Veteran conservative commentator Cal Thomas is one of the nationally-syndicated columnists we feature on The Stream. Our friendship goes back decades. While we were celebrating the launch of The Stream and Cal’s role in it, I conducted a brief interview.

James: What are your hopes for a website like The Stream?

Cal: The Stream will offer opportunities for the exchange of ideas and biblically-based principles and truth to exhort, encourage and instruct one another as we honor the King and His Kingdom, which He said is not of this world.

James: Do you have cautions for all of us?

Cal: The first thing we learn about Satan is not that he’s evil, but that he’s subtle or crafty. If he can get us wasting time fighting him, instead of devoting more time to serving Jesus, he wins in the short term.

The most powerful message we have is not in a political party, but in a person — Jesus of Nazareth — the only one who can transform us by the renewing of our minds and consequently charge one’s view about the meaning and value of life, marriage and all of the other “issues” that so preoccupy us today

Imagine what would happen if we became obedient to the commands of Jesus. These include loving our enemies, praying for those who persecute us and caring for widows and orphans which Jesus called “true religion.” It is as we empty ourselves and take on the form of a servant — His servant — that we plug into a power source that is unavailable to politicians and government structures.

We can’t expect godly behavior from the ungodly. It is a major reason why we get frustrated after an election like the last one when the Republican Party quickly disappoints.

The primary problems of the human race, including Americans, are not economic and political; they are moral and spiritual. Only Jesus can reach the heart and transform it. Why settle for a lesser kingdom and flawed kings? King David advised not to put our trust in princes and kings, or in mortal flesh that cannot save. Paul says in Romans 8 that God has built futility into His creation in hope His creation will turn to Him.

If you want more than Christ what you really want is less than Christ because Christ is God’s everything. Adding earthly agendas to Him dilutes His power.

James: I long to see the prayer of Jesus in John 17 fulfilled in our day. I not only believe it to be important, but possible. Your comments?

Cal: In order to experience unity of spirit, we have to practice it. I can have fellowship with anyone who confesses that Jesus is Lord and that God has raised Him from the dead. The label they wear — Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian — is not as important as whether Jesus dwells within them.

Let’s stop fighting each other over non-essentials and start loving one another and show the world we are believers by the love we have for one another. Seeing that, the world could very well beat a path to our door. Let’s reject a negative agenda and begin embracing a positive one.

See John 3:17 — God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world. So why are we so often known for what and who we are against, rather than Who we are for?

If we believe what Paul told Timothy, all authority comes from God and He puts leaders in place to suit his own ends. If you believe that, conservatives must acknowledge that our current president, as well as past and future ones, were put there by God.

Perhaps we should do more praying for those in authority and less condemning them.

James: Thank you, Cal. I agree with what you shared.