How should Christians vote in November?

Last month, a leading evangelical pastor in California said that he told President Donald Trump, “any real, true believer” is going to vote for his political party because the policies of his party are more aligned with Scripture than the policies of the other party. According to this minister, Christians who exercise their right to vote in this coming election should not focus on the PERSON who is representing the party, but instead, should vote a straight ticket based solely on POLICY. Don’t consider the person, just the policies.

That’s his entire argument for supporting Mr. Trump - Real Christians are not voting for an individual per se, they're voting for biblical policies, and the character of the person at the top of the ticket doesn’t matter. I was taken aback after reading this. I respect this minister and I’ve benefited from his teaching for decades. But he's not all-knowing. The Bible says we humans “see through a glass, darkly.” In other words, only God is omniscient.

But still, my brother’s position on voting in this particular election blindsided me. Where does he get the idea that character doesn’t matter in a national election? Does Scripture teach that we should select our leaders based on their policies, proposals and promises alone? If that’s the case, any Tom, Dick or Harry has a good chance of getting elected by merely giving lip service to policy and making big promises. If a candidate is seeking to occupy the highest office in the land, shouldn’t their personal integrity - their character – be a significant part of our election equation as well? Apparently not, according to some evangelical pastors and leaders today.

In an interview with the Washington Post, the former president of Liberty University, Jerry Falwell Jr., makes the exact same argument. His position is believers shouldn't focus on electing moral leaders, and should instead "choose a president based on what their policies are." Mr. Falwell was asked if there is "anything President Trump could do that would endanger that support from you or other evangelical leaders?" He quickly replied, "No." This echoes what the president himself said in January 2016, "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, okay, and I wouldn't lose any voters, okay? It's like, incredible."

To support a candidate, regardless of their personal conduct, is an incredibly disturbing position for a Christian leader to embrace. Isn't that how cult members are programmed to think? It appears these leaders are willing to compromise a key biblical principle in order to gain political influence and protection. And what exactly is the key biblical principle I speak of? Simply this: Scripture teaches that both our civic and spiritual leaders are to be selected based upon their personal, moral qualifications. Period. Full Stop.

Before we cast a vote based upon some faulty line of thinking, I ask that we carefully consider the opinion of our Founding Fathers and other national leaders. Would they support the view that American voters should focus on policy alone and ignore the character of a candidate? Let's find out. My first witness is Samuel Adams, a name we all know. There's a fine establishment in Boston today that adopted his name in honor of their native son. Sam Adams was a brewer, a leader in the American Revolution, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a cousin to our second president, John Adams. He has an impressive resume.

In a letter dated November 4, 1775 to James Warren, president of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, Mr. Adams writes, “Nothing is more essential to the establishment of manners in a State than that all persons employed in places of power and trust must be men of unexceptionable characters. The public cannot be too curious concerning the character of public men.” The next time you enjoy an ice-cold Sam Adams, remember that according to this Founding Father, character matters, especially the character of those we elect into public positions of power and trust.

Before he was elected as the twentieth president of the United States, James Garfield wrote an article entitled “A Century of Congress.” It was published in The Atlantic, July 1877. Garfield writes, “Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption.”

Four years later in his inaugural address on March 4, 1881, President Garfield said, “The voters…who make and unmake constitutions, and upon whose will hang the destinies of our governments, can transmit their supreme authority to no successors save the coming generation of voters, who are the sole heirs of sovereign power. If that generation comes to its inheritance blinded by ignorance and corrupted by vice, the fall of the Republic will be certain and remediless.” I couldn’t agree more. Our nation will suffer irreparable harm if ever a generation of voters are blinded by ignorance and corrupted by vice.

Noah Webster has been called the “Father of American Education.” During a 27-year time period, he compiled 70,000 words for his new American dictionary. He completed the work in 1825 when he was 70 years old. Webster was instrumental in creating the competition we know today as spelling bees. He assisted in forming an Anti-Slavery Society in Connecticut, and he served as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives. He wrote extensively on education, religion and patriotism. In his work entitled "Letters to a Young Gentleman Concerning His Education," Webster shares,

“In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate – look to his character as a man of known principle, of tried integrity, and undoubted ability for the office. It is alleged by men of loose principles, or defective views of the subject, that religion and morality are not necessary or important qualifications for political stations. But the Scriptures teach a different doctrine. They direct that rulers should be men who rule in the fear of God, able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness.

