It hurts when you see Christians in leadership and they use the same dishonest political tactics as unbelievers. I have often felt I was being manipulated by Christian leaders and I was not wrong to think this way.
It hurts when you are pressured into supporting Christian leaders who are promoting themselves and their party, faction or ministry more than justice and mercy.
Every time there is an election coming, I feel stressed because of the twisting and manipulation going on around me.
When I asked God about it, I believe the Holy Spirit gave me a very clear answer.
Politics is all about manipulation. It is what it is.
What does the Bible say about this?
There are leaders who want to hide their mistakes, or the sins of their colleagues.
For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. Mark 4:22 NKJV
There are leaders who demand unconditional submission.
The Apostle Paul was a true and faithful leader. Paul himself denounced the practice of dictatorial leadership.
For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. 2 Corinthians 11:20 ESV
Then Paul defines the foundation of true Christian fellowship.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21 NIV84
Some Christians might assert that this mutual submission should only apply to Christians of equal rank. But how did Jesus apply this truth?
The first Christian chosen by God to witness to the resurrection was not an apostle but but Mary Magdalene. When she and other women told the fearful apostles they had seen Jesus, they did not believe. How did Jesus respond?
Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. Mark 16:14 ESV
When a leader goes wrong, some Christians claim he was not chosen by God, but King Saul was chosen by God.
There are Christians who claim that you must never publicly criticise a chosen leader, but David openly accused Saul.
Suppose you have been abused, bullied, gas-lighted and cast out by Christian leaders, pastors or politicians.
What does Jesus think about this?
In John 9, Jesus healed a blind man. When the man testified that Jesus had healed him, the religious leaders excommunicated him.
Jesus didn’t just heal the man. He sought him out to help him when he had become a persecuted outcast.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.”
He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped him. John 9:35–38 ESV
Have you been bullied and cast out by religious leaders? Please don’t blame Jesus. He wants to help you personally. The same religious leaders crucified Jesus, but he returned from the grave.
As a young Christian I was excommunicated but I learned that the cruel leaders were not the source of my salvation but Jesus Himself.
The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:2–3 ESV
Jesus gathered the outcasts of Israel and he also gathers the Christian outcasts today.
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