By Edwin Crayton/Opinion
Those of us who are Christians tend to believe that the worst decision ever made was the very first decision humankind made: That was Adam and Eve’s unwise decision to disobey God and eat forbidden fruit (Genesis, chapters 1 through 3). This one decision brought the human race pain, suffering, hatred, death, sins of every variety and the possibility of suffering eternal damnation in the next life. And that is only a partial list of the problems it caused. If you will dissect that fateful decision, I believe you will find that the decision had two main characteristics. First, the humans involved did not consult God. Second, the humans involved leaned upon their own understanding or took the advice of someone other than God, instead of relying on God’s awesome, flawless and always available wisdom (James 1:5, also see Proverbs 3:5-6). In other words, they thought they knew better than God. Unfortunately, through the centuries, this pattern has been repeated by human beings with increasingly tragic consequences. The result has been incidents such as the enslavement of millions of people, various holocausts, and the creation of an atomic weapon so devastating it can almost instantly destroy the planet. And these decisions were often made by mankind’s best and brightest. The menacing atomic bomb was created by people considered to be geniuses.
That is why through the generations, faithful pastors, religious leaders and other Christians have tried every method they could devise to persuade people to consult God before making decisions. But we humans are a willful, stiff necked species and we continue to leave the Lord Almighty out of our decision-making processes. You can see it in how we spend our money; in who we love or hate, in how we vote and who we choose as leaders. This article of course concerns the last two. More often than not, we park our faith outside the voting booth and conduct our business inside the booth without it. You see, there is a popular, modern belief that a political leader’s character does not matter, as long as he or she can do the job. That’s just an excuse, because the Bible shows us that humans even reject leaders who possess both great skill and character. In fact, for instance, the Ancient Israelites rejected the most capable of all leaders– God Almighty himself. No leader is more capable or has better character than the Lord God. Yet, they chose to have a human leader instead of realizing that their real leader should be God. Time after time, history has demonstrated that character matters. Great nations tend to consistently pick leaders with both great character and great skills. Scripture further teaches that God rebukes his followers for not seeking his approval when picking leaders. In Hosea 8:4 He said, “They made kings, but not by my authority; they established princes, but without my knowledge.”
Well, it would be hypocrisy if I wrote an article like this one about consulting God, and yet did not do that myself. So, before I wrote this, I prayed for guidance. I came away from those prayers with some strong, solid answers. But mostly what I got back was a series of questions. Here they are:
The Bible teaches that God invented sexuality and that he made humans male and female (Genesis 1:27). Would Jesus vote for laws that would allow humans to alter God’s unchangeable decisions about who should be male or female? Both the Protestant and Catholic Churches have voted or will vote over whether to approve of doctrines and lifestyles that the Bible clearly disapproves of. Would Jesus ever vote to approve of what the Holy Word of God disapproves of? And for that matter, would he approve of churches debating whether or not to obey the Scriptures in the first place? Jesus asked in Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me lord, lord, and do not do what I say?” Or consider what 1 John 2:4 says: “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
Isn’t it fair then to also ask if Jesus would vote for a presidential candidate who says he is a Christian, but then promotes sexual concepts that the Bible calls sins. The Bible warns “Woe to those who call evil good.” That goes for all of us—even presidents. But sin has many faces. Another presidential candidate may not promote sexual concepts the Bible says are sinful, such as gay and transgender lifestyles (Leviticus 18:22, Romans Chapter 1), but that same candidate may be involved in sexual abuse scandals—even being convicted and found liable for sexual abuse. And what if his company has been found guilty of falsifying business information? Maybe the candidate has refused to concede after losing an election, leading to chaos and an insurrection on Washington that even results in the deaths of some people. Would Jesus ignore all that when he saw that candidate’s name on the ballot? Would he say, “Well, too bad about that stuff, but hey, this candidate gets things done.” What’s most troubling though is that people who doubt this candidate’s suitability for the job are called traitors if they are in his political party. You see, we have reached a point in our political lives where questioning your party’s front runner is considered treason.
Dissent of any kind is squashed or at least discouraged. But that attitude is what propelled Hitler into power and keeps Putin in power. Speak against the leader in Russia, or the current war with Ukraine and you could end up in jail. No person deserves that kind of unquestioning devotion. We are all flawed and so none of us is above criticism. Politicians should not be treated as if they were messiahs. They should be asked the hard questions and held accountable for their actions. Only Jesus is a messiah. Only Jesus can save souls. Like it or not, the people we choose to lead us have a tremendous impact on what kind of country we live in. They are still role models for children. Kids still say, the words, “I want to grow up to be like the president.” Or they say, “I want to be president.” The leaders we pick shape not just our country, they also play a role in helping mold our children. Every vote in some way, helps shape the morals of the America we will live in and that our children and our children’s children will live in. Isn’t that worth praying about?
Abortion is a key issue in many elections these days. What about women voters who proclaim they are Christians, but who also say they are “Pro Choice”, meaning they believe that they alone should decide if they should have an abortion because, according to them, their bodies are their own. But the Bible says something much different. It says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the holy Spirit within you whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.” Would Jesus vote for pro-choice laws that promote the idea that a woman’s body is her own?
Unfortunately, the political polarization that has descended on America has also entered the church. It’s important to remember that Jesus is not a Democrat or a Republican. The Bible does not advise Christians to think like a Democrat or a Republican. But it does advise all believers to have the mind of Jesus. Scriptures say, “Let this mind be in you that is in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2;5).” That means submitting our will to God and letting him transform our hearts and minds, instead of conforming to the world’s values. God can show us what to do, when to do it or whether or not it’s a good idea to do it in the first place. James 1:5 says if anyone lacks wisdom let that person ask God.
Indeed, let each one of us who believes in Christ ask God for wisdom. Especially before pushing that button in the voting booth.
“Let this mind be in you that is in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 2:5
“The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.”-Dwight David Eisenhower, the 34th U.S. President (1953-1961)
“Do not be conformed to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” -Romans 12:1-2
