James 1:20—For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
That Scripture came to mind this morning as I reflect on the state of our nation and the political developments in recent years.
Anger over sin is not a sin in itself, but whenever anger becomes the driving force for what one does, we go off the rails spiritually.
There are legitimate reasons for anger:
- Over 57 million babies aborted since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973;
- The ongoing destruction of Biblical morality in the area of sexual relations and marriage;
- The assault on religious liberty, particularly for conservative Christians;
- The trend toward the government as the solution for all problems;
- The arrogance and increasing corruption of political leaders;
- The overthrowing of the rule of law in general.
Those are the ones that come readily to mind, but there are others.
How has the Christian community responded? Some have taken a bold stand against this cultural and political devolution; others have caved to the spirit of the age and have tailored their “Christianity” to fit the new trends.
Politically, starting in 2009, a movement arose—and many in the movement were Christians—that sought to reverse some of these trends. Anger helped begin that movement, but it also was focused on a return to basics, both spiritually and constitutionally.
For that reason, I was pleased to participate in it. It was given a name: the Tea Party. I have spoken to a number of such groups since their inception, and have done my best to help this movement stay on track by pointing to the principles we need to follow.
What I’m about to say is not an indictment of the movement as a whole because I know enough sincere, honest people who are part of it. However, what I’ve witnessed over time is a tendency to allow anger over what is occurring in the nation to overwhelm the more positive aspects of the movement.
Whenever we let anger dictate our responses, we lose. When we drift away from concentrating on the positive message of restoration and humility before God, seeking His mercy, we lose.
Instead, we latch onto a charismatic figure who only fans the flames of the anger we naturally feel. We overlook his character, his past, and even the things he says that are completely inconsistent with what we claim are our principles.
In the heat of our anger, we lose our souls.
I am just sad this morning. I am now a political outsider. I often feel like one of those lonely voices in the wilderness. It’s not a comfortable place to be.
Yet I am willing to be what God has called me to be. I am willing to continue to speak and write what I believe to be true. And because I also believe that God is a God of mercy as well as discipline and judgment, I continue to hope for the best.
In the face of God’s judgment over His people Israel in the Old Testament, the prophet Jeremiah stated this in the book of Lamentations:
This I recall to my mind; therefore I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning.
Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul. “Therefore I have hope in Him.”
That’s the only safe place for our hope to reside: in Him. There is no political savior. We will survive the results of this coming election only because there is hope in Him.
Lay aside the anger as your primary motivation. Look to Him instead.
James 1:20—For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.