For American Christians: What's Your Citizenship Priority?

Have you ever walked down the side of a street while straddling a curb, or perhaps walked in the woods or a field while trying to straddle a narrow ditch or chasm? Didn't that make you walk funny and and feel unstable...sorta off balance?  Well, you know, that's kinda what happens when we Believers try to walk in both the kingdom of earth (Man's way of doing things) and the Kingdom of God (God's way of doing things) at the same time; our spiritual walk and our fleshly walk both become unstable, out of balance and frustrating...In other words, we walk funny. I believe that this is where the average American Christian finds himself in today's highly charged political environment; we are trying to be good citizens of two different worlds, and failing miserably at both.

Recently, when I found myself fretting, fuming. frothing and foaming way too much over the current Presidential campaign environment and political posturing, I decided to to ask the Holy Spirit for some much needed guidance on how to break free from the anxiety net that was closing in on me like a giant trap.  When vinegar turns to vitriol, it turns from being distasteful to becoming outright poison, and I was beginning to feel the results of that potion. As usual, when I began to listen for His answer, the Holy Spirit began to show some things in the Gospels and New Testament of the Bible that address this very subject, but that we seldom hear about from our teachers, preachers and pulpits in most of our churches today. Hear are some of what I believe are important highlights from some of the things He began to show me on how to deal with this situation; I hope that if you are experiencing some of that electioneering apprehension and anxiety, they help you as much as they have helped me:

• Can you give me even one example in the Gospels where Jesus ever got involved in the politics of His day? Can you recall Him ever protesting against abortion or the death penalty or government graft or political corruption or high taxes? Can you show me one place where He voted or held office or served in the military...Or admonished others to do these things? Can you point to even one social justice rally He attended or group He formed to protest global warming/climate change? Can you even find any example where He suggested or directed His apostles and/or disciples to become involved in these earthly endeavors? You see, the fact of the matter is you can't! In fact, that was one of the main reasons why Judas was angered enough to betray Jesus; he was disappointed that Jesus wasn't interested in leading a violent revolution to throw off the shackles of the Roman oppressors and right all of the wrongs of the day. The fact is that Jesus knew the only way to truly bring lasting change to the problems and ills of our world is to change peoples' hearts...One heart at a time; because until the hearts of men are changed, they will always be rebellious, disobedient, prideful and destructive, due to the sin nature they inherited at birth. 
• Do you recall what Jesus said in what I call the real "Lord's Prayer", the 17th chapter of the Gospel of John, concerning the citizenship of His followers? Here, let me remind you:  "I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it."(Jn17:15-19) That's pretty plainly stated if you ask me.
• Speaking of politics, do you know what an ambassador is? You really should, because that is what Paul says we become when we become born again citizens of the Kingdom of God. 2 Cor 5:20 says this: "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us." Essentially, an ambassador is an official who is appointed to represent the interests of the country/world he or she is a citizen of to the host country where he/she is living or stationed. Although an ambassador may sometimes offer his advice or opinion to a host country's leaders and citizens about how they run their country, she never votes or participates in the leadership of the host country or entity where he/she resides. Think of it in terms of an American ambassador being assigned to a country like Russia or China; he/she would never assume to take part in there in there political process or try to tell them how to govern their citizens...that is not his what his position calls for.
• In Ephesians 2:19, it says this: "Consequently, you (those who are born again) are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household built on the foundations of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone." In other words, we are citizens of the Kingdom of God.
• In the 3rd chapter of Philippians, Paul says, "For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven."(Php 3:18-20)  Are you beginning to see a pattern here...a priority of citizenship, so to speak?

In summary, Paul hit the nail on the head when he made this important statement: "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."(Col 3:1-2)

Now, please don't get me wrong:  If you are an American citizen, you certainly have the right to become involved in the political process and to vote in its elections, if that is your desire. But this country as a whole has pretty much turned its back on God's providence, provision and protection; indeed, true Believers and committed Christians are being demonized and persecuted from almost every segment of our society, especially the government and judicial systems...often with great vitriol and vindictiveness. And it's become quite obvious that as Americans abandon the Judeo-Christian values upon which the United States of America was founded, God is turning His back on us...USA. What we have to understand that voting only changes godless regimes, and until hearts are changed, our country's demise will only escalate, whether we like it or not.

You see, my brothers and sisters in Christ, I believe what the Holy Spirit is showing me is this: We Believers need to decide whether we are citizens of this world or ambassadors to it! As is, most Christians are "walking funny" because we insist on trying to be good citizens of both the kingdom of earth (Satan's realm) and the Kingdom of God (God's realm), and THAT just isn't going to happen; those realms are diametrically opposed to each other! And the fact that we get anxious, depressed and all upset about elections and the political process every time they come around is a good sign that we are not supposed to be involved in that process (unless of course, God specifically tells us to), for, please recall, the Bible consistently advises us to be anxious for nothing!(Php 4:6, 1 Pet 5:7)

I, for one, am through with the political system and electoral process of this country...and indeed, of this world. Instead, I chose my spiritual citizenship in the Kingdom of God over my flesh citizenship in the United States of America. My focus is going to be about changing hearts, not politicians and/or administrations.  As an ambassador for the Kingdom of God, I am going to be about allowing Jesus Christ, my Savior and my King, to work in and through me to change the hearts of mankind, one at a time. When enough of that happens, we won't need politicians and laws and governments to tell us what's the right thing to do...We'll know in our hearts.  If you are a Christian Believer, I hope you will join me in that endeavor?