Biblical Perspective on "Morality In Voting"

The apostle Paul wrote...

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way" (1 Timothy 2:1–2).

How should Christians vote? It is an important question with varying opinions across the political aisle, especially heading into a contentious presidential election less than 3-weeks away in the United States. At the moment, Republicans and Democrats could not be more polarized on almost every major issue, but surprisingly, many Christians support legislation which blatantly contradicts Biblical morality. Why? In many cases, the church has become its own worst enemy based on the watering down of God's Word over time by pastors more committed to preaching what people WANT to hear rather than what they NEED to hear. "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Timothy 4:3–4). Indeed it is increasingly difficult to find churches today willing to proclaim the truth of God's Word in its entirety without apologizing for what it says on sensitive, cultural issues. Unfortunately, the riches of this world (i.e. money, power, fame, etc.) have poisoned the minds of far too many pastors who are committed to appeasing the masses by minimizing Scripture in favor of personal opinion, and thus avoiding or justifying controversial topics such as abortion, homosexuality, gender identity, gay marriage, premarital sex, etc. Therefore, should it surprise us so many self-proclaimed Christians are unwilling to defend the Bible because they either don't know what it says or have been taught to justify sin? Moral laziness has created cancerous ambiguity in the church where all truth is open to personal interpretation and the lines between right and wrong are severely blurred. In turn, far too many Christians are either ignorant or misinformed on morality, and thus head into voting polls across the United States basing their decisions on empty promises vs. track records and candidate personality vs. which policies they endorse, all while maintaining a shallow understanding of absolute truth from God's perspective in the process.

Let us be clear: God is NOT affiliated with any political party. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8–9). From the Bible's perspective, morality is a far greater priority and concern to God than anything else because it provides a clear distinction between sin and righteousness. Morality is simply the principles which define our personal doctrine in life regarding how we discern right from wrong. As Christians, we believe morality is defined by the sovereignty (supreme power and authority) and inerrancy (without error) of God's Word. For "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Therefore, if the Bible is absolute truth without error, one can trust its supreme authority to impart wisdom on moral dilemmas. If we consider the laundry list of political issues facing our country, there is no shortage of opinions on both sides of the aisle regarding the economy, unemployment, welfare, education, health care, foreign policy, national security, immigration, gun control, environmental concerns, the role of government, etc. However, are any of these topics behavioral issues of morality where one party is completely for and the other entirely against? Absolutely not! Both parties value each one of these issues. They merely interpret them differently and offer varying solutions regarding the path to positive change. What we must remember is there is a distinct difference between right and wrong from a moral perspective compared to a difference of opinion politically. How then does the Bible define morality?   

"There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers" (Proverbs 6:16–19).

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19–21).

Notice that each of the sin issues listed above are behavioral in nature, which means we have the ultimate choice in the matter. Make no mistake, Biblical morality (right vs. wrong) has already been clearly defined by God, for there is no gray area or exception clause when it comes to sin. Granted, there are myriads of popular justifications people use to avoid personal responsibility, ranging from "God made me this way!" to "That's not a sin!" and everything in between. In the end, excuses simply appease our fleshly desires. However, recognizing (I see it), acknowledging (I see it as sin) and owning (I see it as MY sin) is the path to redemption and restoration with God if we surrender our lives to Christ alone in obedience to His Word. Therefore, we must discern how our personal doctrine of morality stacks up against Scripture and choose accordingly in our civic duty of voting based on how political candidates align themselves morally. Now while morality can be argued to be an essential ingredient in virtually any topic or social issue, the most obvious examples of a complete divide in morality within American politics centers around abortion, same-sex marriage, and trans/cisgender identity, which Republicans vehemently oppose and Democrats passionately support. What then does the Bible teach on these issues?

ABORTION: "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13).

ABORTION: "There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood" (Proverbs 6:16–17).

ABORTION: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5).

ABORTION: "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well" (Psalm 139:13–14).

HOMOSEXUALITY: "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination" (Leviticus 18:22).

HOMOSEXUALITY: "For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error" (Romans 1:26–27).

HOMOSEXUALITY: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality" (1 Corinthians 6:9).

MARRIAGE: "But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate" (Mark 10:6–9).

MARRIAGE: "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous" (Hebrews 13:4).

GENDER IDENTITY: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27).

GENDER IDENTITY: "A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 22:5).

GENDER IDENTITY: "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:18–20).

There are more examples that could be cited for each topic, but the simple fact is that God is painstakingly clear where He stands on these issues. There is simply no ambiguity or exception clause available to justify what God defines as sin. Consequently, according to David Closson of the Family Research Council in his article, Biblical Principles for Political Engagement: Worldview, Issues and Voting, the moral dilemma Christians face is crystal clear if people would simply filter their personal opinions through the pages of Scriptures for discernment, wisdom and clarity.

"Neither political party is a Christian party in the sense that every policy position they advocate for lines up perfectly with the Bible. In fact, there are numerous policy issues on which the Bible does not speak. On issues such as these, Christians should debate charitably and extend liberty toward one another on points where they disagree. 

However, it is also true in recent years that the two major political parties have adopted clear positions on moral issues on which the Bible does speak. For example, on the issues of abortion and human sexuality, the parties are now on opposite ends of the spectrum. For Christians who privilege the authority of Scripture over that of any political party, it is tragic that any candidate for public office would hold (and in some cases even champion) positions on issues that disregard and flaunt God’s unchanging moral law. For the sake of intellectual honesty, it is important to recognize that the Republican party has generally embraced policy positions on abortion and human sexuality that are consistent with Scripture, while the Democratic party has embraced positions on these issues that are at odds with Scripture."

It is also important we understand what role love plays in the political debate of morality. The apostle Peter wrote, "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:7–8). It is imperative we recognize that while love truly covers a multitude of sins, it does NOT excuse or justify sin. What Peter implores is that Almighty God will administer justice toward sinners on judgment day. "For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' So then each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:10–12). Therefore, we are called this side of heaven to love our neighbors not by justifying their sin, but pointing them to the saving power of Jesus Christ and His Word so they have a proper foundation for morality in God's sight. For we hold no power in and of ourselves to change the hearts of others. Only God through the power of His Word can open the eyes of the blind so they begin to recognize their depravity and need for eternal salvation. Therefore, our objective is simply to love, serve, forgive, show grace, mercy and patience, and live peaceably with one another. In other words, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all" (Romans 12:14–18). 

Keep in mind, it is never easy to endure hostility and oppression at the hands of friends, family, and the public at large who support agendas clearly contradictory to Holy Scripture (hence my post last week on The Intolerance of Tolerance). Persecution will surely come if we publicly display the courage to boldly proclaim God's Word is absolute truth, because people do not want to accept personal accountability for their thoughts and actions. Rather, they desire complete freedom and autonomy to live however they choose without consequences or having to justify their actions before God. Therefore, as Christians, "Remember the word that I (Jesus) said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me" (John 15:20–21). Nonetheless, we are called to defend righteousness by fulfilling our civic duty to vote according to the moral precepts of the Bible, and especially those where God clearly defines specific social issues as sin. We must also pay particular attention to the issues which political candidates and/or parties position themselves 100% opposite from one another (i.e. abortion, same-sex marriage, gender identity, etc.). Therefore, with prayerful wisdom and discernment, we must embrace our responsibility as American citizens and born-again, Bible-believing followers of Jesus Christ to prioritize issues of morality first and foremost when we cast our ballots and elect government leaders, choosing wisely in order to glorify God and honor His Word by our vote. For Scripture solemnly warns, "When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan" (Proverbs 29:2). Therefore, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!" (Psalm 33:12).