Professing Atheists Don’t Really Want Fairness
March 30, 2022 at 11:07 am | Posted in Uncategorized | 1 CommentTags: agnostics, atheism, evangelism, Jesus Christ, professing atheists, the Gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, witnessing, witnessing encounters
Christian: Hi, I’m from the local Christian church, and we were in your neighborhood today inviting folks to come visit our church.
Professing atheist: I’ve been to your church before.
Christian: That’s great, when was that?
Professing atheist: I attended youth group there a few times when I was a kid, and I was at a funeral there last month.
Christian: Are you attending church anywhere now?
Professing atheist: No.
Christian: When you went to youth group, did anyone ever explain to you who Jesus is, or how you can have your sins forgiven?
Professing atheist: Not really, I don’t remember.
Christian: I’m going to explain it to you now…
Professing atheist: (interrupting) I’m an atheist.
Christian: No, you’re not.
Professing atheist: What?
Christian: You’re not an atheist. I can prove it.
Professing atheist: Okay.
Christian: Do you know everything there is to know?
Professing atheist: No…
Christian: Well, to be an atheist, you would have to claim to know that there is no God, and you just admitted that you don’t know everything, so you have to also admit that there could be a God you don’t know about.
Professing atheist: I guess you’re right.
Christian: There, I just converted you from a professing atheist to an agnostic in 15 seconds! Not that that’s any better.
Professing agnostic: Let me guess, you want me to become a Christian.
Christian: Doesn’t much matter what I want. The fact is, God wants you to become a Christian.
Professing agnostic: Can I ask you something?
Christian: Sure
Professing agnostic: All your friends are Christians, right?
Christian: No. Most of my friends at church are Christians, but I have a secular job, and many of the people I work with are like you – they’re pretending to be atheists.
Professing agnostic: I’ll bet your whole family is Christian.
Christian: My immediate family is, but a lot of my extended family isn’t.
Professing agnostic: Could I ever convert you to be a Muslim?
Christian: No.
Professing agnostic: How about a Hindu?
Christian: No.
Professing agnostic: Jewish?
Christian: Jewish is an ethnicity, not a religion, but, no, I’m not converting to Judaism.
Professing agnostic: Well, what about all the Hindus in India who don’t have Christian friends and family? Do you think God’s going to send them to hell?
Christian: Doesn’t matter what I think. The Bible says that anyone who doesn’t receive the salvation offered by Jesus Christ will be sent by God to the lake of fire, and the Bible is where we find out what God is going to do.
Professing agnostic: That’s why I’m an atheist, or an agnostic, or whatever, because that’s not fair.
Christian: Not fair according to whose standard? You’re saying that you don’t agree with God’s standard of fairness, so you’re pretending He doesn’t exist?
Professing agnostic: How can a Hindu living in India know that the Christian God exists?
Christian: The same way you can. Look around. Everything in creation is too intricately designed to be accidental. God made it that way, so that people all over the world – regardless of their background or influences – could know there’s a Creator, and could seek to know Him better. There are three things that you and I have in common with every Hindu in India. One, we know that there is a God Who made us and everything else. Two, we know that He has given us a knowledge of right and wrong. And three, we have learned that, even though we know some things are clearly wrong, we do them anyway.
Professing agnostic: Such as?
Christian: Lying, stealing, cheating, being selfish. Kids all over the world start doing those things around the time they learn to crawl and talk – without exception.
Professing agnostic: You only know they’re wrong because the Bible or some religious book says they’re wrong.
Christian: Nope. You reject the Bible, but I guarantee you, if I went into this house right now, found your wallet, and walked off down the street with it, you would think – internally and objectively – that my doing so was very very wrong. And it would be. And I would deserve to be punished by my Creator and Lawgiver for doing it.
Professing agnostic: How is that different from any other religion, though?
Christian: The difference is, only Biblical Christianity offers a solution to the problem of sinners being punished for their sins. Only Jesus Christ – Who was God in human flesh – has come into this world and taken on the guilt for our sins, and paid the price of that guilt on the Cross, and rose from the grave, and is alive and able to forgive you and save you now. He Who knew no sin – Jesus – became sin for us, so that we could receive the righteousness of God in Him. That’s what the Bible says in II Corinthians 5:21. Does that make sense?
Professing agnostic: Yes, but I’ve thought about this a lot, and I can’t believe in a God who punishes people that live where that message is not commonly known.
Christian: I agree that we Christians aren’t doing a good enough job getting the news about Jesus to all the places in the world, but we’re talking about you right now. Your problem is not that you need God to be fair. He’s going to be extremely fair with you. You’ve sinned against Him and have rejected His Savior. You don’t want fairness. You want grace and mercy, and He will give it to you if you will ask for it.
