Salvation Summaries

Heightened political polarization, increased emotional decision-making and outright deception are giving rise to more anger, hatred and violence in our country. Objective reporting and critical thinking have become outdated, making truth harder to find. Some of your Christian neighbors, friends and/or relatives may be getting “caught up” in the drama and now believe what you know to be false, yet they are blind to it. This saddens you, but you don’t know what you can or should do. I want to offer you some biblical advice and thoughts on what I have learned from personal experience about news and politics that may be of help.

Biblical Advice

Stay away from news organizations that drum up hatred towards others and promote violence.

• Proverbs 4:14-17 ¹⁴ Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. ¹⁵ Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. ¹⁶ For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall. ¹⁷ They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
• Psalm 11:5 The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates.

Do not associate with others who express hatred towards others or want to participate in violence.

• Proverbs 24:1-2 Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company; 2 for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.
• Proverbs 21:7-8 7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right. 8 The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

If you find yourself getting upset or angry over a reported event that does not directly impact you, change what you are thinking about to something good.

• Philippians 4:8 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable– if anything is excellent or praiseworthy– think about such things.
• Proverbs 10:12 12 Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.

Remember that we are to love others, even those who hate us, for love sets us apart from the world and can lead non-believers to seek God. We are also called to be peaceful.

• John 13:34-35 ³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
• Ephesians 4:2-3 ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Devote your time, energy and thoughts to living in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.

• Colossians 1:9-12 ⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Seek Christian sources of news and information rather than those from non-believers, as the latter are more likely to lead you astray from agendas or causes they support.

• Galatians 5:19-21 ¹⁹ The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
• Romans 16:17-18 ¹⁷ I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. ¹⁸ For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

What I have learned from personal experience about news and politics

1. When you see a member of a news organization use a catchy word or phrase to criticize a political opponent, and then a different news network says the same thing, and then several politicians who are interviewed by these same networks say something similar, this does not mean that there is widespread consensus on this view or that it’s true. Rather, it is more likely the case that all of them were given the same script to say by another person or organization with power over them (maybe contributes millions of dollars to their network) and who wants to promote a certain agenda. I have seen networks and politicians do this over and over again as far back as the Al Gore and George Bush election in 2000, when many stations began to use the same word – “gravitas” – to describe Al Gore. If the news organization you watch does this, consider getting your news from somewhere else.

2. Just because your news network did not report on a statement or event that make the political candidate or politician they support look bad does not mean it did not take place. Rather, it more likely means that the network chose to not report this event to its viewers (even though other networks are) because it might change their view of that person. I have seen this take place over and over again. To determine if your network is omitting important news, watch an opposing network (if you can) at the same time for awhile.

3. Just because you saw one video of an event that made someone look guilty and is being aired by certain networks does not mean that that person is guilty. There might be other videos – from other angles – that support what that person did, but are not being aired by the network because it would not support the agenda they are trying to push on you. Do not rush to judge.

4. Just because a news network or politician claims that something is “misinformation” or “disinformation” does not mean that what was said or reported is untrue. Rather, it more likely means that the party using this term does not want you to know that it is true, for it goes against what they want you to believe. Question those who repeat this term.

5. When several news networks and/or politicians continue to refer to a certain comment or report as “conspiracy theory,” it does not necessarily mean that the “theory” is untrue. Rather, it could mean that the people using this phrase do not want you to know that it is true, for it goes against what they want you to believe. Question those who repeat this phrase.

6. If Facebook or You Tube censors information from you, it does not necessarily mean that it is because it violates one of their policies. Rather, it could mean that they were pressured to do this by members of a powerful organization with the ability to hurt the company financially (via changing regulations or other means). Censorship is generally a bad thing.

7. Just because you see a large group of people in several cities protesting something that was reportedly said or done that, on the surface, seemed to be racist or unjust, does not mean that it was, nor does it mean that all of the protestors arrived at the same conclusion independently. Rather, protests that take place in different cities at the same time could simply be evidence of good organizational efforts by a powerful person or organization with an agenda they want to “push” on you, and where many of the protestors were paid to do so. Don’t be naive.

8. Most of the journalists in our country are Democrats, with only a small minority Republican. Most lawyers vote Democrat. Far more university professors vote Democrat than Republican. Keep this in mind whenever you see or hear news from these sources. Remember what Jesus had to say about the Sadducees and Pharisees (akin to modern day religious professors and lawyers) in the Bible.