PITCIR political position statement

POINT IN TIME

CHRISTIAN INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES
Matthew 5:15-16
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
We the People [the churched, unchurched, rich and poor] of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.

What if Judah had had a democratic form of government?
2 Ki 21:17-17
Manasseh [WE] also murdered many innocent people until Jerusalem was filled from one end to the other with innocent blood [in the womb]. This was in addition to the sin that he [WE] caused the people of Judah to commit, leading them [by laws permissiveness] to do evil in the Lord's sight.

2 Timothy 2:23-3:2
And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

DOES POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT DILUTE THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION?
NO! But running away, hiding in the sanctuary does.
The point of politics is to salt the earth.
The point of politics is to stand for what is right against evil.
The point of politics is to present a different, a Godly, way.
The point of politics is not changing laws but changing minds while we uphold our responsibility.

It seems curious to me that Billy Graham, himself, begins his sermons with statements concerning the state of the nation, the conditions of the heart, the problems within the world to justify a need for salvation and ends with a call to repentance and acceptance of God's salvation while we the wise would run from these underpinnings which should lead to the salvation message.

Is the Church politically ineffective? Of course it is, did you expect to win this war? Does not scripture teach that we will loose this war?
Heb 12:1	And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don't become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
Heb 12:2
Heb 12:3
Heb 12:4

Can the Church be victorious?
YES: Mat 16:18	Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer [prevail against] it.
Not if we say that politics and social reforms are too troublesome, too dirty, too hard. If we say that we have need of nothing but the church and our music, our art, our entertainment, our council, our fellowship. We are indeed turning to these today. We are debating them, we are encouraging them, we are running to the sanctuary and in a way we are turning into the church in Laodicea.
Rev 3:17 Rev 3:18	You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. I advise you to buy gold from me--gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.
What if this nation was 10% Addicted to alcohol 10% Addicted to drugs 10% Addicted to sex 10% Addicted to gambling 10% Addicted to violence 10% Addicted to entertainment to escape Would the church escape these social problems.