Principle over Politics
By Lloyd Gardner
Many Christians have a tough time knowing how to vote in our elections. They get caught up in the political whirlwind with all of its jargon, and personal negativism. As a history, economics and political science teacher over the years, I have always had a keen interest in the political process but I too would get quite frustrated if I had not developed a simple way of looking at the candidates and the issues. I would like to share that technique with you in hope that you too will be able to have a more relaxed political season.
First of all we should not allow ourselves to separate politics into a special category that does not have to be submitted to God. Believers are to walk by the Spirit in all things. We should be praying about the issues and candidates just as we would pray about everything else. We should have a listening ear for the voice of the Spirit as we venture into the political quagmire. Without Gods’ guidance we certainly will be confused.
Secondly, we must base our voting decisions on principle rather than politics. Let me explain. Politics is the process of playing the game of who can beat the other guy. Principle doesn’t concern itself with the odds and the polls and the television pundits, but on the validity of ideas. Christians must then evaluate that validity on the basis of God’s word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Forces in this world are trying to push God’s word out of the public arena. The notion is commonly expressed that spiritual matters are personal and should not be spoken publicly. An example is Tim Tebow, the Christian quarterback for the Denver Broncos who has been open about his faith. A website exists that blasts away at his faith and demands that he keep his spirituality personal. People are angry that he publicly expresses his faith in Jesus Christ.
How dare we Christians speak publicly of our Master and Lord! Jesus said, “Everyone who confesses Me before men, I will confess him before My Father who is in Heaven” (Matt. 10:32). Don’t listen to the politicians who are unwilling to publicly profess their faith in Christ or who have no faith to profess. Either we believe or we don’t.
Ideas change the world. Ideas change the world one way or the other. Consider how the idea of separation of church and state has destroyed our country. The idea that the government through the courts can dictate the affairs of religion is not found in our Constitution or our history but merely in the minds of people with an agenda. This idea has resulted in taking prayer and the Bible out of our schools and has forced Christianity and the Ten Commandments out of the public arena. One idea, a bad one, has completely changed the culture of our once great country.
Consider the idea that a woman should have the choice of aborting her unborn baby simple because the child is in her body. This idea has permeated our society to the point that over 53 million babies have been aborted since Roe v. Wade. Ideas can kill or they can protect life. But that idea first arose in the mind of demonic forces and then, through devilish propaganda techniques, some influential judges of our society were corrupted with its message.
Consider the notion that having sex with someone of the same sex is perfectly normal and should be normalized and even encouraged. It is an idea that at one time was held by a very small percentage of people and yet that idea has developed roots and is growing out of control in our society.
Judge people by the life they live. It is amazing to hear people implying that it doesn’t matter what the moral or social beliefs of a candidate are. Judge a person, not by what he says but by the life that he lives. Judge him by the fruits in his life. We need leaders whose principles are closely aligned to those of God.
Ideas can hurt or they can heal and we must realize that we as followers of Christ must be a people whose ideas come from the One who is called the Logos, the word of God.
His ideas created the universe and all that is contained in it. His ideas hold the atomic structure of matter in its place. His ideas save, heal, liberate, and transform. This means that ideas are not subjective but have an origin in God. Truth is not subjective but is objective, and provable. During His earthly ministry He confounded the so-called wise people of the age with His ideas. When the religious leaders sent officers to arrest Him they returned saying, “No one ever spoke like this man!” (John 7: 46). They were confounded and captured by His ideas revealed in His words.
So in this election season we have a simple task. Look at how the candidates stand on the ideas or principles that effect society. Don’t listen to the politicians who are saying that social issues don’t matter but it’s all about the economy. To the contrary, it is the social issues that most affect society.
How we believe and act concerning abortion, homosexuality, and other social issues will override how we believe about the economy or foreign affairs. How a man or woman stands on these issues will tell you what kind of person he/she is. Don’t be confused by the “It’s the economy, stupid” message that is taking over the thinking of many.
Some so called political experts are willing to sacrifice their principles to elect someone who will protect their wallet. We have become a materialistic society that thinks entirely too much of money and our own comfort level. Even many Christians I talk to seem to be willing to sacrifice principle for someone who can solve the economic problems.
The truth is that our economy will begin to improve when our hearts improve. As long as our hearts are sold out to economic success at all cost, we will continue to have economic distress. Our economic problems we face have a moral connection. Our greed for higher and higher salaries and unions that have the power to negotiate them, have caused us to spend much more as a society than we can afford. Our greed has caused us to use credit to get more and more goodies that make our lives more comfortable or satisfied. But all around we see businesses failing, governments close to bankruptcy, and the unemployment rate remaining high.
These problems have an economic connection of course but the biggest correlation is between morality and money. Paul was right on when he wrote, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils which some pursuing have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10).
