Jesus and Super
Tuesday
1. Jesus is
not up for election. He reigns whether
man acknowledges his Lordship or not (one day everyone will with knees bowed
and tongues confessing, but it might not be today…although it might…are you
ready?)
2.
Remember Jesus reigns as we talk about what is
happening today.
3.
The truths of the Bible must influence our
voting if we are followers of Christ.
MUST!
4.
Vote for people God would honor as a
leader. (more on that in a minute)
5.
There are foundational principles that we cannot
violate and vote Biblically. (more of
that in a minute, too.)
6.
We each are given one voice and your voice
matters. Vote.
7.
If you do not vote, say nothing about the
vote. That lacks integrity.
8.
Honor the Lord when we speak about people, even
political candidates. We are not
respectable when we are disrespectful about someone’s disrespect. We are just like them.
9.
We can disagree with people without being arrogant. If you have not learned that skill, avoid
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. We
make Jesus look like a jerk when you confess him as Lord and talk like a jerk. Stop it.
10.
Pray for our nation. Pray for every candidate, not just the one
you want to win.
11.
Stay humble.
Few people who say much on these issues are half as intelligent as they
think they are and, therefore, sound twice as ignorant as they think they do in
most everything they say, especially on social media. I realize I am risking this reality with this
post. So I humbly submit what a life of
learning Scripture has taught me that applies to votes like today and what I
learned from majoring in the Social Studies in college, but I am not the
all-knowing. Read accordingly.
12.
Speaking publicly as a Christian should have
some direction to it. Insulting
candidates and those who support them is not a direction. It is useless.
What type of person
does God honor as a Leader?
There is no candidate that perfectly represents this list. That person would, basically, be Jesus. So let us not forget grace when we consider these truths. Who most closely fulfills such Biblical priorities? Consider them highly. Who most obviously violates these principles? Mark them off as a possibility and do not vote for them.
There is no candidate that perfectly represents this list. That person would, basically, be Jesus. So let us not forget grace when we consider these truths. Who most closely fulfills such Biblical priorities? Consider them highly. Who most obviously violates these principles? Mark them off as a possibility and do not vote for them.
1.
A person
after his heart.
This is not a person that gets it all right. This is a person that truly desires what is right.
This is not a person that gets it all right. This is a person that truly desires what is right.
2.
A person
that owns their imperfections. A person
that confesses and repents when wrong.
David was after God’s heart even
after adultery and murder. He was broken
over his sin.
3.
A person
of integrity.
Integrity does not mean a person always does the right thing. They do the right then even after they have done the wrong thing. Never, ever vote for a person who is covering their lies and wrongs. This is a person with no integrity.
Integrity does not mean a person always does the right thing. They do the right then even after they have done the wrong thing. Never, ever vote for a person who is covering their lies and wrongs. This is a person with no integrity.
4.
A person
who stands for life.
A Christian cannot vote Biblically and vote for a person that is anti-life. It is a water-shed moral issue. It is more important than finances or foreign policy. Life matters to God more than politics, economies, and social agendas. It matters so much he gave His life to give life. We must not discredit everything Jesus lived and died for when we vote. He did way more than not dishonor innocent life. He died for guilty life. (He gave his life not just for the righteous, but for the unrighteous.) We must at least be willing to stand for innocent life as his followers. We cannot honor God’s creation of and priority of life and treat it, in its most innocent and vulnerable state, as if it is nothing. A Christian who violates the priority of life makes very little of the life of Jesus.
A Christian cannot vote Biblically and vote for a person that is anti-life. It is a water-shed moral issue. It is more important than finances or foreign policy. Life matters to God more than politics, economies, and social agendas. It matters so much he gave His life to give life. We must not discredit everything Jesus lived and died for when we vote. He did way more than not dishonor innocent life. He died for guilty life. (He gave his life not just for the righteous, but for the unrighteous.) We must at least be willing to stand for innocent life as his followers. We cannot honor God’s creation of and priority of life and treat it, in its most innocent and vulnerable state, as if it is nothing. A Christian who violates the priority of life makes very little of the life of Jesus.
5.
A person
who stands for personal responsibility.
Personal responsibility is a bedrock Gospel issue many Christians gloss over. We are not condemned to death simply because Adam sinned. We sinned. We failed. One must accept this truth personally and apply it universally. An attempt remove personal responsibility for people is an attempt to make the world not need the Gospel. The world needs the Gospel. Any candidate that believes in systems that remove personal responsibility for one’s decisions and actions – whether that is judicially, financially, or morally – believes in principles that are not founded on Truth. These principles are founded on the lies of the world. Personal responsibility matters in government decisions because it matters in eternal decisions.
