America is in trouble. We need God! We have lost our spiritual way, placing our trust in substitutes or despairing about the future. However, the salvation and spiritual depth of our nation will not be led by the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court, or the Republican or Democratic parties. We pray for and are thankful when God-honoring men and women assume positions of influence in government because we prayerfully trust they are seeking God’s face and blessing in all of their decisions. We want to claim a spiritual link and application with God’s 2 Chronicles 7:14 word to Israel: “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” (NLT)
We want true believers at the helm! However, sometimes they are not available.
We still need leaders. The alternative is anarchy.
Consider the Options
There are times when Christian voters are faced with an electoral dilemma. We desire to have believers, or at least people sympathetic to or friends of believers, in positions of government. That is our prayerful desire. However, the totality of a candidate’s religious beliefs, record of actions, and positions must be weighed in making that determination. It is important to prayerfully ask God for discernment regarding many important considerations when contemplating an electoral choice. Prime among those considerations is this question. No matter the candidate’s stated religious preference, are there indications or evidence the candidate truly would uphold the First Amendment in respecting religious freedom and not subordinate it to political views of a different persuasion? Much of politics is about managed appearances, including religious. Second Timothy 3:5 describes such a religious-managed-person and prescribes how to respond to a contrived appearance: “They will act religious but will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” 2 Timothy 3:5 (NLT). Clearly, a candidate’s substance – the actions that flow out of beliefs – matters more than religious appearances.
Not Always a Clear Choice
Selecting a president of our nation is not always a matter of selecting the one who is a “Christian” while turning away from the one who comes from what we view as a cult. It often is not a clean and clear choice if measured only in those terms. Jimmy Carter was a Baptist Sunday school teacher who as president appointed a cabinet that pursued policies many believers described as unfriendly to the church. I don’t really know that Ronald Reagan, President Carter’s successor, was a Christian. There are several at least anecdotal reports about Ronald and/or Nancy having consultations with astrology, a cult. However, President Reagan was widely acknowledged as an ally to Christians and churches. Many Christians remember Reagan fondly, not just because of affinity with his political views but because he was a friend to believers and churches. Religious profession alone is an inadequate basis for electoral decisions.
