In
the spring of 2015 an Amtrak passenger train in Philadelphia was speeding more than
100 mph down the track when it hit the Frankford Junction curve in an area
where the speed limit is 50 mph. Because of the excess speed the train
derailed, and sadly the disaster resulted in the deaths of eight people and
injured hundreds more.
As
investigators began trying to make sense of the wreckage they came upon two
critical pieces of evidence. First, they concluded that the accident could have
been avoided if that train would have been properly equipped with a technology
called, “positive train control” which automatically slows a speeding train as
it comes upon turns in the track. Second, investigators said the other and more
glaring cause was “the human factor” which is code for the engineer was not
paying attention while at the helm.[i]
In many respects, I
believe that unfortunate incident is parable for the current direction of our
country. We are a runaway train speeding toward a precipice and the engineers
aren’t making any moves to apply the brakes to slow us down before it’s too
late. There are many in this nation who can see that “we the people” are headed
in a dangerous direction, but feel helpless to effect any real change that
would bring us back from the brink.
Peggy Noonan, a former
speechwriter for Ronald Reagan and Wall Street columnist recently captured the
angst of so many in these uncertain times, “I think there is an unspoken
subtext in our national political culture right now. In fact I think it’s a
subtext in our society. I think a lot of people are carrying around in their
heads, unarticulated and even in some cases unnoticed, a sense that the wheels
are coming off the trolley and the trolley is off the tacks.”[ii]
Another keen mind who
studied the rise and fall of nations down through the ages has distilled the
life cycle of a nation like this:
“The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations
from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200
years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence: From
Bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage
to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to complacency; From
complacency to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into
bondage.”[iii]
If that assessment of
history is correct then you can clearly see that the current trend has our
nation sliding back into bondage. With each election cycle that passes the
stakes for our country are only raised higher, just as a speeding train
eventually runs out of viable track.
I understand your anxiety.
I also feel your frustration. Every four years we go through a grueling series
of campaigns and then we are finally presented with the lesser of two evils
when it comes to a presidential candidate. If you are like me then you find
yourself voting against a candidate,
rather than for a candidate. We are
choosing which candidate will do the least amount of damage while in
office—whether candidate A will slow down the train or whether candidate B will
put the pedal to metal and accelerate us faster toward a collision.
As we take part in the
election process I have felt compelled as your pastor to present what I believe
are the essential biblical guidelines for how our faith interacts with
politics. I am not telling you who to vote for, nor am I endorsing a particular
candidate, but I am telling you that the Word of God should shape our hearts
and minds more than any political rhetoric or party.
1. We are
called to participate in the process (Matt. 5:13-16).
There are some in the
Christian community who do not think that the church should get involved in the
political process at all. Picture the ostrich with his head shoved in the sand.
They say, “Politics is dirty and corrupt, we should focus just on preaching the
Gospel and not get entangled in the affairs of government.” The problem with
this approach is that it sounds pious, but really it actually compartmentalizes
Christ between our private beliefs and public behavior.
Moreover, Jesus has called
us to be “salt and light” in a decaying and dark world (Matt. 5:13-16). Salt is
meant to slow the rate of decay. Light is intended to drive back the darkness.
We cannot fulfill Jesus’ commands if we say that certain areas of life are
“off-limits” to the Gospel.
God has called us to be
salt and light in every endeavor—in our families, workplaces, schools, and even
where our faith intersects with government. Besides it makes no sense for us as
Christians to say, “We should obey the law, but let’s leave the lawmaking up to
the pagans.” Moreover, our young men and women in the military give their limbs
and their lives to ensure our freedom, and yet most won't even vote! That’s inexcusable;
no wonder we are in a mess.
In the 2008 presidential election
approximately 40% of the 208 million eligible voters stayed home. George Gallup
estimates that about 40% of the electorate is evangelicals. Given that there is
no evidence that the evangelical turnout is greater than the rest of the population
that means that nearly 30 million Christians did not vote in the 2008. Obama’s
victory was considered a landslide because he won by about 10 million votes.
My point is not that “had more Christians voted they
could have kept Obama out of the White House (not all evangelicals vote
straight down party lines),” but that Christians have the ability to heavily
influence an election, which determines the direction of our nation. But we
can’t have that impact if we’ve decided that our vote doesn’t really count in
the long-run.[iv]
Some have said, “Well, I
don’t vote because I’m just one person and I can’t make a difference.” Tell
that to Al Gore who lost the 2000 election to George W. Bush by less than 600
votes.
Edward Hale said, “I am
only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And
because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I
can do.”
We are to preserve our
nation from premature decay and closing darkness by standing as God people
against the advancement of evil. God has given Christians in democratic
countries a unique way to be salt and light that the earliest Christians did
not enjoy. We have been granted freedom to choose leaders that will advance
righteousness or unrighteousness.
