Politics and Truth – Issue of Gun Control in America.

For many years, there has been intense debate on the issue of gun control in America. Opinions are diverse on this issue and it is hard to know and understand the thoughts from both sides of the argument, other than that they do not all have a common understanding on how to solve the problem. Sadly, the issue has been politicized. Any issue that has political undertone becomes toxic and problematic to resolve. Politics is one of the evils of our modern-day society and it is a vehicle through which Satan plans to do his final destructive blow on the world. Wherever politics takes the center stage, truth and sanity are usually scarce commodity. Don’t get me wrong, I know we are all political in nature and it is through politics that we put our local and national leadership in place. But the truth is that politics has become a deadly system of the world that Satan wishes to use to set the world ablaze. Politics and truth, or politics and God, will not thrive on the same platform. Politics and truth are matters that cannot be yoked together because it is like righteousness and lawlessness; light and darkness; believer and unbeliever, or God and idols. There cannot be fellowship or accord between those who pursue after truth and righteousness and the professional politicians. Our national lives worldwide, are faced with extreme danger because we are governed by leaders who emerge out of political calculations and not out of the will of God.

The arguments over gun control in America is controlled by political, personal and business interests and not what is rational and objective. Personal, business and political survival have taken over our national lives and has made it difficult for truth to thrive. Politicians, engineers, pharmacists, doctors, traders, even teachers and pastors are controlled by personal interest which has shifted the purpose of their callings from social good to hurting society. Every known space where there is “earthly success” in our world today is controlled by Satan. Wall Street, Press, Hollywood, name it, who have been known to succeed materially in the world today, are full of unspeakable evil. For many years, the wall street operators have destroyed many lives for their personal interest. The recent revelation of sexual harassment in Hollywood shows the destruction to human lives and dignity. Unfortunately, the Church which is the hope of the world at this end time is also enmeshed in the issue. Brothers and Sisters in Christian fellowships are now divided because they discuss issues of life with same emotion as people of the world. We as Christians have not made any difference in the world through our thoughts and lifestyle and have therefore lost the impact of light and salt we ought to be within society. Conservative Christian life is not just about anti-abortion, anti-gay lifestyle, but it is about the total life style of Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Our conservatism therefore should be reflected in our choices and decisions, not based on our individual interests but on the collective interests of society and in identification with God who we profess to be committed to serve.

The latest mass murder in Las Vegas by a 64-year-old Stephen Paddock has opened the unending debate on gun control and continue to show our lack of understanding of the human physical and spiritual nature. Paddock shot at a crowd estimated to be about 22,000 people who were attending a music festival near Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Oct. 1, 2017. Stephen through his 32nd floor room window killed 58 people and injured 489 others “before taking his own life”. Ironically, the law enforcement authorities and investigators have as usual continued to dig for the motives of Paddock. Several ideas have been proffered on why he did these killings but according to investigators, none of these are sufficient to nail down a definitive motive. I don’t think we need any lab or forensic solutions to know the motive of Paddock or the motives of any murderer for that matter anywhere in the world. The only known motive to kill others can be found in the human heart, SIN. The physical issues we often proffer like mental illness, depression, or even religious bigotry such as Islamic fundamentalism are all associated with the wicked and sinfulness of the human heart. The nature of man since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden has been sinfulness and wickedness. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Gen. 6:5-6). Jeremiah the prophet, said this about the heart of man, ““The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jer. 17:9)

God created man and breathed into him the breath of life. The breath of God in man makes humanity higher than all other animals on the planet. Our animalistic behavior shows up when we hinder the operations of the breath of God inside of us. There is a very thin line between human sanity and insanity. The reason you hear that Paddock opened gun fire on innocent spectators is the same reason you hear that the celebrities in Hollywood bring sexual pervasion into the community. I warned America in my book “Saving America: the war we can’t ignore” that the America society is not immune from these social perversions if we move away from the Judeo/Christian values that the founders of the nation bequeathed on this nation which has made the nation great. As long as we allow our sinful desires to dominate us, the Spirit of God inside us will give way to abnormal behavior and we need no researcher to tell us the consequences of such actions. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them”. (Rom. 1:18-32).

The solution to the problem of the world is therefore not in Rehab or unending investigations of the motives behind every crime which we know already but solution is in seeking for the truth. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32). If we seek to know the truth and we apply the truth to our personal lives, and public discuss, our society will be the better for it. The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution which protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms is a support to the natural rights of self-defense, resistance to oppression, and the civic duty to act in concert in defense of the state and not a right to wage war against the citizens. There is no way this right can be a defense for one citizen to accumulate as many as 42 guns and automatic weapons as if we are in war. We have inadvertently misinterpreted our right as in the 2nd Constitution amendment to put guns in the hands of everyone including those who show signs of insanity. The condition of the human heart does not give room for such uncontrolled rights because untold damages will always happen in the day of slight tilting towards insanity. Discussions around issues of life should be done objectively and in truth. The National Rifle Association (NRA) which I believe have Christians among their membership should take a closer and deep look at what can be done to check proliferations of gun in our society. They should think more of what will be good for society and not only their material gains. “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. (Pro. 10:22). We can control guns being in wrong hands without hurting the business of guns.

I would like to encourage the Church to be involved in political debates in our nation, gun control, health, education, tax reforms not by joining in arguments, but by standing in the gaps for our nation. Prayers by committed Christians avail much. Paul advised the Church, “But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” (2 Tim 2: 23-26). On our kneels we can change arguments in our nation, in our praying closets, we can change the direction of our society. I believe it and I believe it. Thank you as we pray together to change America.

Michael Jolayemi is an author and Bible teacher. Please check out his books, “Saving America: The war we can’t ignore”; and “Sheltered through the storm: the travails and ultimate triumph of the Church.” You will be blessed. www.conservativevoiceofreason.com www.michaeljolayemi.com