Money is not the problem—love of money, a moral weakness, is the problem. The economy is not the problem but the greedy hearts of people who pursue money and riches while neglecting much more important things. The love of money opens up our hearts to deeper evils that lead us away from faith in Christ and into great sorrows.
The Lord has made it very clear to me that our country is at a very crucial tipping point. We could go either way depending on how we respond to what He is telling us about His ideas, His principles, and His word. As long as we ignore Him and His moral ideas we can expect to descend into further economic distress. Eventually, I believe, we will slide down a slippery slope of no return toward devastating collapse. When that collapse comes, then and only then will we see improvement. The collapse of our tower of Babel will force us to turn back to our God and listen to Him. Even then, many will continue to worship Mammon, the god of materialism.
The Ten Commandments are simply ten moral ideas from the heart of God. He created us and knows how we function. We are not merely biological beings with no need of a moral compass. We are moral beings with a soul and a spirit and God designed us to be guided from within. The Proverb says, “The spirit of man is the lamp of Yahweh, searching all his innermost parts” (Prov. 20:27). The fire of God must light our spirit. That fire of the Holy Spirit will search us inwardly and bring us to His moral pathway.
For example when God said that we should not commit adultery he was not trying to spoil our pleasures but was telling us how to keep our societies from degrading and falling apart. Because we have ignored His wisdom, guess what, our society is being degrading and is falling apart. No economy, government or culture can long exist that denies the ideas shared with us by God. This is why the enemy’s primary point of attack is against the ideas that have made this country great. When he defeats those ideas, our society will suffer devastating defeat. Brace yourself.
So what are some of those ideas that God has shared with us? These ideas are ultimately more important than economic principles because they will result in the economy correcting itself spontaneously. Here are a few to think about.
The sanctity of life. Can a civilization long exist that kills its unborn posterity while granting privileges to animals and trees?
Marriage. Can a culture continue to succeed that destroys the thing most dear to the heart of God? Can we expect that God will not judge a nation that spurns the very institution that reveals His eternal purpose—to have a bride for His Son?
Integrity in our leaders. Can a nation be led effectively by men or women who say one thing and then do another? Is a candidate worthy of office who changes his viewpoints for the sake of votes?
Debt. The biblical principle to remain free of debt is clear. If it is true for an individual it should be even clearer for a nation. Any politician who will not speak out against the debt we are incurring is pandering to a constituency that is selfish and full of the greed we spoke of earlier.
Corruption in government. Can a country prosper that has leaders who use their position as leaders to pad their own wallets and further their own personal agendas?
Locality. Our nation was built to maintain the most power at the local level. The more power we give to segments of government far away, the less we will prosper. Lord Acton was right when he said, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Our cities, counties and states must be given back the power that has been taken from them by politicians who ignore the Constitution.
The rule of law. A society that ignores its own laws will fail. Our immigration problem is caused largely by failure to enforce the laws duly enacted by our country. When we will not protect our legally determined borders we are doomed to become a borderless, lawless nation.
Individual initiative. God directs everything He says and does to us as though we are one individual. The life He promises us can only be realized if we take responsibility for ourselves as guided by Him. When we abandon our individual responsibility for the sake of collective action we move away from His will toward government exploitation. This is the danger of socialism and communism. They sacrifice individual rights for the sake of the collective good. Capitalism is no better when it makes a god of the government in its search for answers.
Appreciation for our history. Regardless of what some will tell you, our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. It is those principles, and the God behind them, that has produced our prosperity as a nation. Any country that abandons its founding principles will soon fail.
Appreciation for our founding documents. The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence set forth the principles upon which this nation was founded. The words in the Declaration that all people “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” sets forth our recognition that our rights come from God and not from government. The Constitution begins with the words, “We the People,” indicating that the founders never intended to be controlled by government but that, in fact, the government must answer to the people.
Environmental sensitivity balanced with the rights of the people. Christians should want to take care of the environment God has given us but we must not allow environmental laws to take rights away from people and grant the government even more power.
But I can hear the reply of many who will say, “We need to vote for the candidate that can defeat Barack Obama.” My advice is to vote for the candidate who can defeat the antichrist spirit that has invaded our society. Vote for the person who espouses the ideas that will defeat the secular ideas that have occupied our country. Stop giving in to the world’s voice about how you should vote and vote as you are led by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said that His followers are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. It is the light of Christ in us that has brought this nation success. We must not compromise who we are for the sake of political correctness.
Vote for people and issues that espouse these principles. Stay out of the political whirlwind and walk in the peace of God in the midst of manmade turmoil. Some people will cry out in anger and frustration but we must be at peace knowing that God is on the throne and His principles endure forever.