The alternative of Christians being
passive, apathetic or uninvolved in the political process is demonstrable and
frightening. Dr. Jeff Meyers noted that during the 20th century
atheistic leaders (Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot) gained control of nations all
across Europe, Asia and Africa and the result was that, “Almost 170 million
men, women and children were shot, beaten, tortured, knifed, burned starved,
frozen, crushed, or burned to death by tyrannical regimes.”[v]
Evil triumphs when Christians fold their hands and do nothing.
2. Before we go
to the polls we should pray. (1 Tim 2:1-3)
Maybe the greatest thing
that we can do in this political process is pray for the leaders of our nation
and that God would raise up men and woman of faith who would run for office. If
those in power aren’t saved we should pray for their salvation. Paul admonished
us in this way:
“1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings
and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life,
godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the
sight of God our Savior . . .”
Understand that the
Apostle Paul is writing this instruction to his protégé Timothy at a time when
the vile emperor Nero was at the helm of the vast Roman Empire. At this time, Christians
were viciously persecuted, tortured and killed for sport in the Roman
colosseum.
Prayer for those in
authority will create better social conditions favorable to the preaching of
the Gospel. The prayers of those first century Christians must have made a
difference because within a matter of a few decades the Gospel went from being
oppressed to transforming the world’s most powerful empire. Paul understood
that smallest man or woman on their knees before a Sovereign God was more
effective than the mightiest Caesar sitting on the throne.
Emma Daniel Gray died on June 8, 2009, at
the age of 95. There was a big story about her in the Washington Post because for 24 years she was the woman who cleaned
the office of the President of the United States. She served six presidents
till she retired in 1979. What made the story even more interesting was that
Mrs. Gray was a devout Christian. She would stand and pray over the President's
chair each time she dusted it—her cleaning supplies in one hand, the other on
the chair. She'd pray for blessings, wisdom, and safety for the man in the Oval
Office.[vi]
3. Our vote
should be shaped by biblical principles.
Jesus is not a Democrat, a
Republican, Libertarian or Independent. We should never give-in to the rhetoric
that one party or another is the “Christian party.” When it comes to voting we
should not be swayed by our geographical location—whether we live in a red or
blue state. We should not be persuaded by our political affiliation—how you are
registered doesn’t matter. We should not vote based on our racial identification,
nor should be we tied to our union obligation. Instead, our vote should be
primarily influenced by our biblical convictions.
Allow me suggest a few
non-negotiable items that should be paramount when we vote.
·
Sanctity of human life (Ps. 139:13-14)
Americas would never put
themselves on the same level as Nazi Germany which eradicated 6 million Jews
during the Holocaust. Yet, America is
the world’s leading practitioner of abortion and has extinguished nearly 9 times
as many lives as the Nazis since Roe v. Wade. Someone has calculated that if we
observed one minute of silence for every child aborted since 1973 then we would
stand silent for a little over 98 years.
It is inconceivable that any Bible-believing Christian could support a
candidate who morally has no problem with the mass murdering the unborn.
·
Traditional marriage (Matt. 19:4-6)
Marriage between one man
and one woman is the basic building block of society. When you undermine the
biblical model of marriage then you are also attacking the foundation of
civilization. The current administration endorsed SSM and celebrated the
homosexual agenda by bathing the White House in the colors of the gay flag.
This disgraceful act once again legalized what God called an abomination and
the five Supreme Court justices that voted in favor of the ruling may have
chiseled the date June 26, 2015 into America’s headstone as the day we as a
nation died. Therefore, we cannot support a candidate that promotes the
destruction of traditional marriage and the family.
·
Religious liberty (Ps. 33:12)
Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed
is the nation whose God is the Lord.” War has been declared on Christianity in
our nation. We have seen the Ten Commandments taken down from civic buildings,
prayer taken out of schools, Christian business sued and fined and even some
public officials put in jail because they would not compromise their faith. We
must vote for a candidate who is going to champion our first amendment right to
the freedom of religious expression. Just listen to words of a few great
American presidents on this.
George Washington set the
tone as our first president declaring, “It is impossible to rightly govern the
world without God and the Bible.”[vii]
Consider the words of John
Adams, the nation’s second president, “The general principles, on which the
Fathers achieved independence, were the general principles of Christianity.”[viii]
Woodrow Wilson in 1911
said, “The Bible is the supreme source of revelation and meaning of life, the
nature of God and the spiritual nature and needs of man. It is the only guide
of life which really leads the spirit in the way of peace and salvation.
America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that
devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the Holy
Scriptures.”[ix]
Ronald Reagan, “If we ever
forget that we are one nation under God, we will be a nation gone under.”
