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HopeLives365

Mark Finley

How Should Christians Respond to Donald Trumps Trial? Part 2

I'm here at the Chesapeake Camp meeting, preaching.

We're seeing the mighty power of God come down and people making decisions for Christ and being inspired to get ready for Jesus soon coming.

Pastor Mark, recently we put out a video, the title of the video had to do with Trump's trial and how Christians should respond to that trial And we had a number of people comment on that video.

And I could tell that there were people that misunderstood the video, maybe what she said, or the purpose of that video.

Sometimes I wonder if people comment and they never even watch the video because of what they say.

It just doesn't make any sense sometimes to me, but we're gonna attempt to clear up a lot of those questions today some of those comments about that video like We're gonna talk about You know, should we even be talking about politics or should there be a judicial system?

Is this something that we should talk about at all?

We have a number of things we're going to talk about today in this program.

You know the interesting thing is and I think our audience should know that in the first few days of the video we had 1, 600 comments.

The vast majority of people understood, they recognized that this was a Christian approach not a political approach But there were a few there were some that did not understand So it's always good to come back and reflect and give biblical answers.

Yeah, I have well, like you said there's there were not a lot of comments that were negative or misunderstanding But I think you know not everybody comments So I'd like to I'd like to say That I feel like there were a number of people that probably felt similar to the people who did comment but never said anything so this video is for them and for maybe someone else who who maybe hasn't watched that video if you haven't watched part 1 I put it in the description of this video so You can go over and watch it there if you have not watched that video yet.

All right, Pastor Mark, let's go right into the comments on the comments.

So the first 1 is, should you talk about political things from the pulpit?

First, the video that we put out was not about political things.

We had an introduction, but it was really a Christian response to political issues that are going on in America today.

So it's a basically a biblical response and there were 3 points that we made in the video.

Number 1, we should pray for our leaders.

Now that means pray for our leaders on either side.

You pray for your leaders if they are on the ultra right or the ultra left.

In the context of America, we pray for former President Trump.

We pray that God will be with him, give him wisdom and strength.

But we also pray for President Biden, the current president of the United States.

He has so many complex decisions to make.

And if we follow scripture, you'll look for example at 1st Timothy chapter 2.

And as Christians, we do not take political sides.

As Christians, we do not take a political side of an issue and it is out of harmony with God's Word to take a political position from the pulpit.

But we do, we do give Christian responses to issues that our world is facing.

And here is what is the Christian response to the issues that we're facing in the world today.

Listen, here's what it says in 1st Timothy chapter 2 verse 1, therefore I exhort.

Now the word exhort means I urge, I beseech, I exhort first of all.

So this is Paul's writing from a Roman prison and he's exhorting.

He has been imprisoned unjustly And he says, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.

Now notice verse 2, for kings and all who are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and reverence.

So the Apostle Paul writes to young Timothy and he urges him to pray for the political leaders at Rome and so here you have despotic leaders at Rome but yet Paul urges praying for them.

And interestingly enough, Paul later writes that the saints, the believers in Caesar's household, greet them.

So evidently their prayers had an impact.

Number 1, that we pray, not for 1 side of the aisle or the other, but the Christian response is prayer.

Secondly, the Christian response is not judging our political leaders because they are facing issues and we don't understand always the background so it's not to judge.

The third point that we made and I think it's a key point and that is there will be an ultimate judgment and God will sit upon his throne and judgment will be righteous judgment at that point.

Now 1 of the basis of doing that is found in Matthew the fifth chapter.

God does not call us to politics but he does call us to give Christian responses to issues that society is facing.

Look, Matthew chapter 5 verse 14, you are the light of the world.

A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand.

And it gives light to all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." So a video like that, we want to be the light of the world.

We want to give Christian values and Christian principles to situations that we find in our world today.

Yeah, so I think some of the misunderstanding came from not really understanding what it means to judge.

You know, in the Bible, we have a call to make righteous judgments, you know, talking about when we look at 1 thing or another, we're supposed to look at that thing and judge for ourselves, whether it's right or wrong.

And then we have casting judgments or being the judge that the Bible in a sense condemns, meaning, you know, we are not God, therefore we cannot judge another, because we don't know their heart.

Because my understanding of the comments is, some people thought you were saying that we shouldn't judge, say, Donald Trump, or we shouldn't even have a judicial system to judge other people, which is not what you were saying.

We can clear that up this way, that God says, judge righteous judgment.

So we can make an evaluation based on the activities or actions of another.

In fact, the Bible says, by their fruits you shall know them.

So we can evaluate character by the actions of a person.

We can evaluate honesty, integrity, morality, immorality, But because we see those actions does not give us the liberty to openly condemn another.

And there's a wonderful Bible passage on this found in the book of Corinthians, 1 Corinthians chapter 4.

We do not condemn others by going out publicly and criticizing them.

We're looking here at 1 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 5.

If you happen to have your Bible you want to take it there because the Bible is very plain on this subject.

1st Corinthians and we're looking there at chapter 4 verse 5.

Listen, Therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts, and then each one's praise shall come from God." In other words, it says don't be judging people's motives.

Then it says don't be out there condemning your political leaders, but rather make the righteous judgment, evaluate character.

And it says because when the Lord comes, he's going to bring out every hidden thing of darkness that you don't know about.

So you don't know the background, you don't have all the facts, and so therefore the Christian approach is not to be out there condemning this leader or that leader or this person or that person.

The Christian approach is to seek God in prayer.

The more a person falls short in their character, the more they need our prayers.

The more they need us to be on our knees seeking God for them.

Isn't that what Daniel did for Nebuchadnezzar, a despotic leader?

Isn't that what Paul did for Nero and the Roman Empire?

So yes, there is a difference between evaluating fruits and condemning another person publicly met.

We said it in our video but let me say it again and underline it and put 3 punctuation parts behind it.

God has given civil authority to the court system.

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How Should Christians Respond to Donald Trumps Trial? Part 2

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