THE BELIEVER AND POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS

There has been massive political unrest in the 21^st Century; not just in our country but around the world. A question has been circulating: “How can someone be a Christian and also be a Liberal politically?”

I find this rather troubling; questioning the genuineness of someone’s salvation because they embrace the Liberal mentality of our culture.

Christians should never sink to this level of misguided thinking.

The Two Truths

There are two truths which should be considered in this matter.

The first truth is that the moment someone believed in Christ as their Savior, they became a Christian. No matter what their background was, where they work or what their political affiliation may be. The Gospel of salvation is very clear: “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). The offer has been made so simple, so that anyone, adult or child, might have eternal life freely given by God. In this way, God is democratic, making salvation available to everyone that will believe. But it does not infer that a person will automatically change their stance on social politics.

The second truth is that some tenets of Liberal thinking genuinely have some commonality with Biblical beliefs (and Conservative policies): love, charity, morality (however, not entirely), respect for your fellow man — in humanity generally, but not humanism.

For Christianity is in total opposition to the philosophy of humanism. Humanism is the belief that man is the center of the universe and there is no God — no Supreme Being, no Creator. The Oxford Companion to Philosophy briefly defines humanism as:

An appeal to [human] reason in contrast to revelation or religious authority as a means of finding out about the natural world and destiny of man, and also giving a grounding for morality…Humanist ethics is also distinguished by placing the end of moral action in the welfare of humanity rather than in fulfilling the will of God.1

Therefore, humanism is an atheistic and agnostic philosophy that is advocated “within non-Christian thought.”2 This philosophy permeates our culture and is advanced by some (but not all) on both sides of the political spectrum.

The Conflict

Let us consider a few specific issues that may cause one to question how someone can be a Christian and adhere to Liberal ideas.

First, the false notion that “all roads [religions] lead to heaven” is a belief that as long as one follows their preferred ‘god’ and does good deeds, this will gain them the approbation of ‘god’ and gain entrance to heaven. A Christian cannot embrace this, for it is refuted by Scripture:

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5)

And even the Lord Jesus declared definitively that:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)

The new Christian must recognize that His Word is truth (John 17:17) — absolute “true truth,”3 as opposed to the “truth” espoused by the humanist. Therefore, anything which contradicts His Word is false.

Second, Scripture is clear concerning the marriage issue; that it is between a man and a woman becoming one flesh. Our Lord reminded the Pharisees that this was Gods’ original design for all mankind — believers and unbelievers alike.

 “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.” (Mark 10:6–8)

God specifically created a female, Eve, for Adam; but He did not create another male, Steve, for Adam (Genesis 2:20-24).

Third, as related to the previous, the apostle Paul emphasized the Biblical prohibition of homosexuality and concerning those who reject God’s Divine objective for the sexuality of mankind:

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. (Romans 1:26-27)

This is not something new that Paul devised for the 1^st Century church. Note also from the mouth of Moses in the 15^th Century b.c.:

“If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act…” (Leviticus 20:13a)

Conclusion

The bottom line is that the Christian’s primary responsibility is to maintain an allegiance to his Lord and not to a political party. This means that the Christian should understand the principles of God’s Word; to embrace His truths that will produce a godly manner of life. This will necessitate a committed stand against that which is contrary to God’s truth.

This could make it very difficult to decide upon various candidates who fail to maintain Biblical standards. In which case, the only recourse is to determine which candidate will represent the common sense needs of our society: freedom, justice, social welfare. And whether the candidate maintains the established principles of our Republic — specifically, that they are not corrupted by illegal undertakings and that they are not endeavoring in a subtle form of insurrection of our historic government.

The Christian’s responsibility as a citizen to their country was summarized by the apostle Paul when he charged Titus:

Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. (Titus 3:1–2)

 We have not been called for a crusade to make our country a “Christian” nation. Instead, we are called to be witnesses of His truth before all men with the intention of influencing others within our culture — socially and politically — with the gospel of salvation.

Finally, it is Satan who influences the recommendation that in polite company that we should refrain from discussing religion and politics. But contrary to this opinion, it is polite and civil friends that will openly converse and objectively consider all perspectives of politics as they relate to God’s truth.

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[1] https://humanists.uk/humanism/ [Retrieved November 5, 2026]

[2] Francis A. Schaeffer, The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer: A Christian Worldview, (Wheaton, IL: Crosswalk Books, 1985), 1.9

[3] Schaeffer, 1.312-313

 

© 2026 David M. Rossi 

SALVATION BY FAITH ALONE — GALATIANS 3:6-12

[The following was written by Dave Armstrong1 and presented here with his permission with only a few minor edits. The personal accounts are his own.]

Abraham’s Faith

Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. (Galatians 3:6; cf. Genesis 15:6)

Paul strengthens his argument for salvation by faith alone by discussing the salvation of Abraham. Abraham becomes an excellent example of God’s salvation for several reasons.

