Over 300 Christian leaders sign 'Confession of Evangelical Conviction' ahead of 2024 election

[Michie]

Hundreds of Evangelical leaders have signed a statement outlining their shared beliefs about the relationship between faith and politics, encouraging Christians to consider each candidates' "character and not merely their promises or political success" ahead of the 2024 election.

More than 300 pastors, faith leaders and Christian public figures have backed the "Confession of Evangelical Conviction," as the 2024 presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, and former President Donald Trump, a Republican, is less than two months away.

Continued below.

Over 300 Christian leaders sign 'Confession of Evangelical Conviction' ahead of 2024 election

Hundreds of Evangelical leaders have signed a statement outlining their shared beliefs about the relationship between faith and politics, encouraging Christians to consider each candidates character

www.christianpost.com

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

One would think these go without saying but these days we do need to be explicit.

We reject the false teaching that anyone other than Jesus Christ has been anointed by God as our Savior, or that a Christian's loyalty should belong to any political party. We reject any message that promotes devotion to a human leader or that wraps divine worship around partisanship.

Therefore, we do not employ fear, anger, or terror as we engage in our mission, but instead we follow the more excellent way of Jesus which is love (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13).

We reject the stoking of fears and the use of threats as an illegitimate form of godly motivation, and we repudiate the use of violence to achieve political goals as incongruent with the way of Christ.

We reject the misuse of holy Scripture to sanction a single political agenda, provoke hatred, or sow social divisions, and we believe that using God's name to promote misinformation or lies for personal or political gain is bearing his name in vain (Exodus 20:7).

We reject any messages that employ dehumanizing rhetoric, that attempt to restrict who is worthy of God's love, or that impose limitations on the command to "love your neighbor" that Christ himself removed.


a Grand Finale:

SEVEN: We recognize godly leaders by their character.​

We affirm that the character of both our political and spiritual leaders matter. Within the Church, we seek to follow spiritual leaders those who display evidence of the Holy Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus warned us to be on guard against false teachers who come as wolves in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15). These voices will tempt us with flattery, bad doctrine, and messages we want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3). They serve the false idols of power, wealth, and strength rather than the true God. Outside the Church, we will evaluate leaders based on their actions and the fruit of their character and not merely their promises or political success (Matthew 7:15-20). When any leader claims to have God's approval, whether in the Church or in politics, we will not confuse effectiveness for faithfulness, but carefully discern who is truly from God (1 John 4:1).

We reject the lie that a leader's power, popularity, or political effectiveness is confirmation of God's favor, or that Christians are permitted to ignore the teachings of Christ to protect themselves with worldly power.

 

[public hermit]

We reject the false teaching that anyone other than Jesus Christ has been anointed by God as our Savior, or that a Christian's loyalty should belong to any political party.

It's a shame that Christians today are compelled to make statements similar to those made by German Christians in the Barmen Declaration of 1934, but here we are.

Barmen Declaration - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[RileyG]

It's a shame that Christians today are compelled to make statements similar to those made by German Christians in the Barmen Declaration of 1934, but here we are.

Barmen Declaration - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Are you implying something worse is going to happen...?

 

[public hermit]

Are you implying something worse is going to happen...?

I don't know. I just think it's pitiful that Christians need to reaffirm the lordship of Christ and with whom our allegiance lies. But politics and political figures have become the new religion for a lot of folks, including some (many?) Christians.

 

[RileyG]

I don't know. I just think it's pitiful that Christians need to reaffirm the lordship of Christ and with whom our allegiance lies. But politics and political figures have become the new religion for a lot of folks, including some (many?) Christians.

Thanks for clarifying.

I can only pray and hope for our future.