At the end of the day

Just for clarification … for those of you who read my weekly articles, this one is more of an opinion piece, than a religious column. Sort of, anyway.

By the time this article is printed, the disquieting dust from Election Day will nearly have settled. All I can say to that is – Thank God! Seriously, thank the Lord this mess will soon be over … at least for a few more years. I can’t speak for everyone, but as for me, I’ll be thrilled when the polls have closed, the last vote has been counted and the winner declared. Not just because I am sick of the seemingly endless barrage of political ads on TV, or the ridiculous amount of political advertisements our poor postal employees are forced to deliver, but mainly because I am tired of all the ugliness. Is it just me, or does the rhetoric get more and more repulsive every election cycle? Frankly, it’s nauseating.

Everything from the mud-slinging commercials, the disturbing presidential debates, the endless social media posts, the rambling opinionated rants, the divisive dogma and constant bickering among otherwise close-knit friends and family. I’ll just be glad when it’s over. That is, assuming the losing party (which ever that is) actually accepts the loss and concedes to the winner. Which is yet to be determined.

Probably many of us will stay up way too late on Tuesday night anxiously awaiting the results. Regardless of who wins, this coming hump day, there will be millions of disappointed people, struggling to get through the day, suffering from a hopes-bashed, post-election hangover. At the risk of being overly obvious, someone is going to win and someone is going to lose. If your joy is tied to an election, you are sure to be disappointed, and that often.

This may come as a surprise to some, but I hope President Trump is reelected. In fact, I believe he will be. Again, I cannot speak for everyone, but I don’t believe the prejudicial propaganda of the mainstream media claiming the Biden/Harris ticket is way ahead in the polls. Maybe so? Maybe I’m being naïve or overly cynical, but this much I know. At the end of the day, the Christian can find comfort in knowing God Almighty sovereignly ordains world leaders (Romans 13:1). Even if it isn’t our first choice.

I am probably the least political preacher you will ever hear, or read after. I simply do not believe politics belong in the pulpit. Now to be clear, God-honoring principles should be preached. Holiness, morality and biblical ethics should loudly and clearly be proclaimed from the Scriptures. However, the pulpit is not the place to endorse candidates, at least not in my opinion.

I have no qualms putting in print what I have said to the people in the pews, and here it is: “A born-again believer cannot rightly leave Christian conviction sitting outside the election booth. If you are truly a disciple of Christ, you have no business supporting any candidate who approves of that which God hates. And most certainly, there is no Biblical justification for voting for someone who is not clearly pro-life.” (This is about as political as I get in the pulpit). While we must not become one-issue voters, abortion is one issue in which there shouldn’t even be any discussion among confessed Christians. Which is why I cringe every time someone who claims to follow Christ, downplays this literally life-and-death issue in an effort to justify voting for a candidate purely because they belong to a certain political party. However, as troublesome as it may be, conservative Christians can be guilty of the same thing. When we should instead be honest about all the issues, not just abortion.

Case in point, Trump has unashamedly stated, it is “my great honor” to be called the most pro-gay president in American history. This is not some made-up accusation by a never-Trumper; check it out for yourself. While I have family and friends (who I love dearly) that identify as gay or lesbian, God’s Word identifies this as wrong. Homosexuality is a sin. In fact, it is an egregious sin that is not to be flaunted or bragged about, but repented of. This is where I take issue with vocally supporting the president. While I realize we are not electing a pastor or Sunday school teacher, character and morals matter (or at least they did when Bill Clinton was fornicating in the Oval Office). Which is why I believe it sends a mixed signal to the unbelieving world when Christians adamantly affirm Biblical values, while publicly and blanketly supporting someone who clearly condones wrong; in particular, same-sex relationships. Deny that if you will, but Trump’s Twitter account will corroborate the truth. Citizens of Christ’s kingdom are called upon to serve as salt and light into the society in which we live. We do so by being crystal clear about what God condones and what He rejects. Recently a former agnostic coworker said to me, “I just don’t understand all these Christians bragging on Trump, after all the things he’s said and done … especially the way he treats women.” I was at a total loss for words.

Nonetheless, I still hope Trump wins. Not because I think he is a good man – in the biblical sense of the word, he’s not. But neither is Biden. And neither am I, and neither are you. We are all sinners, in need of God’s mercy. But I hope Trump wins, because I ‘think’ he’s better for our nation, and certainly more conservative than the other guy. Even so, doesn’t Trump’s candidacy declare just how far the Republican Party has moved to the left over the last few years? At the risk of further isolating myself, I will be so bold as to say; the fact that Trump is the conservative’s only viable option is not God’s blessing on America, but His Divine judgment.

Is it hypocritical of me to say, I hope the guy I refuse to publicly support, wins? Probably so. But we all have our inconsistencies. At the end of the day, my duty (and yours) is to vote, and then trust that God will put in office who He has chosen for His purposes. I’m ready for November 3 to get here and be done. I’m ready for the ugliness to be over. I want the hard feelings between well-meaning individuals to end. Christians, we have important work to do, that doesn’t involve who is sitting at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Make no mistake, no president can save you. Only Jesus Christ can do that. Don’t place your faith in fallen men, but in the finished work of Jesus Christ. I am thankful, that regardless of who wins on Tuesday, at the end of the day, Jesus is still King. God is still on the throne and the Almighty is still ruling and reigning.

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