I am not an expert on political matters, but I have the responsibility and assignment to help my church and community think and act biblically in their civic duties. So, this brief article describes how I sit down with my Bible in one hand and the newspaper (or the internet) in the other and make important decisions about how I will vote in upcoming elections. I’m not looking to start a debate. I’m not trying to pick a fight. The words I share in this article are MY views. I believe them to be carefully considered Bible-based views, but they are mine. If you disagree, open your Bible and craft your own argument. The most important thing every Christian can do is to seek to honor the Lord with his or her submission and allegiance to God’s word and how God says we can best be ambassadors for Christ as we live as strangers and exiles in today’s world.
The first order of business here is this: I won’t tell you who to vote for!
My reluctance to tell you who to vote for is not motivated by fear of reprisal or government restrictions on pastors or churches. Before this article ends, I will make many politically incorrect statements, and I’ll clearly tell you who I plan to vote for in the upcoming presidential election. My reluctance is connected with my purpose. I don’t want to simply use some influence I might have to push you to a particular candidate or position. I’m a Bible teacher. I want to teach you how to take the Bible and ferret out answers about not only the upcoming election but future opportunities to vote for candidates and issues.
I’m going to attempt to answer all of the following questions briefly…
- Should Christians get involved in politics?
- Should pastors preach on politics?
- Does the character of the politician matter?
- What if there are no suitable candidates?
- How do I decide what are the most critical issues?
- What are the most important issues?
Let’s begin.
Should Christians Get Involved in Politics?
The simple answer is YES. However, there is more to this issue than that simple answer. First, Christians must keep the main thing, the main thing. We do not live for a political party or even the US Constitution or Declaration of Independence. We may (and I do) love the American flag, but we live for the glory of God, and we live to herald the gospel of Christ! Anything that hinders or distracts from the main thing, is a sinful thing. The Bible calls us strangers and exiles in this world. It reminds us that our true citizenship is in heaven. And it declares and proclaims that Christ is our only hope.
The limitations of this brief article preclude a detailed analysis. Still, it sure seems that Jesus and the Apostles were so occupied with spiritual things that they gave little or no attention to the political matters of their day. Christians in the first and second centuries lived under much greater governmental oppression, persecution, injustice, and inequality than anything we experience in the United States today. Yet, in that political environment, Jesus, Paul, James, John, and Peter were basically silent on political matters.
Some readers might point to John the Baptist confronting King Herod. John did confront Herod, but if you read closely, the confrontation was not political. John confronted Herod over his sexual sin. That confrontation was moral, biblical, and spiritual. Further, some readers will point out that Jesus commanded Christians to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. He did, but those commands have often been badly misinterpreted and misapplied. I’ve written a lengthy article about the proper interpretation of this passage, but suffice it to say here that these commands are about righteous living, not political influence.
Other readers will point out that perhaps Christian leaders in the first-century church did not seek to assert political influence because the system of government in their day did not allow the average citizen to affect policy. There could be something to that argument. However, at best, that argument only eliminates restrictions on political engagement; it does not endorse engagement.
For me, three arguments provide the best support for a Christian’s political involvement. First, often, what the world calls political issues, the Bible calls spiritual issues. I have not veered into politics when I preach on subjects such as the sanctity of life and the composition of marriage and the family. If anything, politics have veered into the Bible!
Much of a Christian’s political engagement is not motivated by opinions and convictions about public policy, but rather by Christians standing up for the clear teachings of Scripture! Christians must stand on and for the word of God. And in today’s modern political environment, that means political involvement and purpose-driven voting.
Secondly, we read in 1 Timothy 2:1–2 that Paul commanded young Timothy to lead the church to pray for political leaders. Paul said, “I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority.” This warning does not explicitly endorse political action, but it underscores the fact that Christians should be concerned for political leaders and their actions. This concern sets us up for the third reason.
The third reason Christians should vote and be involved in politics is Jesus’s command to love our neighbors. Loving neighbors includes many things, and one of those things is creating a world where people are safe, can flourish, and have the liberty to hear and respond to the gospel of Christ. Sometimes, people ask me if Christians can have a position on issues such as gun rights and health care. I don’t know if we can really have an official, Bible-endorsed and specific Christian POSITION on these issues, but we can and must certainly have a Christian CONCERN about these issues.
The Lord has put us (Americans) in a country and in a time where we have the freedom and opportunity to influence our government. What an incredible privilege that most people in history could not have imagined! I believe it is a Christian’s responsibility and obligation to use this God-given opportunity to stand on God’s word and love our neighbors!
Should pastors preach on politics?
Much of the previous answer applies to this question, but I want to say more. The direct answer to the question, “Should pastors preach on politics?” is a guarded YES. However, a more helpful question is, “What should a pastor preach?” Let me help you focus on two things.
First, a pastor should preach the whole counsel of God’s word (Acts 20:27). A pastor should preach everything the Bible speaks to. He should do so without hesitation and without apology. He should do so without concern for political correctness, tax-exempt status, church offerings, or worship service attendance. Often, when people accuse preachers of wading into politics, the truth is that politics have waded into God’s word. When that happens, pastors must preach on politics!
