christ. He still must conform himself to the role of the mean villain.
The same is true for all the offices in the State. If every state office were filled by professing Christians, the country would not move one step closer to being a Christian nation. It is the offices themselves that must be changed. The character of the office has to be rewritten. The duties and responsibilities must conform to the teachings of Jesus Christ. And only those who pass the religious test in 1 John, Chapter 4, could hold office.
A police officer is not required to take a religious test. The police officer must lie. It is part of his office. Not only must he lie, he must be willing to kill. He must be deceptive. He must treat others the way he would not like to be treated. If he had to pass a religious test, then he would have a conflict.
But the police officer holds his office without a religious test. His employer does not care if he is a Christian as long as he sets aside his Christian beliefs to perform the duties of his office as policemen. Lie. Kill. Do violence to his neighbor. That's part of his job description. He is only doing his job.
That's what the centurions did 2,000 years ago when they took part in the crucifixion of the Son of God. They had a duty. It didn't matter who the guy was that was hanging on the cross.
If you profess Christ and you try to fill a State office, you will have to choose whom you will serve. The State won't let you act in the name of Jesus Christ. Mercy and kindness are not part of their law. They don't want you serving one another in love. You must conform to the duties of your office, not to the teachings of Jesus.
Jesus wants us to conform to Him. He says, "Repent!" which means, "Quit the office you are in and be reconciled to God!" Take up an office with God.
Then go forth and evangelize. Tell people about the offices that are available in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus wants to make all the nations of the world His footstool. That is the way of Christianity.
Show people the error of their ways. The errors of their offices. The errors of their agencies. Eventually these offices will close down if there is no one to fill them. When an office closes, the warm-blooded creature has to find another place to make his abode. Let's make that abode in Jesus Christ and get our life from the true vine.