Politics and the pulpit. It’s a thin line.

I almost NEVER mention politics while preaching.

🇺🇸 One Nation, under Trump, Stronger THAN EVER. Are you Trump Tough? 💪Tough T's Here:

Christians MUST be involved in politics!

I agree with the essence of MacArthur's statement. But there is an intersection where a political issue involves a matter of Christian principle. No matter what, "preach the word." Let that be the lodestar.

Paul lived in a wicked politically corrupt time, but seldom mentions it. He just sticks with the gospel. Politics and governments come and go, but Gods truth stands forever. Stick with timeless truth that’s stands no matter the political environment!

Preach it! Jesus was political. It needs to be talked about. I wouldn't trust a pastor who didn't.

Satan has his grip on government, so it is important for Christians and Christian leaders to talk about politics to warn everyone of the potential evil in a government and what a Christian community can do to intervene if such evil would come to be.

Religion and politics are not sperate. If you preach the gospel you preach the Lordship of Christ. Trying to separate them is one of the most damnable heretics in the American church. How do you obey the great commission without demanding the exaltation of King Jesus!!

Let me say at the onset that I highly respect Pastor MacArthur. But I think he's missing the mark here. He said, "The only thing that makes a difference is the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the advance of the Kingdom." He's correct in a sense, but he's not looking at the big picture. Politics affects our very right to preach the gospel! Would we preach it anyway if it happened to be illegal? I hope so. We should be willing to go to jail for the gospel's sake (as Paul and Silas). But how much more effective we can be when we have that freedom to share the gospel! It is God’s will (and we are to pray accordingly) "that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified" (2 Thess. 3:1). Political policy can have a huge effect on that. Pastor MacArthur also said, "The only thing that makes a difference is the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the advance[ment] of the Kingdom." There are political issues that overlap with Kingdom issues and can have an effect on the "advancement of the Kingdom." Take abortion, for instance. Does anyone believe that the unrestrained murder of babies advances the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom that says to "choose life" over death (Deut.30:19)? That passage goes on to say that we are to "choose blessings" over curses." Does an open border that allows Fentanyl, drug cartels, dangerous gang members, human traffickers, and terrorists promote blessings or curses in our country. Compare our current political landscape in the U.S. with the political landscape in 2015 of the Islamic State in Libya that beheaded 21 Christians on the beach. Which political landscape is a better environment to win people to Jesus? (Not that God couldn't have used that to reach some ... maybe even one or two of the executioners when they witnessed the Christians' resolve.) I appreciate the pastor's heart of prioritizing the preaching of the gospel and advancing the Kingdom, but I disagree with him on how to get there. I think there's some truth to the old adage, "Don't be so heavenly-minded that you're no earthly good." Proverbs 29:2: "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice."

Isaiah 45:1 Thus says Yahweh to Cyrus His anointed, Whom I have taken hold of by his right hand, To subdue nations before him And to loose the loins of kings, To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: Romans 13:1  Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God Daniel 2:21 “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. Exodus 18:21 But you shall select excellent men out of all the people, those who fear God, men of truth, those who hate greedy gain; and you shall place these men over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

People of God indwelled by His Holy Spirit must speak truth to influence the culture so we may all be free to live in the godliness that God created us in which to dwell.