·
Pro-Israel (Gen. 12:1-3)
God’s foreign policy
statement for any gentile nation is found in Gen. 12:1-3, known as the
Abrahamic covenant. God clearly explains that He has a chosen people—the
descendants of Abraham, the Jewish people who have had their own sovereign
state Israel since 1948. If we as a nation want to be blessed by God then we
need a president who is going to bless God’s people, not bully them or make
deals with Islamic nations who want to destroy Israel.
·
Character and integrity (Ex. 18:21).
Listen to advice that Jethro gave Moses when he was
selecting elders to help him judge the Israelites. “Moreover, look for able men
from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe,
and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of
fifties, and of tens” (Ex. 18:21). Those basic qualifications are enough to
rule out 90% of the candidates. As Lincoln said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity,
but if you want to test a man’s character give him power.”
4. Understand God
has a sovereign plan and purpose (Dan. 2:20-21)
In the book of Daniel
2:20-21 the prophet is given many panoramic visions of the rise and fall of
future nations, including a preview of the last days just before the return of
Christ. Daniel reminds us as he interprets these amazing prophecies who is
really in charge of world politics:
“20 Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God
forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. 21 He changes times and
seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and
knowledge to those who have understanding . . .”
As of this moment, God is
moving the chess pieces on the board of world politics. He is setting the stage
and putting all the props and characters into place for the curtain to rise and
the final act of His divine drama to be played out as it was written down in
advance so many years ago.
If this election doesn’t
go the way that we want it to, we should not lose heart because I’m not looking
for a politician to solve this country’s problems. We cannot rely on sinful men
and women to balance the scales of justice, or create a program to end poverty,
or bring about lasting world peace, or even to make sure that our freedom to
preach the Gospel is secure. No matter the outcome on March 15 or in November
God is still sovereignly running things.
My hope is not government,
but in God. I don’t look to the Supreme Court for my moral compass but to the
Suffering Savior. I’m a dual citizen of America, but more so of the New
Jerusalem. Down here I must render unto Caesar what is his, but my real
allegiance is to the nail-scarred King of Kings who told Pilate, “My kingdom is
not of this world.” I’m not looking to the party of the elephant or the donkey,
but to the Lamb of God who has dead but is now alive forever more and returning
in power and glory to rule and reign in complete righteousness.
The issue is not, “Do you
think God is finished with America?” That’s the wrong question. The right
question is: “Is America finished with God?” Although we may not be able to
stop the decay of our nation we can be salt and light and delay that
destruction. We can’t save America, but we can save Americans by living out the
Gospel. By acting as a preservative in a decaying culture we may be able to buy
some more time for those who still have not repented of their sins and accepted
Jesus as Savior before God’s period has ended and the Tribulation begins.
Given that our time is
limited and our nation in peril we ought to be doing all that we can, wherever
God has placed us to be His faithful witnesses.
The legacy of Billy Graham is permanently
cemented in our nation’s history as “the pastor to the presidents.” From Truman
to Obama, Dr. Graham did his best to exert a godly influence on our nation’s
leaders, despite their political position. Some listened to his direction,
others didn’t. Perhaps, Graham influenced one president more than any
other—George W. Bush. According to his own words George Bush invited Dr. Graham
to spend a weekend with the Bush family. During a fireside chat, Graham
presented the Gospel. Here is the 43st president’s account of the
events:
“He didn’t lecture or admonish; he shared with warmth and
concern. Billy Graham didn’t make you feel guilty; he made you feel loved. Over
the course of that weekend, Reverend Graham planted a mustard seed in my soul,
a seed that grew over the next year. He led me to the path and I began walking.
It was the beginning of a change in my life.”[x]
We may not have the ear of
the president, but God has given us a sphere of influence so that we can be
ambassadors of Christ first and patriots second. Dr. Graham is good examples
for us, of not letting politics get in the way of our true mission of sharing
the Gospel with a lost world.
[i]
Eyder Peralta, “Positive Train Control: The Tech That Could've Prevented Amtrak
Derailment,” NPR, 14 May 2015
<http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/05/14/406652406/positive-train-control-the-tech-that-couldve-prevented-amtrak-derailment>
[ii]
Mark Hitchcock, The Late Great United
States (Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2009), vii.
[iii]
Ibid., 35.
[iv]
Robert Jeffress, Twilight’s Last Gleaming
(Worthy Publishing: Brentwood, TN, 2011), 120.
[v]
Ibid., 122.
[vi]
Patricia Sullivan, “’Christian Lady’ Cleaned for 6 Presidents,” The Washington Post, 21 June 2009
[vii] David
Jeremiah, What in the World Is Going On?
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 126.
[viii]
Robert Jeffress, Hell? Yes! And Other
Outrageous Truths You Can Still Believe (Colorado Springs: Water Brook,
2004), 173-174.
[ix]
Jeremiah, 127.
[x]
Michael G. Long, The Legacy of Billy
Graham (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press), 29.
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