Over the last month or so I have seen, through Facebook and other media outlets a great deal of political rhetoric related to the upcoming Presidential election. It breaks my heart to see the divisiveness that is occurring because someone doesn't like one candidate or another due to their personality. Some of these post and articles reek of hatred. Even within my circle of friends and extended family, I see several views being put forth in support of the candidate/party they support.
As a historian, I know that while any particular candidate has a certain amount of influence over their personal agenda, the reality is, that they ascribe to and are ultimately driven by the party they represent. That party in turn is controlled by many powerful factions that may include those with vast sums of money, unions, big business, lobbies (both private and government) and most importantly ideology. As a Christian I know that this boils down into two view points, one that is God inspired the other is from Satan. While there are, depending on what source you see, between 10 and 20 issues that separate the candidates and their parties, it boils down into 3-4 main issues for me.
This last week while having my quiet time I was reading in I Kings 18 where the ministry of Elijah is given to us. While reading verse 21 really hit me. I encourage you to go and read chapters 17 and 18 in I Kings. Verse 21 in right in the middle of Elijah's encounter with the 450 prophets of Baal at Mt Carmel. With King Ahab, the prophets of Baal and the nation of Israel there, Elijah asked them in verse 21: "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.". I do not believe Elijah was asking them if they know who God or Baal was, but which one are you going to follow?
At this time in Israel's history worship of Baal was widespread. This worship actually involved several false gods all being given the name Baal (which means lord in many of the language groups that surrounded Israel). Worship of Baal included child sacrifice (we have abortion), deviant sexual behavior including temple prostitution of all forms (we have fornication, adultery, homosexuality, pornography, and promiscuity) and was promoted by several kings in Israel to the point that many Prophets and Priest of Yahweh were persecuted and killed unless they denied God and ascribed to the teachings of Baal (we face loss of religious freedom, persecution of the Church, appointment of 2-3 supreme court justices that will define our judicial viewpoint as being liberal socialism or conservative).
So as Evangelical Christians who should we vote for? That I will not and can not tell, you, but I implore you to pray, pray, pray and seek God's guidance as you decide. As you pray and contemplate, do not look just at the candidate and their personality but what issues they believe in and stand for. While I also have considered a third party that closer resembles my conservative views, I also know that at this time in our history a third party will only split the vote allowing the liberal left agenda to be installed in the White House and more importantly our government.
As I stated earlier, this election cycle concerns 3-4 major make or break issues for me, which are abortion, religious freedom and how the U.S. Constitution will be viewed. The Democratic party and their candidate clearly support unlimited abortion, curtailment of personal and religious (actually just Christian) freedoms and limits to, if not elimination of several Constitutional amendments. The Republicans are for the most part the total opposite on these issue along with the many more I have not included in this post.
As you finish this post and consider your choice in this very important time in our countries history, I now pose the question to you....."How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.".
