Where is Jesus in This?

An article by Matt    4 Comments

I mentioned yesterday that the 2011 Southern Baptist Convention was held last week in Phoenix, Arizona.  Because of my recent affiliation with the SBC I have watched the convention online over the past several years.  Watching the convention, I get a sense of what is going on across the country, and the SBC is often a good indicator of what is going on in the evangelical Christian world.  The motions, while often comical, can also be fairly significant.  This year’s rejection of the NIV 2011 is one such motion of significance.

And while I am generally encouraged by the direction of the SBC, I found myself astounded by the presentation of Dr. Richard Land, President of The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.  I have watched this report at least five times since it was initially given, and each time I find myself more and more disturbed, asking myself “where is Jesus in this?”  Watch the first eight minutes of this video and tell me if you agree:

My intention here is not to debate the politics of abortion or healthcare… if that is something that you want to talk about there are plenty of blogs on the internet in which to do that.

For a denomination that is seeing negative year over year growth and a drastic decline in baptisms, it amazes me that they are clinging to their culture warrior ways in non-essentials of the faith.  Richard Land’s promise to all of us that Obamacare will cause us to die sooner and in more pain than we would with Republicancare (or whatever the other option is) is not only ridiculous, but it is stupid.

There, I said it.

For a declining denomination, one who calls baptizing new believers a priority, to alienate half of this nation by tacitly declaring that conservative politics and Christianity are one and the same is worse than stupid.

I think it may be sinful.

Let’s face it: politics is a man-made system.  When we look to political debate and political policy to solve the world’s problems we are engaging in idolatry.  We are arrogantly believing that man can fix the world’s problems… how has that worked out for us so far?

The only thing that is going to solve the problems of this country, and this world, is for people to come into a right relationship with Christ.  As Christ changes each one of us, the culture will change with us.

No vote, no elected official, no man-made system can compare with the power of Christ’s life-changing love.  My hope is that we will once again pursue Christ instead political influence.