Personal responsibility is a bedrock Gospel issue many Christians gloss over. We are not condemned to death simply because Adam sinned. We sinned. We failed. One must accept this truth personally and apply it universally. An attempt remove personal responsibility for people is an attempt to make the world not need the Gospel. The world needs the Gospel. Any candidate that believes in systems that remove personal responsibility for one’s decisions and actions – whether that is judicially, financially, or morally – believes in principles that are not founded on Truth. These principles are founded on the lies of the world. Personal responsibility matters in government decisions because it matters in eternal decisions.
6.
A person
who is generous.
A person who does not have a known pattern of generosity cannot lead a nation to honor truths that God honors. Generosity, however, is always a personal choice. Any system that forces generosity ends generosity. Government run and tax based systems for generosity will never be your answer to God’s command to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. It, by its very existence, cannot be the answer to that command. That command is personal. Those not in the group being taxed for such purposes have deceived themselves and convinced themselves that they are obedient to this command when someone else does it on their behalf. (Christians make the same mistake when they believe they are obeying this command because their church is generous yet they never personally participate in the actual acts of generosity.) Such systems, in our country, cannot honor Jesus. Christians who promote such systems would rather generosity exist without the name of Jesus than make the personal sacrifice necessary to be generous in the name of Jesus.
A person who does not have a known pattern of generosity cannot lead a nation to honor truths that God honors. Generosity, however, is always a personal choice. Any system that forces generosity ends generosity. Government run and tax based systems for generosity will never be your answer to God’s command to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. It, by its very existence, cannot be the answer to that command. That command is personal. Those not in the group being taxed for such purposes have deceived themselves and convinced themselves that they are obedient to this command when someone else does it on their behalf. (Christians make the same mistake when they believe they are obeying this command because their church is generous yet they never personally participate in the actual acts of generosity.) Such systems, in our country, cannot honor Jesus. Christians who promote such systems would rather generosity exist without the name of Jesus than make the personal sacrifice necessary to be generous in the name of Jesus.
7.
A person
who is speaks truth in love.
Truth is offensive to those who refuse to believe it. The test here is not whether people like what a candidate says. How does a candidate say what they say? Are they quick to listen? Are they slow to speak? Do they mock? Do they interrupt? Do they insult? Never vote for a candidate that lacks simple courtesy and respect. That person lacks character.
Truth is offensive to those who refuse to believe it. The test here is not whether people like what a candidate says. How does a candidate say what they say? Are they quick to listen? Are they slow to speak? Do they mock? Do they interrupt? Do they insult? Never vote for a candidate that lacks simple courtesy and respect. That person lacks character.
8.
A person
who will count the cost…and pay it.
If a candidate has not had any significant impact in the country already, they are not willing to count the cost and pay the price. If the most significant thing a candidate has ever done was get elected, do not vote for them. They either need more time serving to show their willingness to sacrifice to lead or they are too selfish to lead. If the only impact they have had in the world is their own benefit they have already shown they are not willing pay the price for the good of the nation. They only care about their own good.
If a candidate has not had any significant impact in the country already, they are not willing to count the cost and pay the price. If the most significant thing a candidate has ever done was get elected, do not vote for them. They either need more time serving to show their willingness to sacrifice to lead or they are too selfish to lead. If the only impact they have had in the world is their own benefit they have already shown they are not willing pay the price for the good of the nation. They only care about their own good.
9.
A person
who knows the condition of their flock.
If much of what a candidate says fails basic fact-checking, do not vote for them. However, most fact-checking needs some fact-checking. Do your own homework. I have researched after seeing posts about fact-checking after debates and each one someone has shared was in as much need of fact-checking as the candidate was.
If much of what a candidate says fails basic fact-checking, do not vote for them. However, most fact-checking needs some fact-checking. Do your own homework. I have researched after seeing posts about fact-checking after debates and each one someone has shared was in as much need of fact-checking as the candidate was.
10.
A person
that is respectful.
Disrespectful people are not respectable. Will your candidate sit down with and honor the people of another nation in such a way they will represent us well? Do they have the respect for others that will allow others to respect them? It is an act of disrespect to vote for a disrespectful person.
Disrespectful people are not respectable. Will your candidate sit down with and honor the people of another nation in such a way they will represent us well? Do they have the respect for others that will allow others to respect them? It is an act of disrespect to vote for a disrespectful person.