Professing agnostic: I don’t know, but I’m glad you listened to me.
Christian: Thank you for listening to me, too. I’ll be praying for you. This is too important to not be sure about. I want you to go through this tract and the Bible verses listed in it, and call me if you have any questions.
Spiritual Self-Defense
March 24, 2022 at 1:42 pm | Posted in II Corinthians | 2 CommentsTags: 2 Corinthians 12, 2 Corinthians 13, Apostle Paul, commentary on 2 Corinthians, defending our ministry, eternal security, honoring others, Sunday School lessons on 2 Corinthians
I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
II Corinthians 12:11
This was not sarcasm. The Apostle Paul really did feel foolish speaking this way, and we see a very human sentiment in this idea that “you have forced me into a type of boasting because you wouldn’t defend me yourselves. You wouldn’t stick up for me against the false teachers although even the other Apostles acknowledge my rank and authority.”
This is a good reminder – actually two good reminders:
1. We need to commend those who have nurtured us in our faith, and honor them.
Remember them, and give them credit. This could be parents or grandparents; it could be the person who led you to the Lord; it could be a pastor or a Sunday School teacher from your youth; it could be someone who was a strong spiritual example and who encouraged you. Don’t make them commend themselves to others when there is an opportunity for you to do it for them.
2. There is a time for self-defense.
Sometimes we need to defend ourselves – not because we like to boast, but because we’ve been attacked or slandered and we need to set the record straight. Perhaps there are rare instances when a proper appreciation for how we’ve served someone would win us an audience to help them again, but we’re being denied that audience because the person has forgotten our sacrifice.
Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
II Corinthians 12:14
The Book of Acts records one visit to Corinth which took place before the writing of II Corinthians, but from this verse we know there had been another one. Paul intended to visit without any love offering for himself, but rather to bring a love offering to them. This is the privilege of parents, not an insult. He would not be burdensome to them, and money would not be an issue. He genuinely loved them, and not just what they had. Love people and use things. Do not love things and use people.
I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
II Corinthians 12:18
Even Paul’s messenger and partner Titus came to them without seeking any compensation. They walked the same way. It’s not as easy as we might think for a group of men – even ministers of the Gospel – to walk the same way. The secret is not to walk like each other – but to all walk like Jesus.
And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
II Corinthians 12:21
Paul admitted to some concern that he might find them involved in the same behaviors and sins which had been addressed in I Corinthians. He could do what was necessary – and even accept it as God’s way of humbling him – but it would grieve him and he wished not to have to do it. And that is his introduction to his intentions stated in Chapter 13: that he would follow Jesus’s rules concerning addressing offenses in the Church.
This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
II Corinthians 13:1
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
II Corinthians 13:5-6
Those who were not truly in the faith would show themselves to be unproven.
Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
II Corinthians 13:7
We are personally responsible for demonstrating our own authenticity as Christians.
II Corinthians ends on a very Trinitarian note:
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
II Corinthians 13:14
Arose by No Other Name
March 22, 2022 at 1:48 pm | Posted in Biblical names, I Thessalonians | 2 CommentsTags: 1 Thessalonians 4, Arise, commentary on 1 Thessalonians, Jesus Christ, Revelation 22, Sunday School lessons on 1 Thessalonians, the rapture
The word “arise” is found in the Bible 149 times. It is a command, many times given by God, to tell someone to get moving, get busy, go somewhere, and do something. I am so thankful for those who have heeded the Word of the Lord and have “arisen” early on Sunday mornings, and have come to a corporate worship service at a local Christian church to meet together, fellowship, study, and encourage others. For those of you who are reading this, and have visited, or diligently attended, a Biblically faithful church service or Sunday School class, you have been used of God to strengthen and bless me and others personally, and that is a reason to rejoice!
As we continue on with our study of I Thessalonians, there is an even better reason to rejoice described in Chapter 4.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
I Thessalonians 4:14-17 (emphasis added)
The words “rose” and “rise” in these verses, referring to Christ’s Resurrection, and to the resurrection of the bodies of those who have died in the Christian faith, are from the Greek word anistemi, and are related to the word used in the command “arise,” so often given in the Bible. It literally means “up” (ana) and “to make stand or rise” (istanai). It is from this word that we get the name “Anastasia.”