"But if we had no divine instruction on the subject, our own interest would demand of us a strict observance of the principle of these injunctions. And it is to the neglect of this rule of conduct in our citizens, that we must ascribe the multiplied frauds, breaches of trust, peculations and embezzlements of public property which astonish even ourselves; which tarnish the character of our country; which disgrace a republican government…When a citizen gives his suffrage [vote] to a man of known immorality he abuses his trust; he sacrifices not only his own interests, but that of his neighbor; he betrays the interest of his country.”

Do you think Mr. Webster would elevate the policies of a political party above the character of the person leading the party? I think not! He quotes from Exodus 18:21, which doesn't highlight the policies of a leader or his tribe. This verse puts the emphasis on the personal characteristics of civic leaders- "able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness [hating unjust gain]." By the way, the last words of King David support this same principle, as well as the instructions King Jehoshaphat gave for civic leaders (see 2 Samuel 23:1-4; 2 Chronicles 19:5-7). Webster goes on to state that to neglect this rule is to invite all manner of corruption.

Our next witness is Rev. Henry H. Tucker, professor at Mercer University in Georgia. The following is an excerpt from his sermon, "God in the War," which he delivered on November 15, 1861. This is the day that Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States, called to be “Set Apart for Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer.” Rev. Tucker is speaking in the Capitol building before the Legislature of Georgia. Let’s pick up at the point in his sermon where he is addressing the question: How is it that so few of our public men are good men?

“But it is preposterous to suppose that there are no good men to be found capable of discharging the highest public trusts. Why then are they not oftener found in eminent position? It is because the public in estimating a man’s fitness for office, throw his morals out of the account; and because popularity can be obtained by means which bad men freely resort to, but which good men eschew [shun]. How sad a comment on public virtue! Every voter who allows personal interests, or preferences, or prejudices, or party zeal or anything to influence his suffrage in favor of a bad man in preference to a good one, if the latter be capable, is doing what he can to banish virtue from our councils and God from our support.”

It's plain to see where Rev. Tucker stands on the issue. We shouldn’t elevate our personal interests, or our prejudices, or our party zeal above the character of the person running for office. The character and personal integrity of the candidate should always take precedence over political policies and toeing the party line. Why so? Because we’ve seen in the past that a bad leader speaks with a forked tongue (see my post "Hitler lied, Germans died!"). A leader without scruples will lie, and break any rule, and override any policy that hinders his personal agenda. Political policies are just “words on a piece of paper” to an unprincipled man. President John Adams said that without the great political virtues of humility, patience, and moderation..."every man in power becomes a ravenous beast of prey."

I trust you see that it's actually not scriptural to ignore a candidate’s character and cast a vote based solely on their policies. Our Founding Fathers said voters should be guided by principle, not policy. Evangelical Christians say they believe the Holy Bible to be the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God, the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. So, when it comes to the vote, will we obey God or man? The Holy Bible affirms, and common sense dictates, that we should select our civic leaders based upon their personal, moral qualifications. To do otherwise is to compromise, and that's not wise.

It's also unwise for my minister friend in California to presume he knows how any real, true believer should vote in November. To take the position that the "other" party has a monopoly on vice and wickedness is naive. Sin crosses the aisle every day. Consequently, voting for or against a particular party is not the solution. It's not that simple. Being a single issue voter may not be the answer either. There are complex and competing issues involved, and I don't know the answer. But I do know when Christians vote according to principle we are far more in line with Scripture than when we downplay the character of a candidate and vote solely according to policies.

No one party has a lock on righteousness and patriotism. Millions of Americans who love the LORD and respect our Constitution have the opinion that our country, under this current leadership, is heading in the wrong direction. So, in closing, I offer a quote from the chief framer of our Declaration of Independence and the third president of these United States, Thomas Jefferson – “Should things go wrong at any time, the people will set them to rights by the peaceable exercise of their elective rights.”

Grace, Peace and Jahspeed!

PS: Now is the time to take decisive action to right the ship. We are co-workers of God (see my post, "IN SCIENCE WE TRUST"). This means we have a role to play in this election. Please share this message with at least five people. Make sure your friends are registered to vote. November 3rd is fast approaching. It's imperative we tell all who will listen that Scripture affirms, and the Founding Fathers agreed, our vote should be guided by principle, not party or policy.

PPS: There’s no political balm in the whole world that can heal our nation’s deep wounds. Only the LORD offers real hope and true healing, but we must approach Him on His terms. 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 is the key. Click on the book to learn more.

"Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things."

~ 2 Timothy 2:7 NKJV