The apostle Paul says of himself and his co-apostles, that “we are made a spectacle unto the world”  (1 Cor. 4:9).  The Greek word for “spectacle” means theatre, not to be taken seriously, but rather to be laughed at.

The duel between Romney and Obama before millions of viewers was last night by a TV journalist called a “political theatre”, and that´s right.  In other words, who played the best role?  But that´s hypocrisy.  Again the original Greek word for hypocrisy means “play-acting” performed by stage-actors.

It´s sad when the worldly play-acting creeps into the Christian platforms, but that´s how I often experience the stagey church life –  called “worship”.  But the true followers of Christ are not stage-actors, but “fools for Christ´s sake”  (1 Cor. 4:10), for we know that before “the great white throne” there will be no platform spectacle.  The Throne will be the only platform.

I grant that the gentlemen above may mean well, and that they don´t mean to be hypocrites.  And yet they are smothered with hypocrisy.  With their hands on the Bible, the inauguration for the job in The White House begins.  And yet they would often go on contrary to the Bible and its moral laws.  They promise to make this world better, however the Bible says it´s getting worse and worse and is hastening to its doom.

However, once they are in authority we´re exhorted to pray for them (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

As God´s people we should have the battle lines drawn up despite our many failures and blunders over the years.  Our battle field of revival is lost souls, and the gospel of Christ is our battle cry without vain, empty clichés!”

I long for my co-warriors in America, obscure to the stagey world, for precious is their “fellowship  in the gospel” (Phil. 1:5), not to make the world better, but to save souls “from this present evil world” (Gal.1:4) and never to be mixed up with scheming party politics.

“A spectacle unto the world” or not, we have no other choice, do we?

October 23, 2012 – jn