September 23rd, 2024
by Pastor Matt
by Pastor Matt
Some Pastoral Thoughts on the Upcoming Election
As November approaches, I am being asked more and more about politics; the value of voting, how to think about the issues, or if the weary can simply retreat and avoid it all. It is my conviction that the day of not speaking into politics is over for pastors. The pastor must. Politics are no longer an aspect of American life, they dominate it. Political identity is tribal, and the church is not exempt. The following is written for my church. It is broad, generally unqualified, endorses no particular candidate, but done to let you know you can keep asking me questions for how to think through the issues in a biblical way.
I Am Weary, So Can I Just Do Nothing?
In a two-party system, passive neutrality is not only a myth, but an active, political position. Not to vote is to plant your political flag, and your passivity will have consequences. Further, the worn mantra that Christians ought not to settle for the lesser of two evils is indefensible. In a broken, fallen world, you will always be voting for the lesser of two evils, even if the Apostle Paul were the front-runner. When Charles Spurgeon made the statement, “Of two evils, choose neither,” I highly doubt the Englishman had a two-party, American political system in mind.
They Are All Terrible, So Now What?
Frankly, that is before you and the Lord. I would never tell anyone for whom they ought to vote, nor am I interested in binding a person's conscience on the matter. As for me, it will be Republican down the ballot. I am not happy with many of the formal and informal positions of the Republican platform, nor am I hopeful for the party’s trajectory. It used to be easy. As a Christian, I was a one-issue voter. I voted for the party that did not want to legislate the murderous slaughter of innocent babies. Simple. This is where I planted my flag, and refused to enter debates about being “all-the-way pro-life” regarding immigration, government benefits, etc. Those are different issues, and the effort by many to label them as “pro-life” to get me to vote Democrat were not compelling. In light of the GOP’s ever-softening stance on the actual pro-life issue, and Trump’s recent support of IVF, it creates some challenges. Nevertheless, the choice is still clear for 2024, especially since Republican Congress just blocked the latest IVF bill.
What About Voting Democrat?
As a biblical Christian, I cannot fathom it—not because to be Christian is to be Republican, but because of the stated policies and rhetoric of the 2024 Democratic platform. To vote Democrat is to support the slaughter of babies, defend the mutilation of children, praise the cultural rebellion against God’s design for sexuality, and defend an unabated hatred for the God of the Bible. True – the GOP’s own stances on these issues are laxing, and the slide will continue. The natural drift of the human heart is always to the moral left. Yet, in many respects, the GOP is much closer to a biblical morality than anything coming from the other side.
In the end, politics is the art of rearranging chairs on a sinking Titanic. Having said that, to vote Republican, in my view, is to try and mitigate the number of chairs people trip over as we point them to a lifeboat. In that sense, you might view your vote as salt which seeks to preserve a semblance of God’s revealed will for a nation. The ship is still sinking, but the more time we have to fill up the lifeboats, the better.
What About Voting Independent?
In principle, I want less government—a hallmark of the Independent platform. The less control that sinful, power-hungry men have over the populace, the freer you will be— largely. However, on most social issues, they generally hold hands with the Democrats. Small government is an attractive philosophy, and in my view, it should be pursued as far as possible. However, pushed too far, it renders itself impotent in God’s decree for government to restrain evil (c.f., Rom. 13). I want less government control, but I also want the government to do what God designed it to do—to stop the murder of unborn babies and protect indoctrinated 16-year-olds from mutilating their bodies.
So, What Are You Saying?
For me, the choice is clear. It is not difficult to know what to do in this election cycle. Go with your conscience, but let it be biblically informed. Let me again emphasize that not to cast a ballot is folly. There is nothing noble, or Christ-like about watching a country slide into greater immorality, while pretending passivity will not have consequences for you and your children. It also does not honor God, Who mandates Christians be the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13). The church is to be a practical blessing to this God-hating culture, and your vote is a simple way to do that, whether the culture sees your opposing vote as a blessing or not. Additionally, the church is the pillar and support of the truth (1Tim. 3:15), yet, it will only matter if the truth is acted upon in a practical way. In a Democratic Republic, this means we vote. Frankly, many gave their lives so we could have a voice, so honor their sacrifice and vote.
Finally, let me repeat, neutrality is a myth, especially in a zero-sum-game like our two-party system. To not vote for one guy, is to vote for the other. You are not electing a pastor, but a politician. Do not pretend to know their true character, for they are proficient in projecting a practiced image. What is most important are their stated policies. It is the only objective criteria upon which you can, and should, base a vote. So, pray, vote, honor God, then pray again.
Soli Deo gloria.
