This is a very relevant question that those (Christians) who have obeyed that form of doctrine that has been delivered, (see Romans 6:17-18) should be asking themselves every day of our existence to ensure that our focus/attention is exactly where it should be, which is Jesus Christ and Him crucified and the prize awaiting us if we stay committed until death, Revelation 2:10. Consequently, this question is one of even greater significance during a presidential election year and during this presidential election month of November 2016 as we grapple with the potential outcome and how the results will affect us personally and as a nation. Whatever the results may be of this election, there is one thing that each member of the Body of Christ must never forget is that we are Christians first, over and above any person, place, or thing and we have been called out of this world and saved by the blood of the lamb, Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that we are now sanctified people who have been called out of darkness for a special purpose, 1 Pet 2:9-15 reminds us who we are and what we as Christians should be doing, it says: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, be your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” Moreover, in today’s current social climate and the deteriorating moral conditions of our society, we need to be very alert and vigilant to prevent ourselves from becoming caught up in the fleshly physical lusts that are being offered in today’s social media in the name of politics and entertainment and before we realize it we are engulfed in worldly affairs. This can and will take our focus completely off of Christ and our daily christian walk. Brethren please remember that we are in a war on 2 fronts; first, we are in an internal battle with our spiritual and physical makeup, see Galatians 5:17, and secondly, we are in a battle with the world, James 4:4, “friendship with the world is enmity with God.” 2 Timothy 2:4 is a very key scripture that warns us because we are at war with the world we must be on guard against its dangers on the battleground, it says, “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”
There are many issues and people who are going in a different direction than Jehovah God is trying to lead us through the guidance in His Word and let us not become shortsighted and blinded in our focus. Our adversary, Satan has many agents and mediums i.e., an election or a social issue like violence by and against police or gun control to use to infiltrate our congregation to create strife and contention amongst members which can cause divisions. Ephesians 5:11 tells us, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. If we are equipped and prepared with the whole armor of God, see Ephesians 6:10-17, then we will be able to detect and prevent the evil one from gaining an advantage over us and our congregation; 2 Corinthians 2:11, speaks about Satan and his devices, “Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” In similar fashion, as Jesus Christ warned Peter in Luke 22:31 that Satan was trying to sift him as wheat, he is striving very diligently to do the same exact things to us as well, it says, “And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.” We must remember that our soul is at stake and we must not allow the affairs of this life to take our focus away from Christ and the Cross because of our over indulgence in a subject matter or thing in this world that we live in. In order for our focus to be directed upward to Christ, we must deny ourselves as Matthew 16:24-25 brings out, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone, desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
Our focus should always be directed upward on those things which are spiritual because our spirit must feed on and be nourished by God’s wisdom and not man’s wisdom because man’s wisdom is faulty, selfish and evil, James 3:15-17 describes the differences in the 2 types of wisdom, it tells us, “This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” When we make a comparison with the leaders and celebrities we read from and listen to on our TVs, Internet, smart phones, etc… with God word, it is like night and day because God and His word will abide forever and all these other things will perish. I would like direct your attention to a golden text in God’s Holy Writ that describes where our focus should be, Colossians 3:1-4, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”