Glorious distraction
August 27, 2008 7 Comments
With the Democrat Convention in full swing and the Republican Convention scheduled to start soon many Americans are being swept up in the climax of the political season. Christians are no exception — and that’s a shame.
Again, let me say I do not believe Christians should completely withdraw from the political process. However, politics — even in normal times — is a tempting distraction for Christians. It’s almost irresistible during election time. I call it a distraction because a Christian’s primary focus should always be God, His will, and His glory.
It’s a shame because we allow ourselves to avert our eyes from the eternal purposes of our Lord for the sake of the apparent, yet fleeting, glamour of politics.
Of course there are those who disagree. Janet Parshall, a radio talk-show host, seems to think it is a sin for a Christian not to vote for one of the two “major-party” candidates.
“Scripture says if you know what’s right and you don’t do it, that’s called sin,” she said in an article at worldnetdaily.com. According to the article, it was Parshall’s conclusion that, “it is critical that Christians vote this November for whichever of the two major presidential candidates seems most likely to advance their values.”
My question to her is: Who ever said voting for either of the “major-party” candidates was “right,” according to Scripture? Suppose neither of these men represent my values? Suppose I find both of them highly objectionable? Am I to vote for the “lesser of two evils?” Because remember, the lesser of two evils is still evil.
Voting ones conscience may mean voting for a “major-party” candidate. It may mean voting for a “minor-party” candidate. It may even mean not voting for president at all — as it would be a violation of your conscience for any of the candidates to occupy the oval office with your support.
The worst part of the distraction is the misplacement of faith. All this fervor over the election is due to having one’s faith placed firmly in the government. That is not where the faith of any Christian should lie. Regardless of which candidate moves into the White House next January God will still be on His throne. God will still be sovereign. And it will still be the calling of every Christian to serve God rather than mammon.