The only wise choice this election
Stephen Stone, RenewAmerica President
Those who find themselves with seemingly no choice this presidential election do in fact have a choice they might not immediately recognize.
It's called doing what God wants. Let's explore this possibility.
Free to choose
We begin with two passages from the Bible that are fairly definitive. The first, from Psalms 127:1, says,
Not us. We are not in charge — not even of ourselves. We are either His servants, or the servants of the Adversary. We are powerless to control reality by ourselves, despite the illusion God permits us to create in our minds to the contrary, so His judgments might be just.
Our "free will" consists mainly in the choice either to serve God and live wisely, or serve Satan and lose our soul. The pragmatic deception that we are the masters of our own lives and the architects of the results of our actions is but self-delusion.
Ultimately, nothing we do, nothing we choose, guarantees any specific outcome, other than our ultimate alignment with God or the devil.
"O ye of little faith"
In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6, Jesus taught, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" — meaning, it seems clear enough, we have but two real choices in life, and we can vacillate between them only for so long. Eventually, our heart takes us decidedly toward the one or the other, as Richard Rich discovered in A Man for All Seasons when he was sufficiently tempted.
Jesus continues,
We then read this rejection of human ingenuity by Jesus —
That includes the preservation of the United States of America, I believe, in these stressful times.
God is in charge.
Why vote, then?
Do I mean to suggest, by the above premises, that our vote is ultimately irrelevant on election day — that it doesn't matter how we vote?
Quite the contrary. Our vote matters a great deal — to God. If we vote in harmony with His will and principles, he will bless us abundantly. If we vote according to our own wits, we have no promise, and in fact can expect to reap the whirlwind at some point, as we now are experiencing in America.
We deceive ourselves if we fret and scheme to make sure this or that outcome results from our vote. We have no direct control over our country's future, any more than we have over our own day-to-day success as individuals. There are too many variables and too many things beyond our control to allow that.
So the familiar "lesser of two" evils rationale is out. We can't morally or ethically cast a vote for any "evil" candidate, no matter the pretext for doing so. Our only concern should be to promote good, decent, honest, proven statesmen and righteous leaders — with an eye to pleasing God with our vote, not exerting our vain, delusional pragmatism.
We might well say that voting for evil — even if perceived as a lesser one — is what got us as a country into our current predicament, with two unrepresentative parties leading us toward the brink of destruction. We need to cast off such self-defeating behavior and resolve only to vote for that which is, of itself, meritorious, truth-based, and constitutional.
That precludes voting for either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney.
For whom, then, should we vote for president?
I would propose that, no matter how we do it (literally or figuratively), we consider throwing our support behind God.
But He's not running, you might say. Au contraire. He's always running — for every office, every human aspiration, every conceivable value and choice made in this estranged world. He wants our support in all we do, and we need to find a way to vote for those people we feel actually represent God by virtue of their faithful, principled life.
To God, it's more important that we vote for the kind of person who is worthy of our vote than for a "winner" (nearly all of whom in His eyes are "losers"). So write in the name of a truly qualified, God-fearing person, knowing full well they'll never be elected. It's the nature of your choice that counts to God, not the outcome. He's in charge of that — in His own way, in His own due time.
Or, if you feel inclined, go a step further and actually write in "Jesus Christ" or "Heavenly Father." They'll ultimately win, as you know, so your vote won't be "wasted." You'll at least have the peace of mind of knowing you refused to vote for evil in any form.
Or find some other commendable way to express your dissatisfaction with the choices the two corrupt major parties have given America's voters this year for president — and at the same time, to express your values and acceptable preference.
But under no circumstance should you "play the game" and support any choice for president you aren't comfortable with from a biblical, constitutional standpoint.
That would make you complicit in the evil the unworthy choice represents.
The hitch
All of the above possible scenarios on election day, unfortunately, have value for good only as you yourself are living in a way pleasing to God.
Indeed, at this time in our nation's history, the only thing that will save us as a country is the repentance of the citizenry, no matter the outcome of any election at any level.
As a country, we are far past being worthy of God's miraculous intervention — hence the dire predicament we're in.
We can blame our demise (and the withdrawal of God's providence) upon our spiraling immorality, killing of the unborn, and rejection of God's laws and precepts. One of the scriptures we cited at the outset makes clear that God will spare our nation only if we "seek [His] face, and turn from [our] wicked ways."
I would suggest, therefore, that anyone who seriously wants to make a difference for good as a citizen read "What does it mean to be 'converted' to Jesus Christ?", a piece I wrote a few years ago based on clear biblical teachings. I believe with all my heart that God is waiting for those who profess to believe in Him to go a step further and become truly "converted" (as Peter ultimately did).
Conversion to Christ is essential not only to our own personal salvation, but to helping others through our service and strength. If there's anything our nation needs, it's Bible-believing, converted leaders.
More next time on what that entails.
