The way that our country’s citizens are using Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and other social media platforms to polarize our political parties and cause civil unrest is an atrocity that must stop. For this reason, we are temporarily setting aside the series of questions about the New Testament church to address this important issue. Using memes and posts as a means of cutting other people down is an improper use of social media for the Christian; to simply stir up trouble for trouble’s sake is an improper attitude. Posts that attack President Trump or former President Obama and condemn the followers of either only cause division, as they are of the spirit of biting and devouring one another (Gal. 5:14-15). It is not loving your neighbor but destroying our country. It should not be our purpose to cause anger and strife and fight with one another, because a house divided cannot stand (Matt. 12:25). Paul said that if we bite and devour one another, we are going to consume one another (Gal. 4:15).

Sometimes, we get ourselves into the false mindset that if we fix what’s wrong with the government by doing away with everything we disagree with, then all of our country’s problems will vanish, which causes us to lash out in anger at our perceived “enemies,” thinking we are doing good and working to solve our country’s problems when in fact, we are devouring one another. The solution is to fix the Christian. Fix the Christian, fi x the government, but it is not true in reverse. Fixing the government does not fix the Christian. Trump is not a Christian by any stretch of the imagination, but attacking him is not the answer, just the same as attacking Obama is not the answer; both men did and allowed things that the Scriptures do not approve of. The true enemy is not the follower of Obama nor Trump but the one who rejects God’s Word (Ps. 14:1; Rom. 1:18-20; Jn. 12:48-50) and refuses to follow Christ (Acts 4:12; Jn. 14:6), and Jesus commanded His followers to love their enemies and do good to them (Matt. 5:43-48).

For example, when Jesus was asked if one should pay taxes, He didn’t lash out in anger, even though He would not have approved of every way that Caesar was using the tax money. Instead, He responded, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:21). In other words, show respect where it is due. The best thing way to solve government corruption is not by being disrespectful but by allowing God to rebuke them (Jude 9). He does this through His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-4-2). It is not our place to make a “reviling accusation” via social media (Jude 9) but to study (Acts 17:11), proclaim His truth (Matt. 28:18-20), and live like Christians (Rev. 2:10). I understand that we are trying to do good with these posts, but we need to be careful that we are not part of the problem when trying to be part of the solution. When we make posts that are demeaning, we cause needless strife and contentions and when people are angry, they become defensive; therefore, it is very unlikely that we will have the desired effect of changing their views.

If Christians will just focus on keeping the commandments of God and teaching others to do the same, the government will take care of itself. Paul recoded, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Rom. 13:1). We need to consider whether God is rebuking us, by our leadership, for not standing up for the truth and be submissive to the government we have while teaching a better way to improve the future. The better way is God’s way, not any president’s or political party’s way (Matt. 15:9)! Let’s be careful not to blame the presidents or the political parties for our failings. We would not have the leaderships we have had if the “church” was doing its part. The government has not failed the nation; the “church” has failed to teach and uphold God’s Way.

Just something to consider.