As a Bible-believing Christian, I vote according to my faith. My preference, of course, is to cast my ballot for someone of noble character. But integrity, honor, and civility have gone by the wayside in the upcoming presidential election. Both parties seem to be focusing on personalities more than policies. So, I’m left to examine each candidate’s platform on my own. After looking into the policies that matter most to me, I’m voting without compromising my faith. I challenge you to also consider the following three issues.
Life
If this election was solely about this one issue, that would be enough for me to vote. I firmly believe in the sanctity of life from conception to the grave. That means all life, regardless of race, creed, age, or gender. The worth of anything is defined by what someone is willing to pay for it. Well, human life is worth the blood of Jesus Christ. So all life matters, from the unborn to the homeless to the wealthy and well-known.
Abortion and racism are incompatible with Christianity because both devalue those created in God’s image. When life is devalued, it’s more easily viewed as disposable or inferior. If life can be eliminated for convenience sake, then any life can become expendable at any time. These are actually the tools of genocidal leaders such as Adolf Hitler, Carl Marx, and Margret Sanger (architect of Planned Parenthood). If one life is seen as superior to another, then we diminish Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. I cannot cast my ballot for any platform that reduces the value our Creator places on every life.
Liberty
The fact that the Declaration of Independence gives us the rights to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” is well-known. However, we often overlook the next line. “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Several of our liberties have been stripped throughout the pandemic, not with the consent of the governed but because those who govern desire control.
For instance, the rights given to American citizens in the First Amendment have not been consistently upheld. In some cases, students are being told to leave school because their political allegiance is contrary to the narrative of the institution. It’s as if protecting free speech is of less importance if that speech is conservative or Christian.
Some elected officials are even directly encroaching on religious liberty by denying believers the right to gather according to biblical instruction. While many states allowed protests (and even riots with little to no consequence), churches are having to go to court in order to hold worship services. So, I’m voting for the platform that protects my liberties as a citizen instead of promoting the personal agenda of government leaders.
Law
I’m grateful for the officers who protect the lives and property of our citizens by enforcing our laws. I truly believe they are overwhelmingly men and women of integrity. They are also over-worked and underpaid, not to mention under attack. It’s foolish to think our country would be better served with fewer personnel. Neither can we suppress rising violence by reducing their resources.
The answer is not more laws but better law enforcement with better pay and stricter consequences for corruption and injustice. A nation without law and order is a nation of chaos and anarchy. Lawlessness is condemned by Scripture and should never be condoned by a Christian. I cannot support policies that allow anarchy and injustice to go unchecked.
These are the top three things guiding my vote. I’m not asking you to blindly agree with me. Come to your own conclusions the same way I did – by reason of Scripture and by researching the actual policies of the candidates. I love this country. Therefore, I cannot in good conscience skip out on this election because of a candidate’s personality or personal life. So come November, I’m voting without compromising my faith.
