It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone. The very keys to the kingdom and what are we spending our time on? Which candidate for president is less vile? Look at what we are left to defend. He wasn't really mocking a disabled man. She doesn't really understand computers. He didn't call all Hispanics rapists. She didn't technically lie. He didn't really mean people should shoot his opponent. Are we serious here? Well what should we do preacher?
Stop. Stop the nonsense. Stop the lying. Stop representing evil while pretending to be Christian. Vote as you feel led. Do not share it. Do not brag about it. Do not try and convince others you are right about your vote. More importantly stop showing no faith in the God you claim to serve. This is not the direst election in our history. This is not an all or nothing. What does it say to unbelievers about your faith in God if you think He cannot survive a Clinton White House or a Trump regime? Dear Lord, are we serious? In 1774, John Wesley perhaps said it best:
"I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them, 1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy: 2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against: And, 3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side." -- John Wesley, October 6, 1774
How prescient. Keep in mind this was almost 250 years ago. I am sure the Christians then thought it was the most important election of their lifetime. I am sure political operatives disguised as Christians tried to co-opt their vote just as they try to steal Christian votes today. As Solomon says, there is nothing new under the sun. I think Wesley hits the nail on the head. We should vote who we deem worthy. Do not try and figure out which is God's choice. Neither are His choice yet He will use either one. Secondly, do not speak evil of the one you vote against. I have seen Christians, including pastors, post, tweet, and state the vilest things including many lies about Hillary Clinton. It damages your witness for Jesus Christ. Our job is not to speak evil in an evil world. We are to be light beloved. Thirdly, never lose sight of who our true brothers and sisters in Christ are. I have had Christian friends unfriend me on Facebook over petty politics in an election where I have not actually taken any side but the Lord's. I have not and will not advocate for any candidate because in doing so I am advocating for evil. At the end of the day, God will still be on the throne and we as His church need to be unified in doctrine around Jesus Christ. You may feel one candidate is the clearer choice but that should not be more important to you than your relationship to the body of Christ.
Beloved, do not believe when people claiming to be Christians distort the Bible to prop up any candidate as God's choice. Or that they are fulfilling some ancient prophecy. Donald Trump is no more King Cyrus than Hillary has the mantle of Deborah. It is all silliness and a butchering of God's Word. Remember, God will not be mocked. The ends do not justify the means. The Bible asks provocatively -- will you lie on behalf of God? Do you think you can lie to Him as you do to man? Does not His majesty terrify you? Sadly the truth recently is people are more terrified of the possibility of a Clinton Administration or Trump White House than they are of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As Christians we need to abandon the carnality within our politics and come back to Christ. There is nothing to worry about with His tax returns or speech transcripts. His medical records are not an issue. He bled and died on the cross for the sins of all humanity and now is at the right hand of the Father. All must go through Him. All will bow one day to Him. He spoke the entire universe into existence with a single spoken Word. He told the oceans they could only go so far. He placed the stars in the sky and knows each one by name. He has assured us to take heart for He has overcome this world yet we are still enamored and obsessed with which lesser evil we should cast a vote for. So obsessed we lie about it. We cheat about it. We disparage people we do not even know and end friendships with brothers and sisters over it. We stand by and allow ourselves to be prostituted by political pimps who care nothing about the cause of Jesus Christ. We sacrifice our witness for the Gospel. We sacrifice our personal integrity. We sacrifice the absolute truth of Scripture. All for the next king of Sodom. God help us. God help us all.
Reverend Anthony Wade -- August 20, 2016
