"I Didn't Vote for Him"

Today was the inauguration ceremony of our 45th President, Mr. Donald Trump, and his Vice-President, Mr. Michael Pence. Like always, there was a lot of pomp and circumstance. Like always, there were people deciding not to attend, in protest of the event, and others attending in order
to protest; and in spite of protests, the United States has had peaceful transitions of power throughout our history. But regardless who one voted for, Mr. Trump is the legal president of the US. Which gives rise to a very important spiritual point: You didn't vote for Jesus either. But he has already saved you and brought you into the love of the Triune God, without your help or even your consent.

"Now just a minute, Pastor Mark" I hear people saying. "The Bible says I have to repent and pray a certain prayer and have faith before I can be saved." But how about this scripture:  Romans 5:6, 8, 10, excerpted, which says "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners...But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners...our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies." You see, there's a difference between what God has done for us, on his own, without our help or even our consent -- and what we do to accept it. What he has done, is done and is already perfectly effective. What we do is simply to agree with him. Verse 10 above says "our friendship with God was restored" -- that isn't hinged on anything that we do. He already considers us his friends. We are already "reconciled" as other translations say -- warring parties have been brought to peace, according to the use of that Greek word.

So it's been done for you, dear friend and fellow child of God. Before you or I even knew to ask. So is it right and proper to say a prayer of thanksgiving and surrender to the absolute love of God for you? Youbetcha. Does your prayer make it true? Not in God's mind -- but it may in yours, and that new understanding lets you start living in what God has already given you. Your belief, your faith, is simply agreeing with God on what is true about him and about you. Your baptism, following Jesus in baptism (Matt. 3:13-17) is simply agreeing that the old self needs to die and take on the new life in Christ. The good news is, your belief, your faith, your baptism, will never be perfect; but Jesus's faith, belief, baptism -- and all his other acts in his life -- formed absolutely perfect obedience to his Father, and his perfection is now fully yours too. So by all means, say the prayer, be baptized, and follow Jesus into a life of love, joy and obedience! It's a free gift. You didn't have to register and vote for it, but it's as true as true can be. God loves  you -- Jesus proves it!