There is a very important and volatile election coming up in a couple of months and the fervor is already rising to a heated level. Families, churches and friends are splitting over candidates and political parties. There is a lot of debating going on as to who is the right person. The nation is in a crisis and has been for years, not just the past four. The economy is at an all-time low and unemployment at an all-time high. The moral compass of our nation is spinning rapidly in circular motion from one view to another. Schools are no longer safe havens for our children. Who’s to blame? The Democrats? The Republicans? The Tea Party? The Media?
How many times recently, as in past elections, have I heard “neither party has good candidates and I don’t know who to vote for. I’m just not going to vote!” That is the worst thing we Christians can do. We must vote and we must vote Biblically. So how do we identify a “Biblical Candidate”?
As I was pondering this recently, I believe the Lord gave me a little insight into how we as Christians can identify the right candidate. It’s not about political party, there are good and bad in each one. It’s not about race or gender. These have nothing to do with a person’s character and integrity. It’s really about what they support in their personal world view. Is their world view consistent with Biblical principle? If so, then this is our candidate, regardless of party, race or gender. Even if we don’t agree in every point with a candidate, there are key issues that are clearly identified in the Bible as an abomination to God. We Christians may not like that Romney is Mormon, but what is his view on these key Biblical issues. We Christians may not like President Obama saying that our nation is no longer a Christian nation (which I happen to agree with), but where does he stand on the key Biblical issues. So what are these issues? These issues are the very things that the Lord outlines in the Scripture that defile a land and is an abomination to Him.
Leviticus 18:24–25; 29,30 — 24 Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for in all these things the nations are defiled which I am casting out before you. 25 And the land is defiled; therefore I visit the iniquity of it upon it, and the land itself vomits out her inhabitants…29 Whoever commits any of these abominations shall be cut off from among [his] people…
30 So keep My charge: do not practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you and defile yourselves by them. I am the Lord your God.
Numbers 35:33–34 — 33 So you shall not pollute the land in which you live; for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood shed in it, but by the blood of him who shed it. 34 And you shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.
Isaiah 24:5–6 — 5 The land and the earth also are defiled by their inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, disregarded the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore a curse devours the land and the earth, and they who dwell in it suffer the punishment of their guilt. Therefore the inhabitants of the land and the earth are scorched and parched [under the curse of God’s wrath], and few people are left.
Jeremiah 2:7 — 7 And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and good things. But when you entered, you defiled My land and made My heritage an abomination [detestable and loathsome].
Jeremiah 5:9 — 9 Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord; and shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?
So what are the sins that defile a land? Lev. 18 gives a list of sins that the Lord says defiles a land. In summary these sins are sins of sexual perversion such as incest, bestiality and homosexuality along with the sacrificing of children. Numbers 35 includes the shedding of innocent blood which would include murders stemming from hatred. There are also idolatries of all types and all of these sins are detestable, loathsome and an abomination to God and He promises that those who take part in these practices will be punished and His vengeance will come upon these nations.
So what has this to do with a political candidate? Which of our candidates support laws that protect or recognize these sins as being a legal or acceptable form of behavior? Those who are in authority over a nation have the power to affect the entire population and future of a nation with their decisions, so we must know our candidates stand on these issues.
We must ask, “which candidates support the legalization of shedding innocent blood through abortion? Which candidates support sexual perversion such as homosexuality as a viable and acceptable lifestyle? Which candidates are lax on the justice brought to those who shed another’s blood?” Do not look at the political party affiliation. Do not look at the ethnic origin. What is their stated view on these issues that the Word of God clearly says defiles our land and warrants God’s revenge on the nation?
In essence, this is what truly matters and not the party, race or gender of a candidate. As Christians, we have a responsibility to live by the Word of God and understand that our vote for such candidates bring upon us God’s judgment as well. We cannot be closet voters for those who approve these practices and think we will escape God’s promise of judgment. Many proclaim agreement with the Word of God on Sundays yet tell another story when they visit the polls to cast their vote.
Romans 1:32 — 32 Though they are fully aware of God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them themselves but approve and applaud others who practice them.
We must do our due diligence on each candidate and make our vote count for the principles of God. 2 Chronicles 7:14 clearly states that if “His” people (the church) will turn from our wicked ways, fast and pray He will hear and heal our land. The church is the moral compass and if the church’s conscience becomes dark, then how dark our nation will become Psalm 11:13 If the foundations be destroyed, what will the righteous do?
We must trust the Lord to bring about the promise of 2 Chron. 7:14. The Lord states in Proverbs 21:1 —The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. God will perform His Word in the nation of those who have a heart to honor God with righteousness and holiness. When the church repents and is healed, the land will be healed!
We are the church individually who make up the corporate body. Each of us individually has a responsibility to do our part and together we will have a strong voice. Let’s quit voting our pocket book and start voting our Bible!