If we are alive when it happens, we can only speculate on how great our wonder will be as the Lord causes the bodies of our dearly departed loved ones to “rise” up to meet Him in the air. It appears that we will not have much time, though, to stand around being amazed, for we will quickly follow! Are you ready for this great event: the coming of the Lord Jesus for His bride, and the rapture of the Church? John the Revelator’s proclamation was:
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Revelation 22:20
Many Christians today invoke this prayer – “Come quickly, Lord Jesus” – as an expression of their desire to escape the troubles, trials, and wickedness of our world today. At a time when we have seen the President of the greatest nation on earth inaugurated to the strains of a homosexual marching band, and when professing Christian pastors attempt to call down God’s blessings on proponents of abortion, those who harbor such a desire to depart can hardly be blamed.
However, it seems that the desire for Christ’s imminent return must almost be tempered by the realization that we know so many who have not yet trusted Christ. We want them to believe the Gospel and be saved before it’s too late. Perhaps there is more to the “come quickly” than just a longing to leave behind a bad situation. We know that our entrance into the Lord’s presence in Heaven will be the ultimate fulfillment of our sanctification. Those who truly love the Lord want to be more like Jesus every day. He is coming back for a spotless bride, a pure church. Rather than bemoaning how ungodly the world is becoming, it may be beneficial for those who are saved to focus on becoming more godly ourselves.
In any event, the day of Christ’s appearing and the day of the church’s arising is described for us in the Bible for a very specific reason:
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
I Thessalonians 4:18
God’s Long-Term Plans
March 17, 2022 at 3:38 pm | Posted in Isaiah | 1 CommentTags: commentary on Isaiah, Isaiah 6, Isaiah's vision, John 12, seraphim, spiritual cleansing, Sunday School lessons on Isaiah
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Isaiah 6:1
It is likely that Isaiah was deeply distraught over the death of King Uzziah. He had a vision of the Lord sitting, and there was no place in this vision – nor is their any place in the whole universe – that is not filled with God’s glory.
Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
Isaiah 6:2
These angels covered their faces, possibly out of humility and for protection from the brilliance of God’s glory. They covered their feet, symbolizing their desire not to contaminate the holy ground around God’s throne. With a third pair of wings they flew, perhaps constantly at the ready to carry out God’s instructions, and/or to maneuver themselves into positions to catch eternally new and fascinating glimpses of His glory.
And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
Isaiah 6:3-5
One of the seraphim touched a coal to Isaiah’s lips to cleanse him.
These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
John 12:41
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isaiah 6:8
This verse, where Isaiah volunteers to “go for” the Triune God, is sometimes used as motivation to stir up Christians into a zeal for service, or to exhort them to surrender their gifts and talents to the Lord, or to convince them to at least make themselves available to God. These are not bad messages, but we must not separate Isaiah’s willingness to go for God from what comes before it. After recognizing God’s holiness – “the whole earth is full of his glory” – Isaiah recognized his own sinfulness: “Woe is me!” There must be a “woe is me” before there can be a “here am I.” Isaiah needed to recognize his own sin before he could preach about anybody else’s.
Additionally, we might be prone to forget what came after it. As soon as Isaiah confessed, he was cleansed, and God gave him his mission, but it would not be a mission of going forth to be well-liked by the people. Isaiah would actually be used by God to make the spiritually blind people even blinder, to cause the spiritually deaf to become even deafer, to make hard hearts even harder, knowing that the people who heard a message of repentance would not repent. Imagine being told by the Lord that your mission was to go forth… and fail.
We must remember that God’s plans are long-term plans. His true people will ultimately be saved. Although they will hear of condemnation, they will also receive consolation and comfort.
Only Apostles Elected?
March 11, 2022 at 3:19 pm | Posted in Ephesians, Uncategorized | 4 CommentsTags: Apostles, Bible Q&A, chosen by God, chosen in Christ, Divine election, doctrine of election, election, Ephesians 1
Question: When Ephesians 1:4 says “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,” couldn’t that just mean that God chose who would be His Apostles instead of Him choosing who would be saved? In other words, isn’t the “us” in Verse 4 talking about Paul and Peter and John, etc., and not all Christians?
Answer: No, that would be missing the whole point of Ephesians 1:3-14. The recipients of God’s electing grace and love are all who believe and trust in Jesus Christ and His saving work. You can see this throughout Ephesians Chapter 1:
- It is addressed to “the faithful in Christ Jesus,” not just the Apostles (Verse 1).
- All believers, not just Apostles, are blessed “with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Verse 2).
- All Christians are meant to be “holy and without blame before him in love.” (Verse 4)
- All Christians are adopted as God’s children in Jesus Christ (Verse 5).