By Lloyd Gardner
Many Christians have a tough time knowing how to vote in our elections. They get caught up in the political whirlwind with all of its jargon, and personal negativism. As a history, economics and political science teacher over the years, I have always had a keen interest in the political process but I too would get quite frustrated if I had not developed a simple way of looking at the candidates and the issues. I would like to share that technique with you in hope that you too will be able to have a more relaxed political season.
First of all we should not allow ourselves to separate politics into a special category that does not have to be submitted to God. Believers are to walk by the Spirit in all things. We should be praying about the issues and candidates just as we would pray about everything else. We should have a listening ear for the voice of the Spirit as we venture into the political quagmire. Without Gods’ guidance we certainly will be confused.
Secondly, we must base our voting decisions on principle rather than politics. Let me explain. Politics is the process of playing the game of who can beat the other guy. Principle doesn’t concern itself with the odds and the polls and the television pundits, but on the validity of ideas. Christians must then evaluate that validity on the basis of God’s word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Forces in this world are trying to push God’s word out of the public arena. The notion is commonly expressed that spiritual matters are personal and should not be spoken publicly. An example is Tim Tebow, the Christian quarterback for the Denver Broncos who has been open about his faith. A website exists that blasts away at his faith and demands that he keep his spirituality personal. People are angry that he publicly expresses his faith in Jesus Christ.
How dare we Christians speak publicly of our Master and Lord! Jesus said, “Everyone who confesses Me before men, I will confess him before My Father who is in Heaven” (Matt. 10:32). Don’t listen to the politicians who are unwilling to publicly profess their faith in Christ or who have no faith to profess. Either we believe or we don’t.
Ideas change the world. Ideas change the world one way or the other. Consider how the idea of separation of church and state has destroyed our country. The idea that the government through the courts can dictate the affairs of religion is not found in our Constitution or our history but merely in the minds of people with an agenda. This idea has resulted in taking prayer and the Bible out of our schools and has forced Christianity and the Ten Commandments out of the public arena. One idea, a bad one, has completely changed the culture of our once great country.
Consider the idea that a woman should have the choice of aborting her unborn baby simple because the child is in her body. This idea has permeated our society to the point that over 53 million babies have been aborted since Roe v. Wade. Ideas can kill or they can protect life. But that idea first arose in the mind of demonic forces and then, through devilish propaganda techniques, some influential judges of our society were corrupted with its message.
Consider the notion that having sex with someone of the same sex is perfectly normal and should be normalized and even encouraged. It is an idea that at one time was held by a very small percentage of people and yet that idea has developed roots and is growing out of control in our society.
Judge people by the life they live. It is amazing to hear people implying that it doesn’t matter what the moral or social beliefs of a candidate are. Judge a person, not by what he says but by the life that he lives. Judge him by the fruits in his life. We need leaders whose principles are closely aligned to those of God.
Ideas can hurt or they can heal and we must realize that we as followers of Christ must be a people whose ideas come from the One who is called the Logos, the word of God.
His ideas created the universe and all that is contained in it. His ideas hold the atomic structure of matter in its place. His ideas save, heal, liberate, and transform. This means that ideas are not subjective but have an origin in God. Truth is not subjective but is objective, and provable. During His earthly ministry He confounded the so-called wise people of the age with His ideas. When the religious leaders sent officers to arrest Him they returned saying, “No one ever spoke like this man!” (John 7: 46). They were confounded and captured by His ideas revealed in His words.
So in this election season we have a simple task. Look at how the candidates stand on the ideas or principles that effect society. Don’t listen to the politicians who are saying that social issues don’t matter but it’s all about the economy. To the contrary, it is the social issues that most affect society.
How we believe and act concerning abortion, homosexuality, and other social issues will override how we believe about the economy or foreign affairs. How a man or woman stands on these issues will tell you what kind of person he/she is. Don’t be confused by the “It’s the economy, stupid” message that is taking over the thinking of many.
Some so called political experts are willing to sacrifice their principles to elect someone who will protect their wallet. We have become a materialistic society that thinks entirely too much of money and our own comfort level. Even many Christians I talk to seem to be willing to sacrifice principle for someone who can solve the economic problems.
The truth is that our economy will begin to improve when our hearts improve. As long as our hearts are sold out to economic success at all cost, we will continue to have economic distress. Our economic problems we face have a moral connection. Our greed for higher and higher salaries and unions that have the power to negotiate them, have caused us to spend much more as a society than we can afford. Our greed has caused us to use credit to get more and more goodies that make our lives more comfortable or satisfied. But all around we see businesses failing, governments close to bankruptcy, and the unemployment rate remaining high.
These problems have an economic connection of course but the biggest correlation is between morality and money. Paul was right on when he wrote, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils which some pursuing have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10).
