Don't Sit It Out

In the 2024 election, we can consider whose views will be advancing. And, will the principles of the Kingdom of God be reflected in and through our earthly authorities. Proverbs 14 states this:
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, But what is in the heart of fools is made known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
35 The king's favor is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes shame.

I appreciate the work of Cheryl Chumley, who is the online opinion editor for The Washington Times, and the host of the Bold and Blunt podcast. In response to the research released by George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University showing that over 40 million Christians indicated they might not vote this year, she offered this:

How can America stay free and on a path to virtuous culture and governance if those who best understand true liberty and who most strive for virtue, both personally and in the public domain, just throw their hands in the air, a la we don’t care, and let the secular side have their way?

That can be found at the Higher Ground Times website, which is published by The Washington Times.  

She notes that:

Liberties come from God.

Individual rights come from God.

Government only exists to serve the God-given interests of the people, and to protect the rights and liberties awarded each individual at birth.

Take away God and what remains is a void that is quickly filled by the power-hungry; the control seekers; the lustful quests of the human heart.

Chumley goes as far as to say that if Christians do not vote, "It’s an open door to demonic forces to steal away this nation’s government."

She elaborates on that, writing: "...when Christians don’t vote, they’re ceding this world — this country — this government — to the most base-minded of humanity."  Chumley continues:

God didn’t give us America so that His people could sit back and watch their 401(k) plans grow, allowing them to buy big houses and save for their retirement days on a beach in Florida. Good men and women shed their blood for this nation, suffered horrible conditions to fight for freedom and liberty and justice and a society where individuals mattered more than the collective — and they did it with the belief they were doing it for the betterment of humanity; for the betterment of the coming generations; for causes that were greater than their own.

And, it's worth saying:

The president is not God, and the election is not for a spiritual leader.

And the vote isn’t just about choosing the next leader of the free world. It’s about honoring the sacrifices of those who gave us the free world in the first place — and yes, that includes God, right at the top of the list.

I think the issue is very simple: as salt and light, we are called to participate in those things that advance the Kingdom of God in this world.  That means selecting leaders who hold to views that are consistent with the Bible.  We certainly don't want people who do not respect nor obey Scripture to be in charge, do we?  Do we? Well, our inaction certainly indicates that we believe that.  

But, think about the incredible peace and security that our nation were to enjoy if we had leaders who at the very least respected Biblical principles.  At the very least. And, if truly devoted Christians who respect the rule of God and the rule of our laws were to be placed in influential positions, what a difference that would make - what a climate that we would have in our culture.  

So, we can evaluate the candidates very simply - based on the information that we have researched, that God has shown us, in a binary choice, which candidate best reflects my Christian values. In a Breakpoint commentary, John Stonestreet said:

...how then should we vote? Often, Christians and other citizens of conscience describe voting as choosing between “the lesser of two evils.” My former colleague Kevin Bywater suggests a better approach.

Christians, he said, should think of voting as a way of “lessening evil.” Not only does this approach better fit the political realities of our particular context, it recognizes the inherent limits of politics even while maintaining principle. Also, voting to lessen evil acknowledges the moral inadequacies of candidates while still seeking to accomplish good through voting.

Recognizing that we live in a world in which evil seems to be advancing, one step we can take, in addition to being an obedient witness and living a life that reflects God's love, is to vote for candidates who will not support the advancement of evil, godless principles in our country, our state, and our communities.