While the Bible’s injunction to preach the whole counsel of God’s word declares that no Bible topic is off limits for a pastor’s Sunday sermon, it also limits the pastor’s sermon to God’s word. I’ve heard a few sermons in this election cycle (and previous election cycles) that have stepped outside of biblical bounds. That is a much greater sin and a much greater failure. When pastors address topics not addressed in Scripture and express opinions not communicated in the Bible, they create confusion about God’s word and the inspiration of God’s word. Shame on any pastor who preaches political views not directly endorsed by God’s word, no matter how “right” those views may seem to be!
Pastors should also look to Jesus and the apostolic model for preaching. What did Jesus preach on? What did Paul and Peter speak and write about? That is important! In 1 Corinthians 2:2, Paul said, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” That focus characterized Paul’s teaching and should describe any gospel preacher’s teaching and sermon content. If a pastor is known more for his political commentary than his Bible commentary and gospel proclamation, that is a problem. If a pastor’s sermons show more concern about politics than the spread of the gospel, that is a problem. If a pastor presents political change as more pivotal than spiritual change for the future of our nation, that is a problem. If a pastor presents anyone other than Jesus as our hero, that is a problem, and that man is not a faithful pastor.
How important is the character of the politician?
Honestly, I’m frustrated by all the recent times I’ve heard people say, “No one is perfect, and there has never been a perfect candidate,” and “We are electing a president not choosing a pastor.” Those statements do not answer the question of whether the candidate’s character is important or not! The Bible says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). Of course, the character of the politician or candidate is important!
The biggest part of my frustration is the hypocrisy and the inconsistency on the part of many preachers. I know I’m on my soapbox now. Still, some of the same preachers who preached famous sermons that skewered the character of Bill and Hillary Clinton are now preaching sermons that present Donald Trump as a paragon of virtue even though he has been credibly accused of everything the Clintons were accused of and more. These same preachers had a conniption fit because Obama slept in a casino hotel in Las Vegas, but now they are headlining fundraising dinners for a man who has made billions of dollars selling liquor and running casinos. I pray for myself and my pastor friends that we will at least speak with consistency.
The truth is, I am genuinely grieved over the rumored and reported personal character of both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. It is not the purpose of this article to detail the moral and ethical failures of the candidates. You can find that in other places. Our question here is: Is their character important?
Character affects everything! I hear people say they don’t care about the candidate’s character because they only care about what the politician says he or she will do. My question then is how do you know your candidate will do what he or she said he or she would do?
Let’s look briefly at the issue of abortion. While Kamala Harris has been dangerously pro-abortion throughout her public life, President Biden has dramatically changed his public views through the years. Many years ago, Biden was personally opposed to abortion and he was a champion of the Hyde Amendment. Now, he has unfortunately “evolved” to be the most pro-choice president in history. What about Donald Trump? In a 1999 interview on Meet the Press, Trump said, “I am very pro-choice.” Then, when he ran for the Republican nomination for president in 2015, he suddenly became very pro-life. Now, he has moved halfway back to his earlier position.
Character matters! Proverbs 11:3 says, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them.”
What if there are no suitable candidates?
What should we do if there seems to be no trustworthy candidates who stand on the right issues? The wrong response to this situation would be not to vote. If Christians decide not to vote because they are uncomfortable with the candidates, then they are leaving the election solely in the hands of citizens who do not value God’s word and truth.
If we can’t make a good decision, at least we can avoid making a bad decision. That may sound pessimistic, but honestly, that is how we must make many decisions in life.
While character matters, it is certainly not the only factor. So far as we can trust the candidate’s word, his or her stated political positions are key. Additionally, the party platform often reveals how the candidate’s administration will make decisions. Further, while not a completely reliable indicator, we can look to how the candidate has made decisions and supported policies in the past. As people say, “Past performance is the best predictor of future behavior.” While the past is not a perfect predictor, it is probably the best predictor we have right now.
How do I decide what are the most critical issues?
In a general election, there are often many issues at stake. As voters, we need a system to help us determine which of the multiple issues are the most important ones. Let me borrow and adapt an illustration I once heard a pastor use to explain the different categories of issues.
Think about a solid line, a dotted line, and no line. For some issues, we can easily draw a direct line from those issues to the teachings of the Bible. These are issues on which the Bible speaks explicitly. One example would be same-sex marriage. There are clear lines between an embrace of same-sex marriage and what the Bible teaches about this subject.
The connecting line with God’s word is more dotted than solid for other issues. Perhaps you could make a biblical point about these issues, but precisely how the Bible should influence public policy in these matters is less clear. An example of a dotted-line issue would be issues of providing services for those stuck in poverty or struggling with mental or physical illnesses and disabilities. The Bible emphasizes care for the poor, especially those who cannot care for themselves, but the way to administer this care is not spelled out in Scripture. This matter would be a dotted-line issue.
