I want to start out this blog first of all by making it very clear that if a Christian lives in a country where they can vote, they need to vote. I don't think the excuse that some else will get elected or the law will pass or not pass any way is a legitimate reason for not casting your vote. I believe that God wants us to be responsible citizens and do what we can to try to pass laws that help and protect the members of our society. There are members of my church who are involved in local and state government. I am very glad there are godly men and women in those positions.

However, I am becoming increasingly concerned that there is a movement within Christianity which focuses so much on passing legislation that it ignores the real cause of the problem which is sin. We have people who are petitioning and marching in picket lines in regards to abortion. Are these same people volunteering their time to reach out to teenagers so that they can find Christ beforethey end up in a situation where they are looking for a way to terminate a pregnancy? Are they taking young men and women under their wing to help mentor these young Christians, equipping them with the knowledge of how to resist temptation and live a victorious Christian life?

Are we reaching out to the woman who is so starved for love that she will do anything because she thinks if she doesn't he'll leave her? Do we embrace the woman (or man) who made a very poor choice, love them and tell them that they can count on our church to help them raise their child? Of do we preach fire and brimstone at them and drive them from our midst, filled with anger and shame?

If we were doing our job of being witnesses in a world that so desperately needs to see Christ in us, we would not be having so many people seeking to terminate pregnancies. We wouldn't have as much drug abuse or crime. People wouldn't be interested in drafting legislation that wasn't pleasing to God because they would want to live in such a way that pleases God. In short, we would live in a very different world. Do we really think that legislation is the answer or is the answer Christ?

In order for a weed to keep from spreading and be destroyed, you have to destroy the root. If you just mow the weeds down, it will keep on coming back. Our primary focus must be on destroying the root of sin in people's lives. Instead... we are just trying to mow sin down. Meanwhile underground, the root system is growing.

Blessings!

K

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