What's the Main Focus? 

by Michael Horton

     "In the media, even among otherwise well-informed journalists, there is little knowledge of the beliefs of particular religions, nor how these religions might play a significant role in people's lives. And most tragically of all, most Christians have little comprehension of what they believe.

     "Conservative Christians need to confront the fact that President Trump made anti-Constitutional statements while privileging his white evangelical base. This pandering is red meat for many supporters but poison to the witness of Christ. 

     "Protestant leaders opposed JFK's run because he was a Roman Catholic, and Mitt Romney in 2012 because he is a Mormon. Yet evangelicals elected a president who is not a professing Christian because he vowed to protect them. The fear of losing cultural, social and political power often drives a large number of evangelicals to put their trust in princes. 

     "The church in Galatia turned the gospel into the law and made ethnic distinctives an entry requirement. The church was not purer or holier. Paul told them that if love is the summary of the law, the Galatian church was lawless (Gal. 5:14). 

     "Only faith rooted in the gospel bears the fruit of the Spirit, which is 'love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law'" (vv. 22-23). 

Next: The package of sins