First, Abraham is the only person to be both a Gentile and a Jew2 (Hebrew). Therefore his salvation demonstrates that salvation by faith applies to both Jew and Gentile. Abraham was born in Ur of the Chaldeans, where his father worshiped the moon god. He became a Hebrew when he left his family, crossed the Euphrates River, and entered the Promised Land.

Secondly, Abraham lived about 600 years before God gave the Law to Moses, therefore the Law played no part in his salvation.

Third, although we generally associate the gospel to Christ and His apostles, the gospel was preached to Abraham. The only difference between Abraham’s gospel and our gospel is that Abraham received the promise of a coming Messiah-Savior, while we look back to the historical account of His birth, life, death, and resurrection in the Bible.

Fourth, Abraham becomes the great prototype of faith because of his willingness to offer up his son Isaac.

The Promise to Abraham

Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “all the nations shall be blessed in you.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:7-9)

Paul also uses Abraham as his example of justification by faith in Romans 4:

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?  For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.  For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness (Romans 4:1-5)

The Law Cannot Save

For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “the righteous man shall live by faith.” However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “he who practices them shall live by them.” (Galatians 3:10-12)

Many times I ask a person; “If you died tonight, and stood before God, and He said: ‘Why should I let you into my Heaven?’  What would you say?”

A common response is:  “Well, I have kept the Ten Commandments.” Most people cannot even name all ten, nor do they know that the Ten Commandments are only the introduction to a system of law that contains 613 commandments! They also overlook the absolute obedience clause that demands a score of 100%.

Trying to be saved by keeping the law guarantees failure simply because no one can keep it.  As James puts it:

For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend on one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10)

No one has ever been saved by obedience or good character because these things are contrary to faith. 

Hundreds of years before Christ, the prophet Habakkuk taught that the only way to receive life was by faith.

The righteous shall live by faith. (Habakkuk 2:4)

Faith has been defined as looking wholly away from yourself and trusting someone else. Certain experiences in life help us understand faith.

I have had several medical procedures that required that I be put to sleep by anesthesia. By agreeing to this, I was trusting completely in my doctors. I had no control of the situation and could not help in any way. I had placed myself completely in their hands.

Once I was swimming in a large lake and the current was pulling me away from shore. I was not a strong swimmer and could not overcome the force that was putting me in danger of drowning. I could not save myself. Fortunately there was someone nearby who was a stronger swimmer. I called to him and he did what I could not do. He pulled me toward the shore.

In both cases I had to recognize my own inability and helplessness before I would depend on someone else. I had to abandon my own efforts and ability, and seek help from someone else. That is faith — trusting in someone else.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

In the matter of eternal salvation, we can only look to Jesus Christ. He is the only Savior. There is no way to save ourselves. 

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[1] Dave is the pastor of the Good News Bible Church, Hollywood, Florida — https://goodnewsbible.net/ His father, Robert F. Armstrong (1925-2001), was my first Pastor-Teacher.

[2] The descendants of Abraham were not called Jews until the Babylonian captivity; They were first called Hebrews and later Israelites.

 

 

THE FALLING AWAY — 1 TIMOTHY 4:1

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. (1Timothy 4:1)

We are living in a post-Christian world, consumed by the philosophy of humanism that influences the thinking and pursuits of modern man. Francis Schaeffer defined humanism as a system where man attempts to acquire the knowledge, meaning and values in his life by “having only Man as their integration point.”1

In other words, humanism disregards the God of the universe. It is a godless philosophy of life, characterized by the repudiation of Scripture, God’s revelation to mankind, providing absolute meaning, purpose and value to life. This viewpoint of life has affected the thinking in every sector of our culture: world leaders, civic leaders, business leaders, public school administrators and families. Sadly, it has also subverted the visible church: leaders of denominations, seminary professors, pastors and even the individual sitting in the pew. The focus of this study contemplates this infiltration of humanism within the Church of Jesus Christ.

Making The Case

The departure from the doctrines of inspiration of Scripture, the authority of Scripture and true spirituality is evidence of how many denominations that claim to be representatives of Christianity have embraced the humanistic values established by the culture. This can be substantiated by their rejection and compromise of Biblical truth, condoning degenerate sexual perversions such as homosexuality, lesbianism, transgenderism, transsexualism, gay marriage and openly gay ministers.

This is not the only time that God’s people have fallen away from the faith. In the Age of Israel, Jeremiah spoke of disastrous problems having overtaken his nation. Note the prophets’ expression of grief:

We have transgressed and rebelled, and you have not forgiven. You have wrapped yourself with anger and pursued us, killing without pity; you have wrapped yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through. You have made us scum and garbage among the peoples. All our enemies open their mouths against us; panic and pitfall have come upon us, devastation and destruction; my eyes flow with rivers of tears because of the destruction of the daughter of my people. (Lamentations 3:42–48 ESV)

This lament of Jeremiah’s describes the fall of Jerusalem in 586 b.c. Israel at that time was God’s representative nation to the world, just as the United States has been for two centuries. Israel had rebelled against God, just as a large segment of the Christian community in our country. As God warned Israel and executed His judgment upon them, the warning to Christians today comes from the relentless harassment of the political left.  

