The hidden and lurking danger Christians need to see in this election

There is much conversation, accusation, argument and division over the current state of affairs in the USA as well as the potential direction that the two primary candidates/parties are seeking to take the country.

And yet, my greatest concern in this election season is not the political direction of our country.

The reality is that our country will have to go much farther down its path of self-destruction, rebellion, and idolatry before it reaches the breaking point of its own self-incurred despair. I know this to be true because of personal experience, a cursory glance at world history and sociology, and of course the Biblical records of what it takes for individuals and entire people groups to reach the end of themselves. In order for people to recognize the depths of their own despair and the reality of their own blind, naked, poor, pitiful and wretched behavior/existence things have to become very grim and we have to come to realize our own insufficiency. Before people begin on the road to recovery, turn over a new leaf, or begin a new chapter in their lives towards health and wholeness they have to reach the end of their rope and actually admit the situation that they are in. Until we admit our struggles with sin, shame, guilt and idolatry, we will never begin to look for real answers nor will we make the necessary personal admissions and efforts towards change. Until we as a nation admit our sinful state we will never look for a Savior who is able to save us from sin.

And so having said all of this, I am not first of all concerned about the direction of our country in this election because I know we must go down the road of consequence and conviction before we discover repentance and restoration.

So what then is the hidden and lurking danger in this election?

Simply this: the devil has somehow succeeded in pulling the wool over the eyes of believers and convinced them that some candidate, some political party and some human value system will bring America hope or make “America great again” (or at least delay the obvious and coming judgment/destruction of our land). The greatest danger in this election is actually the reality that seems to already be upon us: the church is unaware that we are only and always to align ourselves with God’s Word above all other things.The church somehow doesn’t recall that we can in no way shape or form defend or honor the ways of the Enemy and of darkness.

I understand that many Christians are voting in this election (as in previous ones) based on economic policies, concern for constitutional integrity, national security and justice (as the world defines it) and yet none of these are or ever have been things that Christians are to look to for wisdom, hope, or deliverance. Our hope always and ever has to be in Jesus Christ and the reality is that God most often works in our lives through breaking, through difficulty, through hardships, discipline, and pruning and we can easily see the handwriting on the wall regarding the future of America. As Christians, we are to be the people of prayer who seek the face and heart of God and God’s redemption for ourselves and others. Christians, remember we have never been called upon by God to make decisions based on the framework of the world’s thinking nor upon economic security, personal or national protection, or human ideology (no matter how “good”). Our calling has always been (and always will be) to seek out the will of God and promote principles that are in line with the Word of God.

To my Christian brothers and sisters, please stop defending Trump or Clinton and explaining how their sinful behaviors are somehow “okay” because of their policies or because their sins are either in the past or not that bad. Let’s be perfectly frank here: neither Trump nor Clinton represents or typifies Christianity, Christian morals or values. Neither one of them was sent by God to save America. God is redemptive and can use people but He already given America a Savior: Jesus Christ. If you decide to vote for one candidate or another because of a part of their platform or because some of their policies that are somehow in line with Scripture that is one thing, but to excuse sin of the candidates because you like their policy or platform is another. To make it even more plain: I know people who are voting for one candidate or another based on pro-life issues, supreme court justices, foreign affairs and/or fiscal responsibility; for a Christian, all of these issues are Biblical and as such as a Christian voting for these issues can be acceptable ways to promote Biblical principles to the best of our ability with our vote. But let us stop this nonsense about ignoring (or even defending!) a candidate’s sinful behavior just because their personal ideology, political policies or party platform reflects some limited moral value.

I personally cannot cast my vote for either candidate, though I do not fault any Christian who discovers some Biblical principles and issues represented by either side and comes to peace with their vote as being for those principles rather than the figureheads who are neither one living out anything remotely like Christlikeness. I will be casting my vote as a write in because I will be voting for a person that I believe listens to the Lord for wisdom and direction in life. For Christians, any vote that is according to our convictions of promoting the King of kings and Lord of lords and His kingdom is never a wasted vote because we are pledging our allegiance to the only government that will last. So whatever your vote is as a Christian, may it be a vote to promote Christian values. Christians need to stop excusing Trump and Clinton’s sin, even if we see some Christian values represented by their parties or platforms or policies. As Christians, we can absolutely never call sin anything but sin and then ask the Lord to bless and direct us. If you vote for Clinton or Trump or a third party candidate may it be simply because you are seeking to promote Biblical truth and the kingdom of God in our land. If your vote is for any lesser reason, we have no Biblical defense for our behavior.

So, no matter how you are voting this year, my question is, are you praying to God and seeking to have the will of God done on earth and the kingdom of God come on earth as it is in heaven? Furthermore, are you voting out of some sense of fear or by and because of faith in God and with a vote that promotes His glory and His value system? As Christians, we are to live by faith in God not fear of the things of this world…There is coming a great revival upon the face of the earth and there is coming a great judgment. Let us as Christians live and promote Christ and His kingdom above all else in how we live, our words, our actions, our attitudes and our vote.