I’ve long tried to keep the political content in my Cephas Hour podcast to a minimum, preferring to focus on its main objectives. First, presenting the finest in Christian rock and pop from then and now. Second, offering hopefully helpful commentary on spiritual matters, sharing Scriptures and insight designed to help my fellow believers navigate their way through this often muddy mess we know as life.

I’ve taken the liberty of hitting politics much heavier in the new episode. The fuel for this comes from a torrent of commentary on Facebook and elsewhere by veteran members of the Christian music community who have utterly lost their minds to Trump Derangement Syndrome. Thus, as politely and more important as Scripturally as possible, I’ve taken this opportunity to address the matter.

The podcast is available on demand at its website (link here) and wherever you get your podcasts. Other than Spotify, because they don’t have a clue. Hope you enjoy it, and thanks.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus wasn’t much for discussing politics, much to the annoyance of those Israelites who, while hoping that Jesus was the promised Messiah, would be as equally adept at freeing their country from Roman rule as the prophets promised would be the case regarding saving souls. He focused on the latter. Which isn’t a bad idea when you think about it.

The deepest Jesus got into politics was His comment, when asked about paying taxes, on rendering unto Caesar what was Caesar’s and unto God what was God’s. Granted, over the ensuing millennia, humanity has endured a seemingly endless stream of little Caesars having nothing to do with pizza and everything to do with maximum taxation while believing themselves to be God was there, in fact, such a thing. These people have one thing in common. They all are, or soon enough will be, dust. God remains. Faith remains. It's funny how that works.

The other significant comment Jesus made regarding politics was, shortly before His crucifixion, when He reminded Pontius Pilate that despite his assertation of having the power of life or death over Jesus, he, in fact, had no such authority. As we read in the Gospel of John:

The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

This noted, do not mistake Jesus’ lack of interest in discussing politics with the subject not being significant in the Biblically-driven lived-out Christian life.

If anyone had a reason to kvetch about the government, it was the apostle Paul. This stems from the amount of time he spent in various Roman prisons. This also makes his words to Timothy all the more interesting.

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

Paul expounded on the subject in his letter to the Romans.

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

The apostle Peter also commented on these matters.

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

The directive is clear. What is also clear, or at the least ought to be so, is that it is not a command to meekly roll over in the face of any and every government-led excess.

There have been, are, and will be those in politics who seek to subjugate one group for the purpose of giving another the illusion of favoritism and empowerment. In return, these politicians not only expect but demand that they receive their unquestioning approval at the voting booth to perpetuate political power and corresponding wealth accumulation.

When the rulers themselves break the law, in doing so actively violating the God-given rights of the people, it is a holy obligation for believers in Jesus to stand in opposition to the rulers unyieldingly. The authors of the United States Constitution understood this and made provision for the same in the First Amendment, declaring it to be the supreme law of the land. Quote:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

For the record, being a whining crybaby on Facebook does not constitute petitioning the government for a redress of grievances. Crying out to God for His mercy and guidance, yes, in the sense that we are appealing to the ultimate authority. Who, for the record, lives in neither Sacramento nor Washington, DC.

Since the election, and especially since the inauguration of Donald Trump, I have seen not a few friends and acquaintances in the Christian music world have a multi-day, multi-platform mega-freakout over how this meanypants was singlehandedly destroying the family units of poor innocent souls who, to a one, have come to America to try and make a better life for themselves. I fully expect that if someone anonymously posted they had heard Trump was personally overseeing the conversion of multiple Walmarts into concentration camps, they’d swallow it wholesale.

I have yet to hear a single compelling argument that requiring people who want to live and work in any given country to follow the law regarding entry and the like is a violation of human rights. Also, I have never heard a law-based rationale as to why it is the government‘s job to care for the poor and needy. It is not. It’s ours.

The Constitution spells out that the government‘s job is to, among other things, promote the general welfare. General welfare does not involve dividing, specifying, codifying, and otherwise coddling individuals or groups of individuals told they bear no responsibility for their actions. If anything, government spending restricts the ability of the individual to assist their fellow man as they see fit genuinely. It is Henry Hazlitt’s broken window fallacy in action.

The government is notoriously inefficient at appropriately spending money on public assistance, as even the most casual glance at the welfare field over the past 50 years reveals. Yet, the government and those wishing to abdicate personal responsibility continue to demand more and more in the name of “fairness.“ Assistance by the individual for the individual on the local level is far more capable of addressing someone’s needs. When charity comes from the kindness of the heart, especially a heart under Scriptural directives, it is far more effective than a blatant attempt by those in office to maintain power. Yet the progressives refuse to see this.

Where progressives embrace hyperbole, I embrace hope. I see a land not closing its borders but welcoming those desiring to make a better life for themselves and their families legally. I see a land where people doing so are under the complete protection of the law so they will not be exploited for their work or, far more obscenely, for their bodies to be used as playthings by the perverted. I see a land where preaching Jesus freely is permitted, lifting up the Name of a God belonging to no political party but rather One calling all to gather together in His Name, covered by His love as evidenced by the blood He shed on the cross so we can receive eternal life with, and through, Him.

I welcome open and honest debate. I reject hysterics and histrionics. As the apostle Paul wrote:

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Pretty much says it all.