ungodly alliances
November 9, 2011
I'm not advocating for cutting all friendships with nonchristians off, but I think it is important to consider how close we allow ourselves to get to other people who very noticeably do not want God in their lives. While we are called to evangelize and be a light to others, we are not called to so immerse ourselves with comforting, fun friendships where we inevitably are influenced by them into their ways. The people we call our 'community' we must choose wisely as they will affect us spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. We underestimate far too often how every choice we make in friendships and relationships is a choice that will affect us in our spiritual battle. We take too lightly the role relationships with people play in our own spiritual warfare, for the Christian walk is a spiritual battle. Another example to consider is how we approach political issues such as voting, elections, which side we're on, etc. I liked the following quote I read in my devotional a few days ago -
We'd rather have a politically 'smart' president whose judicial policies on moral issues disagree with Biblical morality but who can get our country to be rich and economically stable again, than a 'dumb' president whose economic, healthcare, foreign affairs policies 'suck' but whose morals abide by the Bible's. We throw around the words 'wise, smart, dumb' too much in political affairs and it only reflects our ignorance to the importance of God in political issues. I think we need to rethink where our priorities and standards lie and consider how much we value our economic security and comfort over the morality of a nation or ourselves. We are so scared of economic instability and discomfort that we'd rather give up the morality of our nation, than trust that God can work through whatever circumstances for our good if only we'd fix our eyes on Him and His goals, purposes, will, and commands.
Would God really allow us to suffer economically if we so choose to give up our comfort in light of obeying His commands for our lives? Even if we do end up 'suffering', do we not then suffer for our belief in Christ and really, does that count as 'suffering' at all from all that we've read and know from the Bible? I'd rather have nothing economically and everything in my life abiding in God's Spirit and Word because at the day of judgment, the only thing that would matter eternally is my relationship with God, and not my economic security or my presumed intellect.
41Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. ... 43In everything he walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. 44Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel. (1 Kings 22:41-44)Jehoshaphat is recorded in the Bible as a God-fearing, good king of Judah. The king of Israel at the time was Ahab, a wicked, ungodly, idolatrous king - one of the most infamous kings of Israel. There is one fault of Jehoshaphat's mentioned in 2 Chronicles. It was when he made an alliance with king Ahab to fight against the king of Aram.
1 When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, 2Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, “Should you help the wicked and love[a] those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is on you. 3 There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.” (2 Chronicles 19:1-3)Jehoshaphat was rebuked by the the prophet Jehu for his ungodly alliance with Ahab. I like what the Barnes Notes on the Bible says on this passage -
As a matter of mere human policy, the conduct of Jehoshaphat in joining Ahab against the Syrians was not only justifiable but wise and prudent. And the reasonings upon which such a policy was founded would have been unexceptionable but for one circumstance. Ahab was an idolater, and had introduced into his kingdom a false religion of a new and most degraded type. This should have led Jehoshaphat to reject his alliance.This brings to mind that a lot of times we do what by human policies and human wisdom would seem wise and justifiable. We make alliances, friendships, relationships for the sake of worldly benefit, by worldly wisdom. Too little do we consider how those alliances, friendships, and relationships would affect us spiritually. Too little do we first seek God's wisdom and discernment in making friendships, alliances, and relationships. Too little do we consider God's glory and purposes in our actions, and too much do we consider our comfort, safety, and benefit. We reason and think too much; we pray too little. We forget that God sees not as we do. Too often, we'd rather take the 'safe' choice by worldly standards, than take a risk and have faith that God will take care of the impossible when we fully trust in Him and make our decisions and alliances by His standards set out for us in His Word.
I'm not advocating for cutting all friendships with nonchristians off, but I think it is important to consider how close we allow ourselves to get to other people who very noticeably do not want God in their lives. While we are called to evangelize and be a light to others, we are not called to so immerse ourselves with comforting, fun friendships where we inevitably are influenced by them into their ways. The people we call our 'community' we must choose wisely as they will affect us spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. We underestimate far too often how every choice we make in friendships and relationships is a choice that will affect us in our spiritual battle. We take too lightly the role relationships with people play in our own spiritual warfare, for the Christian walk is a spiritual battle. Another example to consider is how we approach political issues such as voting, elections, which side we're on, etc. I liked the following quote I read in my devotional a few days ago -
To defend a king or a president because of his economic policies when the moral core has evaporated means we have become as vile as the things we love. (D.A. Carson, For the Love of God Vol 2, Nov 3.)I find it terribly sad how very often we Christians rely too much on our own presumed 'intelligence' in political matters, and too little on what God sets out for us in the Bible. We are smart, yes, by worldly standards. But when we judge what is good and beneficial by our worldly standards, we will almost always be doing opposite of what the Bible sets out for us. I hear too often people who support a party or a presidential/senator/house of rep candidate because of what their foreign affairs, international, economic policies are. We seem politically 'smart' for knowing what is 'good' (why don't we just run for government if we think we're so politically smart? -_-) Too little on what those candidates morally hold to. We compare candidates to the political standards of this world, and not to the Biblical standards God holds us all to.
We'd rather have a politically 'smart' president whose judicial policies on moral issues disagree with Biblical morality but who can get our country to be rich and economically stable again, than a 'dumb' president whose economic, healthcare, foreign affairs policies 'suck' but whose morals abide by the Bible's. We throw around the words 'wise, smart, dumb' too much in political affairs and it only reflects our ignorance to the importance of God in political issues. I think we need to rethink where our priorities and standards lie and consider how much we value our economic security and comfort over the morality of a nation or ourselves. We are so scared of economic instability and discomfort that we'd rather give up the morality of our nation, than trust that God can work through whatever circumstances for our good if only we'd fix our eyes on Him and His goals, purposes, will, and commands.
Would God really allow us to suffer economically if we so choose to give up our comfort in light of obeying His commands for our lives? Even if we do end up 'suffering', do we not then suffer for our belief in Christ and really, does that count as 'suffering' at all from all that we've read and know from the Bible? I'd rather have nothing economically and everything in my life abiding in God's Spirit and Word because at the day of judgment, the only thing that would matter eternally is my relationship with God, and not my economic security or my presumed intellect.
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