Unless you’ve been living under a rock all year, or have taken a strong hiatus from all things political, then you know it’s election season. Political candidates are making their case across the country as to why they are the best choice to represent their party. There are those on the right that try to stay true to conservatism while those on the left seek to represent liberal ideals. Some candidates in the middle want to toe the line—they don’t lean too far right or left with their values or political ideology. The elephant is a symbol that represents the Republican Party while the donkey represents the Democratic Party. The Lamb is Jesus Christ, the one who came to this world to die for our sins (John 1:29). Who do you better align yourself with? Christians should unequivocally say that they align themselves with the Lamb, but that’s not always the case. I’m afraid that too many of us have elevated party over Christianity, and it’s high time that we examine ourselves before we get too deep into the abyss of political divisiveness (2 Cor. 13:5).
What the Bible Says About Christians and Politics
Some may find it strange that the Word of God doesn’t give us any guidance on which political party we should give our allegiance to. It’s true that God has given us everything
that pertains to life and godliness, which is revealed in His word (2 Pet. 1:3), but what about our allegiance to a political party? Should Christians endorse a candidate whom they have never met from the pulpit or on social media? I would caution against that, mainly because we don’t see anywhere in the New Testament sermons and teachings that include endorsements of those who held political sway in the Roman government. Note that Paul simply admonished Timothy to pray for those in authority so that Christians can lead a quiet and peaceable life (1 Tim. 1:1-2). I do believe that we should be concerned about voting for leaders that represent and uphold godly values (Exodus 18:21; Proverbs 16:12). What’s more, Christians have to live up to the responsibility of obeying the governing authorities, no matter who’s in power (Rom. 13:1-7). In so doing, we are fulfilling the law of God. It doesn't matter who’s in the White House, the state house, or the school house, we must obey those who are in charge. We do so out of respect for God and to have a pure conscience (Rom. 13:5).
Sometimes, those who are chosen to lead this great nation do not fit the bill as “God’s man.” But as my dear wife stated so poignantly recently, we should not look to the White House for moral leadership. Why? Because not all those chosen to serve follow the same moral code we as Christians do. That’s why if you stake your allegiance in man and in a political party, they will let you down every time when they start going down a path you are unwilling to follow. The moment we realize that we are pledging our allegiance to a political party over Jesus is the moment we need to course correct and get back on track. Whenever we always find ourselves involved in political squabbles online or constantly lifting up a certain political candidate while putting another down, then we are in dangerous territory. Yes, there are certain political issues that involve Christian ideals (I’m not saying we should not be involved in those types of conversations), but don’t get too lost in the political rhetoric to the point that it causes you to forget who you are in Christ.
It’s All About the Lamb
The elephant didn’t shed its blood for me. The donkey didn’t shed its blood for me. Only the Lamb of God shed His blood for me, for you, and for all of humanity (John 3:16; Heb. 9:11-14, 10:1-10). We need to pledge our allegiance FIRST to the blood-stained Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Perhaps no group understood this better than the Christians living in the first century. Even though they were ridiculed (Acts 9:1), tortured (Acts 5:40, 7:54-58), and sometimes put to death (Acts 12:1-2), they still upheld the blood-stained banner of the cross (Acts 5:29-32). Is it any wonder, then, that God was able to increase their number at an impressive rate (Acts 9:31, 16:5)? In our world today, there are many that are consumed with political narratives. What about being consumed with the narrative of Jesus Christ? He is the one who is ultimately going to get us to heaven (John 14:1-6). I can’t put my trust in Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George Bush, or any other political leader, for that matter. My trust must be in Jesus because at the end of the day, He’s all that matters.
Conclusion
The purpose of this article is to not sway you to vote for a certain candidate or cause you to lose your faith in the Republic. I think America is the greatest nation on planet Earth, with all of its flaws and fallacies. What's more, I strongly believe in our democracy and the right to vote for any candidate we deem worthy of holding a certain political office. I am simply urging my readers to consider the main thing, and that is the Lamb of God. He must have the preeminence in our lives if we are to be pleasing to God (Col. 1:18). Let us first choose the Lamb before we seek after the elephant or the donkey.
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