- All Christians are saved in order to bring praise and glory to God and all are accepted in the Beloved (Jesus Christ). (Verse 6)
- All Christians “have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Verse 7)
I could go on and on throughout the whole chapter and the whole Book of Ephesians showing how all true believers have access to the exceeding spiritual riches of our inheritance in God through Jesus Christ. It is one of the main themes of the whole book. I understand that many people are resistant to the idea that God chose those who would be saved, and that people are scared of, or antagonistic toward, this teaching because they perceive that it lines up with certain theological systems that they don’t like, but be careful that, in trying to demonize the theology of people with whom you disagree, you do not interpret the plain teaching of Scripture in such a way that would rob God’s people of all the tremendous blessings that God wants us to access and enjoy in Christ.
The Apostle Who Came Back from Heaven
March 9, 2022 at 4:47 pm | Posted in II Corinthians | 1 CommentTags: 2 Corinthians 12, Apostle Paul, Biblical suffering, commentary on 2 Corinthians, dependence on God, Heaven, suffering and power, Sunday School lessons on 2 Corinthians, thorn in the flesh
Having finally justified the necessity of listing and defending his own credentials, letting the Corinthian Christians know that this “glorying” was not for the sake of vanity, but for the love he had for them, the Apostle Paul pointed out that what the false teachers falsely claimed about themselves was actually true about Paul, and even exceeded by Paul.
It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
II Corinthians 12:1
There are accounts in the New Testament, and especially in the Book of Acts, where Paul was given immediate revelation from Jesus Himself. I am a Bible literalist, so I don’t like to assume something in Scripture is not the way it sounds – even when virtually all well-known Bible commentators agree – but I am convinced that “the man” Paul described in II Corinthians 12:2 was really Paul himself. If we speak of ourselves in the third person it can easily sound arrogant and condescending, but for Jewish rabbis it was not uncommon to do so when their humility made it difficult to talk about themselves directly in a way that could sound like bragging.
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
II Corinthians 12:2
Paul was taken up past the clouds, past the planets and stars of outer space, to God’s Heavenly Paradise: what the Greek philosophers called the Empyrean (wrongly associating it with the element of fire). This is something that would have happened to Paul around 43 A.D., during some of the travels described in Acts. It was either a true “out of body experience” or a literal bodily translation up to the “third” heaven.
And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
II Corinthians 12:3-4
We can only speculate as to whether these “unspeakable” words were unspeakable because they were physically impossible for Paul to verbalize, or whether they consisted of revelations which Paul was forbidden by the Lord to repeat.
Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
II Corinthians 12:5
This was a figure of speech. Paul couldn’t bring himself to brag directly, but he just honestly admitted that this experience was something with which it was understandable for people to be impressed. However, he would rather talk about his infirmities.
For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
II Corinthians 12:6-7
For 14 years Paul had been afflicted with this unknown “thorn in the flesh,” something not imposed upon him directly by God, but something ALLOWED by God, in that He gave Satan permission to “buffet” him. The “thorn” was not a symbol for a little sliver or splinter of wood that gets under the skin and irritates and annoys. No, this was meant to call to mind a large and vicious wooden spike, like the thorns in the mocking crown that Jesus wore to Calvary. The buffeting that Paul experienced was fierce and persistent blows and pain, yet for 14 years he had not associated this affliction publicly with his visit to Heaven.
Paul was not like the boy who supposedly visited Heaven and got a book deal from Lifeway. No, Paul’s glorious visit was capped off by a severe reminder that he was not too special to need God’s grace every second.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
II Corinthians 12:8
After the third time praying for its removal, the Lord, rather than delivering Paul, gave him something greater to go with it: growth in grace and deep dependence upon God.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
II Corinthians 12:9-10
How strange this “gift,” and how bizarre God’s (and Paul’s) idea of pleasure, seems to most of us! For Paul, weakness was strength, pain was pleasure, and suffering was power.
Us and Them
March 7, 2022 at 4:56 pm | Posted in I Thessalonians | 3 CommentsTags: 1 Thessalonians 5, Biblical light, commentary on 1 Thessalonians, light and darkness, spiritual darkness, spiritual light, Sunday School lessons on 1 Thessalonians, the rapture, us vs. them
I Thessalonians Chapter 5 begins with a “but.”
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
I Thessalonians 5:1
We should be comforted by the promise that Jesus is coming back, BUT this is not an excuse to wait and watch passively. It is a reason to get busy.
I Thessalonians Chapter 4 ends with a message of comfort, but there are contrasts in Chapter 5 between “us” and “them.”
