WHEN CHRISTIANS DISAGREE – ‘Should we stay or should we leave?’

Many Christians have totally different views about the referendum vote that’s divided couples,families, churches and communities here in the UK

Many seem to have been sucked in by the ‘Leave’ and ‘Remain’ political focus on issues like the economy, immigration, sovereignty, and have taken  sides forgetting that we Christians belong to a different Kingdom, with different values and the question we should be asking is ‘How would our sovereign King Jesus want me to vote to further His plans for the world?’

Some Christians see the EU as satanic noting that the European Parliament building in Strasbourg bears strong resemblance to the shape of the Tower of Babel (as depicted in the oil paintings of Bruegel the Elder), which was a symbol of rebellion against God. They say the EU “want to restore and finish what God destroyed“

Whether or not you agree that “the EU is part of the preparation for the rise of the False Prophet and the Antichrist“, what is clear is that the EU deliberately set out to remove God from any of its foundational principles. They say that the values of godless humanism and exalted human reason is operating right at the centre of Europe, forgetting that the foundation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and European Economic Community (EEC) in the 1950s was for noble motives. Peace and national reconciliation came through the pooling of coal and steel production – the means of war – and helped to end 1,000 years of French – German conflict. The political cooperation and economic interdependence helped to reconcile ancient enemies and forge an era of relative prosperity. As in the past, God used godless people to achieve his purposes.(eg Cyrus in 2 Chronicles 36v22-23)

Instead of a Europe of separate competing nations which produced two world wars with millions killed and many dictatorships, we now have more than half the countries of our continent linked together in such a way that war between its major players – Germany, France, Italy and the UK – or any others is inconceivable. Spain, Portugal and Greece are unlikely ever again to be dictatorships. And we have given opportunities for liberty, democracy and prosperity to Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and the three Baltic states. I see that as good, not satanic!

But I must admit EU membership has been challenging, difficult and sometimes very frustrating, but is that reason enough to throw the baby out with the bath water? Jesus said ‘Blessed are the peace makers’, because it’s costly to make peace one’s aim.

It cost Jesus His life to make peace possible between ‘Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free men, and men and women’.(Gal 3v28)

He had the vision of healing the divisions in the world; to make a ‘new humanity’ (Ephesians 2v15)   One race. The human race. Tearing dividing walls down and commissioning the church to attractively model this new way of doing life to the world, being ‘tolerant with one another’, building up one another’, ‘being kind and compassionate with one another’, ‘forgiving one another’, encouraging one another’, ‘submitting ourselves to one another…out of reverence for Christ’.

Would it be right for me to start building up walls and borders and barriers again between fellow humans that He’s torn down? Making divides that He’s bridged?

SOVEREIGNTY

But we’ve been heavily influenced by our culture of individualism. When we talk of ‘sovereignty’, we mean our Sovereignty, Not HIS SOVEREIGNTY over us.

When we go into voting booth will we ask ‘What does He want?’  How can I use my vote to further his plans and His desires and His purpose for not just our country, but for all the countries in Europe, and the world?

‘Jesus, would you vote to leave or stay’? That’s what I’ll be asking Him as I go into the voting booth tomorrow.

He’s my King. I try to do what He wants, not what me (as a marmalade and toast, fish and chips, eggs and bacon loving) Brit wants.

He reigns in me and He said I should treat others as I would want them to treat me. I wouldn’t want people to shut the door in my face and reject me if I was a refugee or had an eastern European, or African accent.

I want Britain to be built on Christian values and see the Kingdom of God established here and in Europe and in the world. It’s my passion ever since I started marching to his drumbeat and swapped my small ambitions for his vast world transformation ambitions.

Let’s love people, especially the downtrodden and oppressed and persecuted. Let’s not close our hearts to anyone. I just love what the EU has done for the previously oppressed nations of Europe. I’m going to vote as Jesus would, for what Jesus died for – a new humanity.

 ‘May your Kingdom come on earth Jesus, just as it is in heaven – all nations, all tribes, all languages ONE around your throne of grace, and for those who vote according to the political agenda I will seek to show love and patience. Help me Lord!   And help them to still love me!!’