There is a Presidential election coming up on November 5, 2024. I know you may already know this, but please know I’m not saying it for your benefit. I’m doing so for mine. I am among the MANY people I’ve talked to for the last several months who are scratching their head wondering who to vote for in an election with so little of a selection.
Since I have already stated one thing you probably already know, I might as well add one more. Jesus isn’t running for President. Neither are Peter, Paul, or Mary. Not the bible characters or the singers. The two main candidates running for the highest office in the land are the following, listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Vice President Kamala Harris
Former President Donald Trump
There are a few other names you may see on the ballot, but these two individuals are running as the Democratic and Republican Party’s candidates. By the way, I mentioned these parties in alphabetical order, too.
Most of the people I have regular conversations with desperately wish there were some other options. But the reality is, like it or not, these are the 2 main choices. And the chances of a 3rd party candidate getting elected are usually slim to none.
So, how should people of the Christian faith in America handle voting in the 2024 Presidential Election when both of the main candidates identify as Christian, but neither show significant evidence of spiritual maturity? Forgive me in advance if that sounds judgmental. That is not my intent. Jesus teaches us to not judge others (Matthew 7:1). He also teaches us to inspect fruit (Matthew 7:15-18), and I’m having a hard time buying the fruit I’m seeing.
All that being said, we still have this question to wrestle with: How do people of the Christian faith in America handle voting in the 2024 Presidential Election with the two main candidates being the ones stated above? The answer to that is multifaceted, so please bear with me.
First, as Christians we need to remember to Whom we’ve given our first allegiance. I was born in the United States of America, which makes me a citizen of this great land. Just like Lee Greenwood, I AM proud to be an American! I happened to have been born in (Almost Heaven) West Virginia, specifically in “The County” of McDowell. I’m proud of both of those facts, too! But when I was 16 years of age, I knelt at an altar of prayer at the end of a worship service at the First Church of God on Stewart Street in Welch and gave my life to Jesus Christ. On that day, He, and He alone, got my first allegiance. This commitment is greater than being born in Welch, or from “The County”, or being a native West Virginian, or a citizen of the United States. It is also greater than being a Democrat, or an Independent, or a Republican.
Second, as Christians we need to remember that we filter EVERYTHING through the lens of Scripture. Colossians 3:23 teaches me that whatever I do, I am to do it as to the Lord and not for men. Simply put, I am responsible for pleasing God and not people. I will also be held accountable for that.
Those things being understood, we have to keep in mind that Jesus isn’t running for President of the United States of America. Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump are, along with a few other 3rd party candidates. (Reminder: I listed these two in alphabetical order by last name. Not by preference or to endorse either one.) So, what do we do with that?
Please remember that both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are running on behalf of their political parties. Vice President Harris is on the Democratic ticket and Former President Trump is on the Republican ticket. Those respective parties have platforms outlining what they plan to do if elected. You can find those online and read them for yourself. I did. All 91 pages of one and 16 pages of the other.
When I read them, I did so through the lens of my Christian faith and convictions. (Reminder: My first allegiance belongs to Jesus. Not my country or political party.) In fairness, both contained writing I thought was good. But neither of them was written by the finger of God in stone on a mountain top. All that being said, one of them contained significantly more problem areas that conflict with my faith.
By the way, just in case you are wondering, I am a registered Independent who seeks to give the two major parties a fair hearing. With that in mind, I thought it wise to talk with believers I know on both sides of the aisle to see what I could learn from them on how their faith affects their political decisions. In a nutshell, here is what I learned from that process:
-Most people I talked to had strong family and/or cultural influences that influenced them to choose their party. Each of them said they are with their respective party based on their own choice as they matured. A couple did change parties.
-Most, if not all, of the ones I spoke with do not completely agree with their Party’s platform.
-People on both sides have a tendency to highlight the “virtues” of their party’s platform and overlook the “vices” no matter how horrible they may be.
-There is a strong tendency to stick with the party you started with, even if that party has significantly drifted from its original platform.
-Most, if not all, of the people I talked to have at least some level of disappointment and concern about their party’s candidate. There was a STRONG sentiment of, “Is this really the best we can do?”
Well, I don’t know if this is the best we can do, but I do know it is what has been done. So, that brings us back to the question raised earlier: How do people of the Christian faith in America handle voting in the 2024 Presidential Election with the two main candidates being the ones stated above?
The way I see it, there are a few options:
1. Don’t vote. I DO NOT recommend this. I simply offer it as a possible way of handling the situation. I cannot make this my choice because too many people have paid the ultimate price for me to have this freedom.
2. Vote for a 3rd Party Candidate. This is an option you can consider. If you come to the conclusion that you cannot, in good conscience, vote for either of the two main candidates, you can cast your vote for a 3rd Party Candidate. Some say this is “Throwing your vote away.” Historically speaking, that statement has merit. Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, George Wallace in 1968, and Ross Perot in 1992 had notable showings as 3rd Party Candidates, but none of them came close to winning. Please keep this in mind: Your faith affects everything you do. And if your faith leads you to vote this way, vote accordingly.
3. Vote for one of the two main candidates. A friend of mine said this year it will be “Hold your nose and pull the lever”.
I plan to vote in the 2024 Presidential Election on November 5 at the location designated for me to do so based on where I live. I will vote having prayerfully read both the Democratic and Republican Party Platforms and weighed them against my Christian faith and convictions. I will vote having talked with brothers and sisters on both sides of the aisle to consider their perspectives. I will vote having considered 3rd Party Candidates. I will make this decision through the lens of my faith in Jesus Christ because He has my first allegiance. And when the votes are counted and the results are in, I will live with them.
I challenge you, my brothers and sisters in Christ to do the same. And please remember this: Jesus isn’t running for President. He doesn’t have to. He is already KING!
Bro. Ray Jones
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