Schaeffer describes the falling away from the faith as apostasy and explains:

The book of Jeremiah and the book of Lamentations show how God looks at a culture which knew Him and deliberately turned away. But this is not just the character of Jeremiah’s day of apostasy. It’s my day. It’s your day. If we are going to help our own generation, our perspective must be that of Jeremiah, the weeping prophet…who in the midst of his tears spoke without mitigating his message of judgment to a people who had had so much and yet turned away.2

This apostasy or falling away is what the apostle Paul had wrote to the Thessalonians, that the Day of the Lord, the end times, “will not come unless the apostasy comes first” (2 Thessalonians 2:33). The Greek word translated apostasy4 appears only twice in the New Testament, here and in Acts 21:21, where in most English versions it is translated forsake. In a religious sense, the word has the meaning of abandonment5 or defection.6 Other modern English versions render the word as rebellion7 or falling away.8

The apostle Paul’s usage of this word refers specifically to religious apostasy — the falling away from the faith. C.I. Scofield notes that “Apostates depart from the faith, but not from the outward profession of Christianity (2 Tim. 3:5).”9 For here the word faith refers to: “That which is believed, body of faith or belief, doctrine.”10 This is explained precisely by Thomas Constable:

This is a revolt, a departure, an abandoning of a position once held. This rebellion, which will take place within the professing church, will be a departure from the truth that God has revealed in His Word...a specific distinguishable apostasy that will come in the future.11

The religious apostasy prevalent in Christianity today does not necessarily suggest that the Day of the Lord is at hand, since the Christian church has been beset by apostasy almost from its inception. This is corroborated by the historical evidence of the early Church of Rome’s persistent departure from Scripture which instigated the Protestant Reformation. But just because the apostasy of this day may not be a signal for the end times, it doesn’t mean we should remain idle and do nothing.

Our Directive

Christians have a two-fold responsibility: first, on a personal level, we are to continue to advance in our knowledge of doctrine; by acknowledging the authority of Scripture and utilizing the literal principle of interpretation. And above all, being mindful that:

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

Secondly, we must boldly speak out against all present day false teachings that distort the absolute truth of God’s Word. Jude advises us to “contend earnestly12 for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3).

But what does it mean to contend? The Greek word Jude employs is only found here in the New Testament and means to fight for or in reference to something.13 Richard Lenski’s observation is insightful:

Jude states it in a positive form: “to keep earnestly contending for the faith,” and not negatively: “against the heresies or heretics.” The negative is implied, for one contends for something when there are antagonists.14

Jude stated that we must contend with ungodly persons:

For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 4)

We need to call them out for what they are: apostates. They can be identified as those today who are infiltrating local churches and denominations with their false teachings that promote and condone the godless perspective of a culture inundated by secular humanism. In so doing they deny the truth — for the truth is Jesus Christ (John 14:6), “our only Master and Lord” (Jude 4).

The Appeal

If the United States of America is to maintain its status as God’s representative nation to the world, there must be an awakening within the Body of Christ; a unified return of teaching the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith and an earnest contending for the faith, by exposing apostasy and ceasing to condone the deviant values of today’s humanistic culture. We have been instructed not to be friends with the world — this culture. That is defined by James as spiritual adultery:

 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

Thus, until the Church of Jesus Christ is no longer seeking friendship with the morally decadent world, only then will the truth of God's Word have its intended impact upon our culture. 

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[1] Francis A. Schaeffer, The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1982) 1.9.

[2] Schaeffer, 4.213

[3] As translated in the New American Standard Bible and the Catholic New American Bible.

[4] The Greek word ἀποστασία comes from the verb aphístēmi meaning to depart, fall away (1 Tim. 4:1).

[5] William Arndt et al., “ἀποστασία” In A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979), 98.

[6] H.G. Liddell, A Lexicon: Abridged from Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1996), 107.

[7] English Standard Version, New International Version and New Revised Standard Version

[8] King James Version and the New King James Version

[9] C. I. Scofield, ed., The Scofield Reference Bible: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments (New York; London; Toronto; Melbourne; Bombay: Oxford University Press, 1917), 1281.

[10] William Arndt et al., 669 §3.

[11] Thomas L. Constable, (1985). In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Eds., (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 2.718.

[12] “The word speaks of a vigorous, intense, determined struggle to defeat the opposition.” Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 16.235.

[13] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000), G1864.

[14] R.C.H. Lenski, Commentary on the New Testament, (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2001), 11.610.

 

© 2026 David M. Rossi