Some issues are simply not biblical issues. There is no line. That doesn’t mean they are unimportant and should not influence our voting, but these issues are clearly secondary, even if they are strongly held issues. An example of an issue in this category would be gun control. I believe responsible people should be allowed to own and carry guns. I own a firearm for personal protection, and though it is presently expired, I have had a conceal carry license. I firmly believe we are safer when more law-abiding citizens have firearms. However, I cannot legitimately draw even a dotted line from my handgun to the Bible.
As Christians, our entire lives are about honoring the Lord. Consequently, as we decide the issues that determine our voting practices, we must look first to God’s word. We must ask what issues the Bible speaks to. We must ask what issues the Bible presents as non-negotiable issues. Where are the clear lines?
What are the most important issues?
This question presents difficulties and dangers. Whatever issues I mention, someone will want to add to or reorder my list. That is ok. But, this is my list.
My list begins with RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. I know many of my pastor friends would probably list abortion first, and there is a good case for that. But it seems that if we do not have the liberty to assemble for worship without restriction, preach God’s word without interference, and share the gospel with neighbors and coworkers without limitation, then we are in danger of losing on every other issue. Indeed, we must protect life, but the first step in protecting life is the freedom to say we should protect life. Religious liberty is a solid line issue.
Second on my list of essential and vote-determining issues is ABORTION. If we believe that life begins at conception and the destruction of an unborn baby is the destruction of a life created in the image of God, then we must stand against abortion in any form! Abortion is a solid line issue.
I’ve heard the arguments that suggest we should compromise on abortion to win the election. I understand, in many ways, that compromise is a part of the art of politics and leadership. I know that sometimes you must compromise on one issue to make gains on another issue. However, abortion is not a regular kind of issue. I am not going to go to the polls and vote for someone who supports the killing of innocent people. That is unconscionable. Further, I am very suspicious of those who favor making what they consider “small” compromises. You are generally headed toward a full collapse once you begin to make “small” compromises on this issue. Mark my words.
The third issue on my list of factors that determine my vote is a set of issues that I call fabric of civilization issues. These are biblical issues that threaten the very fabric of civilization. I group these together because they are equally important. The first fabric of civilization issue I’ll mention is PARENTAL RIGHTS. God has ordained the family and has given parents the responsibility to raise their children. If the government interferes with the parent’s role, we lose the family. If the government limits what parents can teach their children about right and wrong, about Jesus, about sexuality and gender, the family will come unraveled and our culture and civilization will soon follow.
My second third issue is the SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE. It has been nine years since homosexual marriage was made legal across the United States, and the consequences of that change are beginning to pile up. We can see these results in the areas of mental and emotional health for those living in these so-called marriages and the children who are growing up in these situations. We have allowed too many fellow humans to be sold a bill of goods in this sexual revolution. I believe this is both a biblical and a fabric of civilization issue.
The third fabric of civilization issue is JUSTICE. I would never buy into the woke agenda, and I wholly reject critical theory and the Marxism that has spawned many of today’s prevailing views. However, I do believe racism is real and present and often found in unlikely places. Anytime we see people mistreated because of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, that is wrong. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11, Ephesians 6:9). It is a Christian issue to demand justice for all. Criticize me as loudly as you want, but the Bible has more to say about loving your neighbor, treating people fairly, and protecting those who can’t care for themselves than just about any other ethical issue.
Are there other political issues that I believe are important? Of course. I have very strong opinions on fair taxation, national defense, health care, guns, immigration, and more. If all things were equal on the previously mentioned biblical issues, those tertiary issues would determine my vote. But when it comes to the national offices of President, Senator, and US Representative, in my lifetime, there has never been a tie in the general election.
Who will I support for president in the 2024 election?
I hope you did not skip to this part of the article without reading what came before. The most important things I have to say, I said earlier in this presentation. My presidential vote will be guided by the triage of issues I’ve laid out.
I’ll let you do your own research and fact-checking, but when it comes to the matter of religious liberty and my freedom to teach the Bible without restriction, operate my business without providing insurance that pays for things I disagree with, and refuse to design and bake a cake for events I don’t want to celebrate, I believe the Republican Party and Donald Trump are more likely to take the right stand on this first-order issue.
When it comes to abortion, I simply do not trust that Donald Trump will lead our country well on this matter in his second term if he were to become president. However, I know Kamala Harris will not! She and her running mate have clarified their views and intentions, even if Trump has not. I cannot support anyone for any office who holds the views of the modern Democrat Party on this issue. I will not vote for someone who prioritizes a woman’s so-called right to choose over the life of an innocent baby.
Regarding my fabric of civilization issues, I don’t have a great deal of confidence in either candidate. I have serious doubts about Trump’s stand on two of the three issues. It seems like he is being intentionally vague which takes us back to the character issue. But I do know where Harris stands on these issues, and her stands are clearly not my stands, and I don’t believe them to be biblical stands.
There is likely enough in this article to make everyone mad at me. That’s ok. Voting is a privilege and a gift from the Lord. We have an opportunity to affect public policy and influence how our country will function. If you are a Christian, I hope you will take the ethics of Scripture with you into the voting booth this November, and cast your vote in a way that honors the Lord.
