Elections are around the corner, and many people struggle when it comes to voting. Listening to the news and political advertisements only seems to make it worse! As our political process disintegrates into mudslinging, we can be left without direction.
A friend of ours takes it all very personally. When he sees his favorite candidates falling prey to the modern methods of political jockeying, he gets discouraged. Indeed, it is disheartening, when a candidate you thought was a person of character suddenly uses everything in their power to tear down their opponent! Perhaps there has always been a degree of that in climbing the political ladder, but I’m convinced that it has gotten much worse in recent years.
Today, the political scene is so volatile and so confusing that both our thought processes and the actual issues can easily become muddled. Choices are fueled by sentiments such as, “I like this guy, because he sounds so positive” or “I won’t vote for that person because she sounds so mean.” My wife even admitted that she wanted to vote for a former president simply because he was so handsome! Good thing she wasn’t of voting age, then…
Of course, the great driving force for election choices today seems to be purely selfish. We have truly become a nation of consumers… “How will he benefit me? Does she endorse programs that will make my life easier or my way of life better? What’s in it for me? What can I get out of it?”
Thankfully, my wife and I have actually found the secret to peace of mind at election time: We just vote the Bible. Simply put, we vote for what God votes for. Right and wrong is not that difficult! It’s getting caught up in personalities and emotional confusion that makes elections stressful.
As believers, there is only one agenda that drives our vote: Does the candidate stand for what the Bible says is right? Does the platform align with the Word of God? When we started looking at elections with that in mind, it simplified the process.
One of the gravest sins in America’s history is endorsing abortion. Thanks to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, the highest court in the land could not tell us that the “product of conception” (fetus) was actually a baby. So, they sided with a woman’s “right” to do as she pleased – and would not forbid it. However, even a quick reading of Scripture reveals that the baby in the womb is also a real person created and known by God. (Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5) So, abortion is not something that God would vote for!
Of course, the pro-abortion advocates will try to convince us otherwise, but do not be deceived. Abortion is murder in the eyes of God – and yet, it happens every day in America. A conservative estimate of abortions in the U.S., from Roe v. Wade to 2017, puts the number over 61 million! God will not ignore the cry for justice from those murdered by abortion.
Similarly, in 2015, the Supreme Court granted legal status to gay marriage. Since that time, the LGBT movement has gained greater prominence in America. Their agenda is to legitimize themselves, influencing the youth to explore their sexuality in a variety of forms, creating a confusing world of gender identity. Many of our government leaders, including those now running for office, also endorse this agenda. Is it God’s agenda? Does His Word support these values? Clearly not.
And those are just a couple of the examples before us…
So, elections have become quite simple for my wife and me. We don’t vote for a candidate based on appearance, ethnicity, skin color, or charisma. We vote on only one criterion: Do they stand for the Word of God? If their values are the values God has established in the Bible, we can vote for them. If not, no.
Somehow, people seem to think that we can ignore the Bible and expect God to bless America. Nothing could be further from the truth. Biblically, God’s blessings are connected to His love by our faith and obedience. They are tied to what we do – not just what we say. So, when you go to the polls this year, ask yourself this question: Who am I actually voting for? As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, the answer should be quite simple.