© Stephen Stone
September 17, 2012
Those who find themselves with seemingly no choice this presidential election do in fact have a choice they might not immediately recognize.
It's called doing what God wants. Let's explore this possibility.Free to choose
We begin with two passages from the Bible that are fairly definitive. The first, from Psalms 127:1, says,
-
Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. (verse 1)
-
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Not us. We are not in charge — not even of ourselves. We are either His servants, or the servants of the Adversary. We are powerless to control reality by ourselves, despite the illusion God permits us to create in our minds to the contrary, so His judgments might be just.
Our "free will" consists mainly in the choice either to serve God and live wisely, or serve Satan and lose our soul. The pragmatic deception that we are the masters of our own lives and the architects of the results of our actions is but self-delusion.
Ultimately, nothing we do, nothing we choose, guarantees any specific outcome, other than our ultimate alignment with God or the devil.
"O ye of little faith"
In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6, Jesus taught, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" — meaning, it seems clear enough, we have but two real choices in life, and we can vacillate between them only for so long. Eventually, our heart takes us decidedly toward the one or the other, as Richard Rich discovered in A Man for All Seasons when he was sufficiently tempted.
Jesus continues,
-
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
We then read this rejection of human ingenuity by Jesus —
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (emphasis added)
-
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (emphasis mine)
That includes the preservation of the United States of America, I believe, in these stressful times.
God is in charge.
Why vote, then?
Do I mean to suggest, by the above premises, that our vote is ultimately irrelevant on election day — that it doesn't matter how we vote?
Quite the contrary. Our vote matters a great deal — to God. If we vote in harmony with His will and principles, he will bless us abundantly. If we vote according to our own wits, we have no promise, and in fact can expect to reap the whirlwind at some point, as we now are experiencing in America.
We deceive ourselves if we fret and scheme to make sure this or that outcome results from our vote. We have no direct control over our country's future, any more than we have over our own day-to-day success as individuals. There are too many variables and too many things beyond our control to allow that.
So the familiar "lesser of two" evils rationale is out. We can't morally or ethically cast a vote for any "evil" candidate, no matter the pretext for doing so. Our only concern should be to promote good, decent, honest, proven statesmen and righteous leaders — with an eye to pleasing God with our vote, not exerting our vain, delusional pragmatism.
We might well say that voting for evil — even if perceived as a lesser one — is what got us as a country into our current predicament, with two unrepresentative parties leading us toward the brink of destruction. We need to cast off such self-defeating behavior and resolve only to vote for that which is, of itself, meritorious, truth-based, and constitutional.
That precludes voting for either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney.
For whom, then, should we vote for president?
I would propose that, no matter how we do it (literally or figuratively), we consider throwing our support behind God.
But He's not running, you might say. Au contraire. He's always running — for every office, every human aspiration, every conceivable value and choice made in this estranged world. He wants our support in all we do, and we need to find a way to vote for those people we feel actually represent God by virtue of their faithful, principled life.To God, it's more important that we vote for the kind of person who is worthy of our vote than for a "winner" (nearly all of whom in His eyes are "losers"). So write in the name of a truly qualified, God-fearing person, knowing full well they'll never be elected. It's the nature of your choice that counts to God, not the outcome. He's in charge of that — in His own way, in His own due time.
Or, if you feel inclined, go a step further and actually write in "Jesus Christ" or "Heavenly Father." They'll ultimately win, as you know, so your vote won't be "wasted." You'll at least have the peace of mind of knowing you refused to vote for evil in any form.
Or find some other commendable way to express your dissatisfaction with the choices the two corrupt major parties have given America's voters this year for president — and at the same time, to express your values and acceptable preference.
But under no circumstance should you "play the game" and support any choice for president you aren't comfortable with from a biblical, constitutional standpoint.
That would make you complicit in the evil the unworthy choice represents.
The hitch
All of the above possible scenarios on election day, unfortunately, have value for good only as you yourself are living in a way pleasing to God.
Indeed, at this time in our nation's history, the only thing that will save us as a country is the repentance of the citizenry, no matter the outcome of any election at any level.
As a country, we are far past being worthy of God's miraculous intervention — hence the dire predicament we're in.
We can blame our demise (and the withdrawal of God's providence) upon our spiraling immorality, killing of the unborn, and rejection of God's laws and precepts. One of the scriptures we cited at the outset makes clear that God will spare our nation only if we "seek [His] face, and turn from [our] wicked ways."
I would suggest, therefore, that anyone who seriously wants to make a difference for good as a citizen read "What does it mean to be 'converted' to Jesus Christ?", a piece I wrote a few years ago based on clear biblical teachings. I believe with all my heart that God is waiting for those who profess to believe in Him to go a step further and become truly "converted" (as Peter ultimately did).
Conversion to Christ is essential not only to our own personal salvation, but to helping others through our service and strength. If there's anything our nation needs, it's Bible-believing, converted leaders.
More next time on what that entails.
© Stephen Stone