Money is not the problem—love of money, a moral weakness, is the problem. The economy is not the problem but the greedy hearts of people who pursue money and riches while neglecting much more important things. The love of money opens up our hearts to deeper evils that lead us away from faith in Christ and into great sorrows.
The Lord has made it very clear to me that our country is at a very crucial tipping point. We could go either way depending on how we respond to what He is telling us about His ideas, His principles, and His word. As long as we ignore Him and His moral ideas we can expect to descend into further economic distress. Eventually, I believe, we will slide down a slippery slope of no return toward devastating collapse. When that collapse comes, then and only then will we see improvement. The collapse of our tower of Babel will force us to turn back to our God and listen to Him. Even then, many will continue to worship Mammon, the god of materialism.
The Ten Commandments are simply ten moral ideas from the heart of God. He created us and knows how we function. We are not merely biological beings with no need of a moral compass. We are moral beings with a soul and a spirit and God designed us to be guided from within. The Proverb says, “The spirit of man is the lamp of Yahweh, searching all his innermost parts” (Prov. 20:27). The fire of God must light our spirit. That fire of the Holy Spirit will search us inwardly and bring us to His moral pathway.
For example when God said that we should not commit adultery he was not trying to spoil our pleasures but was telling us how to keep our societies from degrading and falling apart. Because we have ignored His wisdom, guess what, our society is being degrading and is falling apart. No economy, government or culture can long exist that denies the ideas shared with us by God. This is why the enemy’s primary point of attack is against the ideas that have made this country great. When he defeats those ideas, our society will suffer devastating defeat. Brace yourself.
So what are some of those ideas that God has shared with us? These ideas are ultimately more important than economic principles because they will result in the economy correcting itself spontaneously. Here are a few to think about.
The sanctity of life. Can a civilization long exist that kills its unborn posterity while granting privileges to animals and trees?
Marriage. Can a culture continue to succeed that destroys the thing most dear to the heart of God? Can we expect that God will not judge a nation that spurns the very institution that reveals His eternal purpose—to have a bride for His Son?
Integrity in our leaders. Can a nation be led effectively by men or women who say one thing and then do another? Is a candidate worthy of office who changes his viewpoints for the sake of votes?
Debt. The biblical principle to remain free of debt is clear. If it is true for an individual it should be even clearer for a nation. Any politician who will not speak out against the debt we are incurring is pandering to a constituency that is selfish and full of the greed we spoke of earlier.
Corruption in government. Can a country prosper that has leaders who use their position as leaders to pad their own wallets and further their own personal agendas?
Locality. Our nation was built to maintain the most power at the local level. The more power we give to segments of government far away, the less we will prosper. Lord Acton was right when he said, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Our cities, counties and states must be given back the power that has been taken from them by politicians who ignore the Constitution.
The rule of law. A society that ignores its own laws will fail. Our immigration problem is caused largely by failure to enforce the laws duly enacted by our country. When we will not protect our legally determined borders we are doomed to become a borderless, lawless nation.
Individual initiative. God directs everything He says and does to us as though we are one individual. The life He promises us can only be realized if we take responsibility for ourselves as guided by Him. When we abandon our individual responsibility for the sake of collective action we move away from His will toward government exploitation. This is the danger of socialism and communism. They sacrifice individual rights for the sake of the collective good. Capitalism is no better when it makes a god of the government in its search for answers.
Appreciation for our history. Regardless of what some will tell you, our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. It is those principles, and the God behind them, that has produced our prosperity as a nation. Any country that abandons its founding principles will soon fail.
Appreciation for our founding documents. The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence set forth the principles upon which this nation was founded. The words in the Declaration that all people “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” sets forth our recognition that our rights come from God and not from government. The Constitution begins with the words, “We the People,” indicating that the founders never intended to be controlled by government but that, in fact, the government must answer to the people.
Environmental sensitivity balanced with the rights of the people. Christians should want to take care of the environment God has given us but we must not allow environmental laws to take rights away from people and grant the government even more power.
But I can hear the reply of many who will say, “We need to vote for the candidate that can defeat Barack Obama.” My advice is to vote for the candidate who can defeat the antichrist spirit that has invaded our society. Vote for the person who espouses the ideas that will defeat the secular ideas that have occupied our country. Stop giving in to the world’s voice about how you should vote and vote as you are led by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said that His followers are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. It is the light of Christ in us that has brought this nation success. We must not compromise who we are for the sake of political correctness.
Vote for people and issues that espouse these principles. Stay out of the political whirlwind and walk in the peace of God in the midst of manmade turmoil. Some people will cry out in anger and frustration but we must be at peace knowing that God is on the throne and His principles endure forever.
