Demonstrating Our Love For God

While we had known for years that our political system was corrupt, Donald Trump’s election has revealed a level of wickedness most Americans had never imagined.  Numerous charges have been leveled without any evidence, with active investigations unable to find any supporting evidence.   Under the Constitution, a person was to be considered innocent until his guilt was proven, yet the attitude of our politicians and media appears to be that a person has a different opinion than theirs is guilty until proven innocent, and the truth is irrelevant. 

God is very concerned with the truth.  Revelation 21:8 warns that “…the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. “  We have already looked at some of these other things.  God considers lying as bad as murder, or adultery, or worshipping other gods, and will suffer the same eternal penalty. 

With that in mind, Exodus 23:1-3 commands, “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.  Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.”  God’s people are not to make false or unsubstantiated statements about anything.   They are especially not to help others in slandering or accusing other people, nor are they to go along with the crowd, leading people to a false conclusion.  They are not to favor a person simply because he is poor, but are to speak only what is known to be true.    

God’s people are to treat even those they don’t like fairly and with proper respect.  Exodus 23:4-5 commands, “If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.  If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.”  Much as you might dislike a person, you were still to go out of your way to protect their property and rights.   

People ought to be completely fair to everyone.  They should not take sides based on a person’s financial or political standing, nor should he go along with things that are not right regardless who supports it.  Exodus 23:6-9 commands, “Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.  Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.  And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.  Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.”  Any kind of gift leaves one with a sense of indebtedness, creating a potential conflict of interest, and is to be avoided.   God will judge and punish those who have treated others unfairly. 

As I mentioned, our present political situation is exposing the wickedness of our politicians in both parties.  I suspect God has brought Trump to his position deliberately to make those who claim to be Christians chose whether they will obey God or just go along with one party or the other.  Their actions reflect their attitude toward God and Christ, as John 14:15 tells us.  “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”