Pastor Donna
So we are to assume that because a candidate says he protects the unborn….even if his track record says differently…..that he is being truthful and just wait and see. Where does the Bible say that we must vote and for a Chrisitan not to vote for the presidency is “the worst” thing that can be done? Do we have a Biblical model for democracy and how early Christians handled it? If both candidates have shed innocent blood and neither are true believers(how does one have a “conversion” to now believe that life should be protected without the Holy Spirit?), then how can one truly vote Biblically? Do we not vote our conscience(which for believers is infused with the Holy Spirit)? I am tired of Chrisitians trying to justify voting for a candidate who is not a believer and whose morals do not truly reflect those of a believer just to try to vote against another candidate that they feel is MORE immoral. This “Biblical” candidate (Biblical by your standards not mine) has lied, cheated and stolen in the area of business and people’s livelihood(maybe not legally, but morally and Biblically)and has in the past, supported a womans right to choose passionately. How is he truly any different? I will be voting my Biblical conscience which may very well mean skipping the presidential category on my ticket. I will not vote for a “lesser” evil…..because a lesser evil is still evil.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/the_conversion/2012/02/mitt_romney_s_abortion_record_flip_flop_or_conversion_.html
Dear Mholb,
Thanks so much for your comment and I certainly understand your thoughts and concerns. This is why this is such a difficult time we are in. There is always the issue of determining if a is candidate speaking the truth. At this point, we have two candidates for President of the US and based on their public record, statements and speeches, we must make a decision on one of them. This is really nothing new and has been an issue since our country’s founding. Also, we know that no one is without sin. God chose King David whom He declared was a man after His own heart, yet we know of David’s shortcomings.
God is merciful but He will not tolerate certain things…this is very clear from Scripture. The convenience of abortion will not be tolerated. Sexual perversion and the shedding of innocent blood will not be tolerated. Idolatry will not be tolerated. These can all be repented of because God is merciful but when a nation embraces these sins, the land becomes defiled as the Scripture indicates. Yet, even a nation can repent because God is merciful.
If we are looking for the perfect, sinless candidate in order to vote, then we might as well stop all elections. There are no such candidates. If we want to go back into the past of all candidates, there’s plenty of dirt on everyone. But we too must give grace to people because people grow and change over the years. People also learn from their mistakes, even the public ones. So we have to work with what we have and we have to use the Word of God as our measuring rod.
When a person publicly embraces that which defiles a land according to Scripture, then we as Christians have an obligation to vote against that person holding office. If they are then elected, then we have a responsibility to pray for them, as according to Scripture and not to trash them with our conversation.
Thanks again for your comments and may God’s richest blessings be upon you!
Pastor Donna, though we may disagree on whether one or both candidates both hold beliefs that defile our land, I absolutely love your final statement that no matter who is elected we need to pray for them and not trash them with conversation. What a horrible testimony to an unbelieving world to see Christians make fun of and take pot shots at a president because they don’t believe the way he does. We should not wonder at times why we are called hypocrites and hate mongers. Thank you for your thoughtful response to my comment.
Wow.. the Bible also says that women shouldn’t be pastors, so your teaching here means what?
Hi Denise,
Thanks for replying. I’m sorry that you are so uninformed concerning women in ministry and what the Bible really says about women. I would love to sit with you and discuss this AFTER you have done proper Biblical research. I would suggest as a starter, Lee Grady’s book “10 Lies the Church Tells Women”. This book gives a well researched Biblical approach to what the Scriptures really say and explains how tradition has robbed so many of the truth and power of God’s Word. (Mt.15:6; Mark 7:13)
If I embraced one or two verses that certainly contradict other of Paul’s statements and practices concerning women in public ministry, then I would have to assume it’s ok for me to own slaves, never cut my hair and always wear a hat in church, things that were consistent with the culture of the day. I would not know what to do when Paul required Timothy’s circumcision in Acts 16 and refused Titus’ circumcision in Galatians 2. Or what do i do when he instructed women on how to prophesy in the church (publically) and even appointed women as leaders and apostles in his ministry, facts supported by historical research as well as recorded in Scripture.
So, let’s talk!
Blessings to you,
Donna Wise
while you talk about the things that defile the land you have yet to say anything about the souls that are going to hell following the mormon doctrine. If Romney is elected how many more would look to him as a role model and convert to this cult. One that holds another book higher than the Bible (Gods Word). Don’t forget he was a Pastor in this religion for years. A true enemy of the Christ you espouse. As a Pastor hopefully you have done some research on mormonism. Don’t be deceived by the wolf in sheeps clothing.
Dear Wyanesmith, Thanks so much for your very important concern. I also have this concern. However, we have two choices in this election and one candidate has embraced a platform that supports abortion, same sex marriage and opposition to the welfare of Israel. The other has publically embraced the opposite or at least the return of the abortion issue to the states. I so agree with your concern and after pondering it for some time, i felt led to read the book of Ezra. What I found was that the Lord “ordained” a heathen king to rebuild His temple for the benefit of God’s people. King Cyrus was prophesied over 100 years prior to his rule by the prophet Isaiah that God had called, appointed and ordained him for this purpose. (Isaiah 44:26-45:5). I believe the key concern is that the person in place/rule is operating according to the will and purposes of GOd. God has purposed that Cyrus would rebuild the temple according to His purpose. If God could use a heathen and ungodly king (according to Scripture and commentary), then He can also use someone who is not of the CHristian faith to rule our nation to bring about His purpose. The church has been praying and these are our choices. Would i like to have another option? You bet! But we don’t and I pray that the one who openly opposes that which defiles the land will take over the office of President. As I told our church recently, it’s not what we are against that matters. It’s what we are for and we must be for the things that God is for. I so wanted the success of an African American President and pray that one day God will raise up one who will be after His own heart. It’s not the color of the skin that matters. It’s the principles that are embraced that will determine what will happen to this great nation. I feel your heart and your concern. I just know that God will not tolerate the shedding of innocent blood without revenge. If Abel’s blood cried out to Him, how much will 58,000,000 babies cry out and over 30,000,000 African American at that. I believe God’s choice for an African American President may be one of theose 30,000,000 that we chose to abort. God help us! Thanks again.