#335 Fraud, [S]elections & the Gatekeepers of the BIG Money

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

”Aspire to lead a calm and peaceful life as you mind your own business and earn your living, just as we’ve taught you. By doing this you will live an honorable life, influencing others and commanding respect of even the unbelievers. Then you’ll be in need of nothing and not dependent upon others.“

In this passage, Paul was instructing the Church in Thessaloniki on matters of personal character -- to keep the promises they make and not to meddle in the lives of other people. Unfortunately this passage has been used by believers including pastors as proof that we should not be engaged in politics or the governance of our country. And I believe we have learned in a very clear and painful way over the last 5 years especially, that when the Church ignores the political realm -- it makes it completely impossible to live a calm and peaceful life -- because we leave a vacuum in that space. Then we are governed by chaos, corruption, greed, perversion and insanity. When Jesus talks about his Church in the New Testament, He does not use the word church. He uses the word Ekklesia, which is a governing or legislative body -- it’s a political assembly -- that gathers and rules for the benefit of the entire society. That is what we are to be as a body of believers -- ones who are engaged and determine the direction of culture according to the Word of God for the benefit of our communities and nation. We are not to be ones who gather in a building and never impact the people and society around us.