Things I Think…
1. Jimmy Carter set the standard for what the public life of a Christian should look like…his lived values matched those of the One he claimed as Lord. He lived out both marital and biblical fidelity, cared for the poor and sought for peace.
He was a churchman and demonstrated simple decency that should shame the current crop of public “believers”…but I think they have no shame…
2. I cannot help but wonder if the last shred of political decency died with Carter…
3. Simple decency seems to have died throughout the culture…whether online or in public gatherings…or the freeway…and in the church…
4. The death of a decent Christian man underlines and amplifies the loneliness many of us feel in regard to Christian fellowship. I’m blessed to have a few close friends and congregants who hold to traditionally Christian virtues and ethics, but we all feel an immense separation from the public facing church…
5. I could just be overly tired and prone to delirium…but I think that we are in a season when the true prophetic gift will be given to many…just remember…the religious establishment always despises true prophecy…meaning that if you are truly speaking prophetically you can expect it to despise you…
6. When I speak of prophecy, I’m not speaking of foretelling the future…I’m speaking about speaking God’s truth to power…
7. While I’m annoying people…it should be said that Christianity Today has become a very good magazine…
8. This year was filled with loss…not only in my own life, but in the lives of many close to me. Our faith held…meaning that Jesus wouldn’t let us go…
9. I’m not big on New Years resolutions…while I am insatiably curious about the things of God, my desire isn’t to learn more, but to practice what I already know…
10. My 2024 prophecy update…He’s not back yet.
https://www.phoenixpreacher.com/36454-2/
From five years ago. The more things change, the more they stay the same…
Decency is still in short supply.
#10 – That is the best “prophecy update” I have ever heard! Really.
RIP Jimmy.
President Carter was a man of virtue. The problem was —then as it is now—we don’t value virtuous politicians, nor do many of us even know what virtues are.
I saw a former participant here post on Facebook today about Carter. They said Carter was a horrible president and probably only beat Gerald Ford because of the Nixon scandal. They went on to laud how great of a man Ford was with nary a mention of anything good about Carter. They then said that Carter’s bad presidency was a blessing because it set us up for the greatness of the Reagan years and they hope the same thing now happens with the Biden presidency leading to Trump/Vance years.
While there were some measures of truth in the things they said, is this really where we have now come to when a fellow believer in Christ who while flawed, displayed great character and the love of Christ to a world badly in need of it, that all we can do when they pass away is make political digs at them and use it as an opportunity to champion instead those on “our side” of the political aisle?
Partisan politics truly are a poison to the soul, and far too many in the church have imbibed far too deeply in them. Nothing is no longer sacred….. everything is opportunity to make political statements and score political points.
A textbook case of how ideology corrupts. Sad.
KevinH,
The key word there is “former”.
He helped others find their way out of this den of iniquity.
History will prove what God thought…
Duane,
That article is even more true today…sadly.
The divisions are no longer fluid as they were then…they are hardened.
DavidM,
I suspect it will work for a few more years…
KevinH,
That’s one reason I try to stay off Facebook…so many former readers and contributors off the rails…it’s easier to pretend they were never here.
I remember when Jimmy Carter admitted, in answering a ‘gotcha’ question, that he had lusted in his heart.
He became the butt of many jokes because of that statement, but I thought then that he was a Christian who understood what Jesus was trying to teach us about ‘the inner man’ vs ‘the public outer man’ – I thought him bold being in the public eye to just say that outright.
I remember that some Christians I knew also made fun of him for that, and I questioned how deeply they lived their own faith. Or if they even understood what Jesus’ message was.
Carter’s life demonstrated that he, in fact, did follow Jesus. We need more like him.
God rest Jimmy Carter.
He was the genuine article.
He was the real McCoy.
Some on X say he is not a Christian because how did not believe in the inspiration of scripture and exclusivity of the gospel and salvation by Christ alone and believed in gay marriage. I don’t buy it, I think he believed as much as them but allowed for nuance and prioritized Jesus teaching over all.
A friend of mine took to FB after Jimmy Carter’s passing to declare that he was “a terrible president but a great humanitarian”….and I realized in that, in his view and perhaps of many others, those two things are mutually exclusive. As I think about it, he’s right. Jimmy Carter provided sobering evidence that there is no such thing as a “Christian” nation. When one, like President Carter, tries to bring Christian principles into government as both policy and action, it is not tolerated by the kingdoms of this world. They label him as terrible and dismiss his legacy because following Christ’s example is no way to establish our might and superiority as a nation.