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
I Thessalonians 5:3 (emphasis added)
We say that pregnant women are “expecting.” This should be a happy time – a time of hope – but between the hope of expecting and the joy of birth there comes a time of labor and travail. There have always been people who believed they were peaceful and safe, but they were not actually ready to meet the Lord. In evangelism we sometimes ask people if they would like to go Heaven when they die (they sometimes say “Of course!”), but a better question might be, “Are you ready to meet the Lord?”
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
I Thessalonians 5:4-5 (emphasis added)
Children of the light have no business in darkness. Children of darkness detest the light. They don’t want to come into the light because the light exposes their deeds – and their deeds are evil (John 3:19-20).
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
I Thessalonians 5:7
God is light. In Him there is no darkness at all (I John 1:5). In fact, the very first creation that God recognized as “good” was the creation of light (Genesis 1:4).
As believers, we will be united with our Christian loved ones who “sleep” in the Lord, BUT there is a time of travail coming, so we must stay busy, stay awake, stay alert, stay vigilant, stay sober, stay in the light, keep walking with the Lord, imitating Him, and finding our comfort in Him.
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
I Thessalonians 5:9-11
A Seeking and Saving Shepherd
March 4, 2022 at 2:09 pm | Posted in Isaiah | 5 CommentsTags: commentary on Isaiah, holiness of God, Holy One of Israel, Isaiah 1, Jesus the Good Shepherd, seek and save, Sunday School lessons on Isaiah
Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
Isaiah 1:4
“Holy One of Israel” is the name for God used about 25 times in Book of Isaiah – and maybe only six other times in the whole Bible. It reminds us that God is holy in the sense that He is unlike any other being in His sinlessness. It also reminds us that the Lord our God is “one God” (the Holy ONE of Israel). This makes His people different from other nations who worship multiple false gods. He is the Holy One “of Israel” – He has a special chosen people, and these people seek to know God, and have been mastered by God. They have even been broken by God. They have “provoked Him to anger,” but that anger was demonstrated because He loves them.
God is omniscient and omnipotent, and He is “holy” also in the sense of being completely “other,” compared to us, but He does truly love us, and can be grieved by us, and longs for us to return unto Him when we have turned from Him. This is a great mystery, but His love springs forth from Himself.
Isaiah spoke to people who had “gone away backward.” This implies that God went after them, and, although they recognized something of His greatness, they were trying to get away from Him. God is the pursuer. We are sheep – prone to wander, to go astray. The Shepherd seeks the lost sheep, but He doesn’t merely “seek.” He comes to seek and to SAVE. If you know the Shepherd, don’t be discouraged. Whom He seeks, He saves.
The Deep End 
Christians Insulting Politicians?
March 28, 2022 at 3:01 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 2 CommentsTags: Christians and polictics, commentary on Matthew, faith and politics, Matthew 5, name-calling, political opponents, politicians, politics, social media, Sunday School lessons on Matthew
Question: As a Christian, where do you draw the line on talking about politics and criticizing your political enemies?
Answer: The answer to that is probably different for each person. I wouldn’t want to be the one to draw a definitive line in the sand. I would, however, offer a couple of cautionary considerations.
First, we need to be careful about our language. I lean towards what is probably a politically conservative viewpoint, so I understand how some liberal political policies can provoke people to anger – especially abortion, which is clearly sinful and unbiblical. We could add some other issues, too, like socialism and the support of homosexual fake marriage, which are likewise sinful and unbiblical. Anger can be a dangerous emotion for Christians, though. I often see otherwise sound Christians posting about liberals and liberal politicians with pejorative terms like “lib-tards” (a combination of liberal and retard) and “stupid” and “idiots,” and even expressing joy over how much they love laughing at them, and it makes me cringe. Jesus said,
Matthew 5:22
I would submit that calling liberals libtards or idiots or stupid is just as bad or worse than “raca” (which meant senseless or empty-headed or worthless) or “fool.” Additionally, some Christians display a gleeful eagerness in making fun of the physical characteristics (which can’t be helped) of some politicians. We need to remember that, when it comes to sinful public policies, Satan is our real enemy, more so than his human pawns (II Corinthians 10:1-4). I don’t think anyone who holds a different political point of view than the one you hold is likely to be won to Christ, or persuaded to consider changing his mind, by calling him childish names or by making fun of his appearance (Romans 14:16).
Second, if your political hero holds a public office, it is right and good that you pray for him and his family (and even support him to a certain extent). However, we must be careful of allowing allegiance or admiration to tip over into veneration, adoration, or even worship, which would amount to practical idolatry. What you love to talk about in person and post about on social media may be a sign that you are way more excited about a political leader than you are about Jesus, which would be a very dangerous position for a Christian (I Corinthians 10:14).