POLL PROMULGATION

From My Perspective - - -

It seems as though more and more legislation and political action is based upon Polls. Even though there is diversity among the Pollsters, one can select the Poll of his/her choice to promote one’s personal agenda. Furthermore, even if there is no concurring Poll to support one’s agenda, then data is often misrepresented as though there was a majority who would be in agreement. It is obvious that integrity and moral values are subservient to whims and trends rather than to truth and moral values.

A Poll released this week by Rasmussen has been mentioned in several Internet “news” websites that Headlines: “Percent of Americans Believing in the Resurrection Drops To 64% From 77% Last Easter.” The CNS release was: “A study released by the Rasmussen Reports polling firm on Good Friday found that 64% of Americans believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. While Americans who believe in the resurrection remain in the majority, that number is down significantly when compared to a Rasmussen Poll that asked the same question, released a year ago. On April 7th, 2012 Rasmussen released a poll finding that 77% of Americans believed the resurrection of Christ to be historical fact. The difference between the two polls shows a 13 percentage point drop in the number of Americans who believe that Christ rose from the dead, since last Easter. Additionally, this year's poll found that 19% of Americans reject the central tenant of the Christian faith and do not believe that Christ was resurrected.  That's compared to only 7% who said they didn't believe that Christ rose from the dead a year ago.  A staggering 12 percentage point jump.”

Question: Should one base his/her personal belief system on data in a National Poll (with a very fractional sample – usually less than 2,000 people)? Should that alone be persuasive or the basis upon which one believes or doesn’t believe?  It is interesting that within the First Century and a short time after the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, one of the first Pollsters issued his data and conclusion. Just two indicators from the Pollster – The Apostle Paul. First, in order to establish the basic postulate, Romans 1:3-4 (NKJV), “…concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was…declared to be the Son of God with power …by the resurrection from the dead.” Second, is the sample and data that established unequivocally the fact of the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ in I Corinthians 15:1-8 (NIV), “…For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living…he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also…” The choice one has to make is (a) to believe the inspired and objective words recorded in Romans and I Corinthians, or (b) to embrace the uninspired and subjective poll based upon whim or fancy in the twenty-first century.

Part of the variance in terms of what people believe today as compared with even one year ago may have more to do with the political ideologies that are promulgated endlessly – ideology that is not always based upon valid data or fact – but is articulated dogmatically and persuasively. The other part to all of this has to do with eternity – heaven and hell issues. I always appreciate a young campus minister who faithfully spoke to as many as he could and reminding them that eternity is a long time to spend in the wrong place. If one is going to be certain of his/her eternity, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is foundational. In Romans 10:8-13 are these dynamic and basic words: “The Word is near you…the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved…Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." The bottom line is: (1) Have you believed and acted upon this truth? (2) Have you confessed with your mouth – Jesus is Lord? (3) Have you believed that God raised Him from the dead? If you haven’t, do so now – and – you will be saved. Consider these things with me.