Jimmy Carter was the greatest example of leadership and post-presidency honor I’ve witnessed in my lifetime. I mourn what seems like the extinction of his type of leader.
“Jimmy Carter was the greatest example of leadership and post-presidency honor I’ve witnessed in my lifetime. I mourn what seems like the extinction of his type of leader.”
Amen to that!
As a registered Republican, much to the dismay of fellow pastors, I voted for Carter in 1974. While I would agree that his presidency was not as successful as he envisioned, I never doubted his integrity.
I have noted Christians criticizing President Carter on a well-known “watchdog” web site, stating that his track record on abortion shows that he could not be a Christian. One skill/rule that we as believers need to learn and apply to every area of life: Critical, Objective thinking and analysis. It is not difficult to find President Carter’s stance on abortion in his own words. He categorically, publicly stated “I will do everything I can do minimize abortions during my presidency, because I believe it is wrong”. That is not inconsistent with his legislative record: No, he did not outlaw abortion, because, like many at the time did and still do, he believed there may be extreme cases in which medically abortion may be the only answer, and if so, he did not want that option to be off the table. But he made it clear that as a general principle, abortion is both murder and sin. I disagree with his reason for not outlawing it, (No, please, I don’t want to start that debate here, that is not the purpose of my post), but I understand his conclusion, and his reasons for coming to that conclusion. I can reluctantly allow room for that as a Christian position, because I also hear his vehement statement that “abortion is wrong”. President Carter was one of the few presidents who were outspokenly vocal about his faith in intimate, detailed fashion. And he lived it with his life. The Northern Kingdom never had one good King. The Southern Kingdom had a few – perhaps 6 good ones and 2 “okay ones”. But not one of them were perfect, they all had deep flaws – just like all of us. I cannot condemn President Carter for being a flawed believer, because I am a flawed believer. I can instead, rejoice in his faith, own it, and be grateful that in our long history, we have managed to produce one or two presidents who were in fact verifiably genuine believers. I am happy for him. He ran his race well. He is with his wife. And he is with his Lord. May each of us arrive at that place.
On Carter-
He was principled and acted on what he believed was correct. The situation he received as president was not entirely his fault. Many things were neglected during the Watergate years, and Ford wasn’t able to “fix” inflation, either. We naively think that “our” candidate will fix everything, without taking into account the Constitution, congress, the Senate, world events, etc. I believe that Carter was a honorable man who did the best he could under the circumstances. I am glad to see that he is receiving the honor that he did not receive during his presidency.
Terrie R. Beede,
I’ve seen the same…anymore when I see these condemnations of people with observable Christian character, I assume they are the ones in need of redemption…
#9 – several years ago I made one New Year’s resolution, and I have kept it faithfully ever since.
I resolved to never make any more New Year’s resolutions … 😉
#10 – Agreeing with DavidM – best prophecy ever.
BTW Michael – I had heard that you were feeling about done with doing “Things I Think” – glad to see that so far that hasn’t been the case. I don’t think I’m the only one that looks forward to these installments.
But I do understand getting just plain tired, and like many others here, you have my support wherever God leads you with this blog.
Carter spent his post-presidential years bearing out what he attempted to bring to Washington. He may have been a peanut farmer, but he was a brilliant mind and deeply committed to Christ. Yes, one can be both. 🙂 Decency is modelled and learned, not put on like a hat. Those of us who remain committed to Christ must embrace sanctification as a process, not a done deal. Carter took a century to fully realize what was only completed when he met Jesus face to face.
Owen,
Thanks again for the kind words.
As far as this column goes…when I think I have something to say, I’ll say it…but age and the current social and religious climate leave me stupefied more often than not…
fil,
Well said…
Terrie, the best part of your comment is how you don’t agree with his reasoning on abortion and yet you go on to say kind things that are consistent with a Christian. Being charitable and kind is what I miss in public discourse.
Carter hasn’t even been buried yet. I find it extremely distasteful to criticize the man or his legacy or his Christianity during this pre-funeral, period of mourning.
Can the purists among us not demonstrate a modicum of decency and compassion for Carter’s family and friends who have just lost a loved one?
There will be plenty of time for historians to flesh out Carter’s legacy.