Posted on 10/30/2014 1:04:56 PM PDT by Kaslin
In polite society, you’re not supposed to talk about politics, sex, or religion. Sorry, but this column will discuss all three, directly or indirectly.
In America, we get the kind of government we deserve. Is this the best we can do?
There certainly is a big divide in how we approach politics, even among well-meaning Christians.
I was asked to speak at our church recently, and the title was given to me: “To vote or not to vote?” Are you serious? How can we not vote? We’re in such a mess because we haven’t been voting our values. I believe voting is imperative for the follower of Jesus.
Jesus said that we are to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s (Mark 12:17). Surely, included in rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s would include voting.
It’s our duty to cast a ballot. It’s also our privilege. I know a man personally who risked his life with six other Cubans to flee the communist island. They rowed for 48 long hours in a rickety row boat with a hole in it. One of them had to bail out the water all the time. After a while, their fingers were bleeding, but they finally made it to the Bahamas.
My Cuban friend is glad to be an American and is a patriot. He wouldn’t think of not voting.
Historically, Christians in America applied their faith to virtually every sphere of life, including politics. While the founding fathers were not all Christians, the vast majority of them were, and virtually all of them had a biblical worldview. As historian Donald S. Lutz said of the founding fathers (even the unorthodox amongst them), “they knew the Bible down to their fingertips.”
So, for example, they divided power, since they knew man is sinful. James Madison, one of the key architects of the Constitution, noted: "All men having power ought not to be trusted." This is a biblical perspective. Sometimes people complain that the Constitution limits the amount of power any one single branch may have. That was by design---lest we have tyranny from one man or from an oligarchy.
When we vote biblical values, we obey what the Lord would have us do. Jesus is not on the ballot, so ultimately we are voting for a sinner. But the question is, Where do those sinners stand on key issues?
Too often, Christians seem to be waiting for the perfect candidates and can’t bring themselves to vote for someone with many (but not all) right views. We need to vote for the available candidates with the best views, rather than waiting for the perfect candidate who’s not coming.
There are some Christians who are so upset with the current crop of politicians that they may sit this election out. But their non-vote is a vote---a vote for someone with whom they probably would disagree vehemently.
There are many lesser known candidates and amendments that will likely be on the ballot. It behooves us to learn a Christian perspective on these, before we go and vote.
Where do the candidates stand on abortion? On traditional marriage? On religious freedom? On fiscal responsibility? On educational issues? All of these are addressed by the Bible.
Speaking of fiscal responsibility, Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” Yet today, as one person has said: “Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren.” I agree with that sentiment.
Who said it? Senator Barack Obama in 2006. Too bad as president, he has racked up a bill that seems beyond the reach of even our grandchildren to pay off.
In this country, which had such a godly foundation, we currently have the opportunity to vote our biblical values. But if we continue to lose our freedoms and fall prey to tyrannical government, ultimately, we will only have ourselves to blame.
My long-time pastor, the late D. James Kennedy, Ph.D. said this about Christians and politics in general: “I remember 20 years ago, a Christian said to me, ‘You don’t really believe that Christians should get active in politics do you?’ And I said, with tongue in cheek, ‘Why, of course not, we ought to leave it to the atheists, otherwise, we wouldn’t have anything to complain about. And we’d really rather complain than do something, wouldn’t we?’”
Look at the mess we’re in because many Christians have neglected this duty. Five Houston pastors were having their communications subpoenaed by the mayor because they had spoken out against the bill allowing a man to use the ladies’ room! Their emails and text messages had been demanded, to see what they have said anything against this bill.
Commenting on that case initiated by the lesbian mayor of our nation’s 4th largest city, in his Mike Huckabee News (10/19/14), he comments: “Why has this happened? It’s mainly because good church going Christians don’t vote and don’t care.”
It is a privilege to vote. It is our Christian duty to vote. So vote your biblical values. If enough evangelicals and conservative Catholics showed up and voted biblical values, we could carry this election---and virtually every election. Our nation’s founders pledged their lives, their fortunes, and the sacred honor to give us our freedom. The least we could do is vote---and vote our values.