Pastor Matt
As November approaches, I am being asked more and more about politics; the value of voting, how to think about the issues, or if the weary can simply retreat and avoid it all. It is my conviction that the day of not speaking into politics is over for pastors. The pastor must. Politics are no longer an aspect of American life, they dominate it. Political identity is tribal, and the church is not exempt. The following is written for my church. It is broad, generally unqualified, endorses no particular candidate, but done to let you know you can keep asking me questions for how to think through the issues in a biblical way.
I Am Weary, So Can I Just Do Nothing?
In a two-party system, passive neutrality is not only a myth, but an active, political position. Not to vote is to plant your political flag, and your passivity will have consequences. Further, the worn mantra that Christians ought not to settle for the lesser of two evils is indefensible. In a broken, fallen world, you will always be voting for the lesser of two evils, even if the Apostle Paul were the front-runner. When Charles Spurgeon made the statement, “Of two evils, choose neither,” I highly doubt the Englishman had a two-party, American political system in mind.
They Are All Terrible, So Now What?
Frankly, that is before you and the Lord. I would never tell anyone for whom they ought to vote, nor am I interested in binding a person's conscience on the matter. As for me, it will be Republican down the ballot. I am not happy with many of the formal and informal positions of the Republican platform, nor am I hopeful for the party’s trajectory. It used to be easy. As a Christian, I was a one-issue voter. I voted for the party that did not want to legislate the murderous slaughter of innocent babies. Simple. This is where I planted my flag, and refused to enter debates about being “all-the-way pro-life” regarding immigration, government benefits, etc. Those are different issues, and the effort by many to label them as “pro-life” to get me to vote Democrat were not compelling. In light of the GOP’s ever-softening stance on the actual pro-life issue, and Trump’s recent support of IVF, it creates some challenges. Nevertheless, the choice is still clear for 2024, especially since Republican Congress just blocked the latest IVF bill.
What About Voting Democrat?
As a biblical Christian, I cannot fathom it—not because to be Christian is to be Republican, but because of the stated policies and rhetoric of the 2024 Democratic platform. To vote Democrat is to support the slaughter of babies, defend the mutilation of children, praise the cultural rebellion against God’s design for sexuality, and defend an unabated hatred for the God of the Bible. True – the GOP’s own stances on these issues are laxing, and the slide will continue. The natural drift of the human heart is always to the moral left. Yet, in many respects, the GOP is much closer to a biblical morality than anything coming from the other side.
In the end, politics is the art of rearranging chairs on a sinking Titanic. Having said that, to vote Republican, in my view, is to try and mitigate the number of chairs people trip over as we point them to a lifeboat. In that sense, you might view your vote as salt which seeks to preserve a semblance of God’s revealed will for a nation. The ship is still sinking, but the more time we have to fill up the lifeboats, the better.
What About Voting Independent?
In principle, I want less government—a hallmark of the Independent platform. The less control that sinful, power-hungry men have over the populace, the freer you will be— largely. However, on most social issues, they generally hold hands with the Democrats. Small government is an attractive philosophy, and in my view, it should be pursued as far as possible. However, pushed too far, it renders itself impotent in God’s decree for government to restrain evil (c.f., Rom. 13). I want less government control, but I also want the government to do what God designed it to do—to stop the murder of unborn babies and protect indoctrinated 16-year-olds from mutilating their bodies.
So, What Are You Saying?
For me, the choice is clear. It is not difficult to know what to do in this election cycle. Go with your conscience, but let it be biblically informed. Let me again emphasize that not to cast a ballot is folly. There is nothing noble, or Christ-like about watching a country slide into greater immorality, while pretending passivity will not have consequences for you and your children. It also does not honor God, Who mandates Christians be the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13). The church is to be a practical blessing to this God-hating culture, and your vote is a simple way to do that, whether the culture sees your opposing vote as a blessing or not. Additionally, the church is the pillar and support of the truth (1Tim. 3:15), yet, it will only matter if the truth is acted upon in a practical way. In a Democratic Republic, this means we vote. Frankly, many gave their lives so we could have a voice, so honor their sacrifice and vote.
Finally, let me repeat, neutrality is a myth, especially in a zero-sum-game like our two-party system. To not vote for one guy, is to vote for the other. You are not electing a pastor, but a politician. Do not pretend to know their true character, for they are proficient in projecting a practiced image. What is most important are their stated policies. It is the only objective criteria upon which you can, and should, base a vote. So, pray, vote, honor God, then pray again.
Soli Deo gloria.
Pastor Matt
2 Comments
Pastor Matt, Thank you for being open and taking the time to speak out on this topic as I feel like many pastors fear unwarranted backlash from outsiders and even their own flock for doing so even with a biblical perspective.
n
nWell said.
Matt, you said it well. Ideas have consequences and the neo-Marxist ideas of the Democrats will kill or maim more children and destroy our checks and balances forever.