If you can, write in a Conservative, or vote for the third party candidate if they are more Conservative than what is on the ballot.
The era of voting for party if you are a Conservative is over, not if biblical principles guide your life and character.
Agreed..., and I can come up with many other reasons as well.
Ha ha ha...
Hey!
I knew this would happen: the GOP slaps us down on EVERY issue. Then they send their mouthpieces out to guilt us into voting.
Well, not if they can avoid it. Obviously some races are tough calls these days.
Yes, it is very difficult. But it seems that it is nearly always a choice between the lesser of the two evils, without regard to party. I agree with the author of this piece, that we have a responsibility to vote.
It is the world, and we are not OF it, but we are IN it. My vote, at the very least, may slow down the coming of the avalanche, by slowing down evil. No one really knows.
IMO the reasons Obama won the last election is because of voter fraud, voter apathy, and Christians (whether true or in name only) who refused to vote for a Mormon.
Now we have MORE voter fraud because little is done about the ones who are casting illegal ballots. In other words, justice and adherence to our Constitution is nearly absent.
I do not see any solution to our national problem—which is we have turned our back (as a whole) on our Creator, the LORD God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who sent His Son into the world to die for our sins, in our place, taking our sins upon Himself, and shedding His blood to redeem us from the penalty of our sins. He was raised from the dead on the third day, as He said He would be, and He now sits at the right hand of His Father in heaven.
He is coming again to this earth to redeem His remnant of Israel, to judge the nations, and to set up His kingdom in Israel. His saints will be coming with Him when He comes, and they will rule and reign with Him on the earth. He will rule this earth for 1000 years.
At the end of the 1000 years the wicked dead will be raised up for judgment and thrown into the lake of fire, along with the devil and his angels, where they will be forever in torment, separated from God.
A new heaven and a new earth will then be created for all of the Father and the Son’s kingdom.
This time here on earth is but a blink, I guess not even that, in comparison to what lies ahead for His Redeemed.
But this time is when IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART, repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and a NEW LIFE in Christ. All the things of this world, including the ballots and the voting machines will be burned up.
May God have mercy on our nation and draw hearts back to Him.
John 6:40 - For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.
I totally agree.
Excellent article Kaslin and I fully agree with it. It took the democrat/communist/socialists decades to promote their agenda and they did it by ‘hook and crook’.
We have too many people who only want the ‘perfect’ and there is no perfect candidate. We wouldn’t be in this dire situation if they hadn’t allowed Obama to win. You have to at least ‘get your foot in the door’ before you can hope to change things - increment by increment - and God’s help.
There is only one place where I wouldn’t blame Christians for sitting out the election: Mississippi.
If you think the cure to the commie-socialists is to vote for commie-socialist with an R next to their name, then you are crazy
How I will vote in TN:
No vote for governor.**
Joe Carr for Senator (Lamar!s primary opponent)
The sacrificial Republican running against Commie Cohen.
Then I will vote on the amendments.
** Total number of people voting for governor gives threshold for passing amendments.
Might I suggest that you consider that the poster might be merely in error as opposed to willfully lying? You just might be more effective.
Actually, the independent is a socialist, and his running mate is a liberal democrat.
This is no time to play “teach them a lesson”.
There are people out there trying to destroy your Constitutional Rights and this country.
The idea that you would sit home and let people vote against your interests 100% of the time, because the other guy will only support your interests 50% of the time is NUTS!
I agree with you.
Yet, there are many FReepers here who will call us purists and argue that we are throwing away our vote and that by splitting votes off from the Repub, the democrat wins and Obama and Reid thank us for our support.
I could understand that. If it worked. But millions of conservatives held our noses and we did vote for McCain and Romney.
How’d that work out?
Oh great...
I’ve not missed an election that I can recall in the 36 years I have been old enough to vote. I am simply saying the choices do not make it easy. But then, little in life that is worthwhile is easy. Our sinful nature insures that.
Yep. And Parnell is a Republican.
Yes he stabbed Palin the back. And I wouldn’t vote for him either if I were her. But to ENDORSE Walker/Mallot?
That was too much.
WAY too much.
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