The Stand
Subject: AMERICA, THE VOTE
What a privilege it is to be an American citizen, really an unbelievable privilege. If you study the history of mankind, the rise of nations, the rulership of kings and queens, and dictators, and judges, and you look at the role of common human beings like you and me, in short if you compare America to any other nation in the history of mankind, there is none like her, NONE AT ALL!
We are a nation based on democracy and freedom. We were founded by patriots and forefathers who knew that there was nothing, NOTHING that equaled the fundamental human priority of:
FREEDOM
and the building of a nation to protect, preserve, and defend FREEDOM. Our forefathers, constitutionalists, gave us a nation which they termed a REPUBLIC, a nation with constitutional protections which, no matter who was elected at any level of government, would make certain that every citizen of this great new country would enjoy the rights and freedoms, those inalienable ones divinely determined, no matter who exercised power.
Our forefathers who gave us our beloved constitution and politically structured this great country counted upon the fact that WE THE PEOPLE would be lovers of freedom, even as they were. They believed that anyone who became an American citizen and had the privilege of living in America would have the blood of patriots coursing through their veins, and would do anything and everything, even willing to shed that blood, if necessary, in order to protect this great country and the freedoms which it offered.
They believed that we would believe, like Patrick Henry, who said:
“GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!”
Our forefathers counted upon us to be the ultimate checks and balances holding individuals, departments, and all of government accountable, voting them out, convicting them of high crimes where necessary, and never letting any government or governmental official take away any constitutionally guaranteed freedoms including and especially the precious freedoms of the First Amendment of our Constitution.
They believed that real Americans would step up and with all their might, protect the freedom of religion, and protect the freedom of speech, especially the freedom of speech, and the freedom of the press, and the right to petition our government and be heard, and to assemble in lawful groups at any time, especially churches, to discuss, worship, or otherwise socialize. Our forefathers codified that belief in our constitution, believing We The People would never take those previous rights and freedoms for granted, never assume that they would always be there whether or not we were actively involved in their protection.
Those real patriots would today be shocked, utterly dismayed, broken in mind and spirit should they be able to see how We The People have put our great country in such danger, such risk of loss of the fundamental pillars of our great society.
Not only is there seemingly a lack of concern among so many citizens regardless of belief, but also Christian citizens who wish no involvement in politics. But, says the Billy Graham organization, you cannot separate politics from the Bible. The Old Testament is immersed in politics. It is about God creating nations, ordaining kings and kingdoms and rulers, and with prophets rebuking kings. That is politics.
And our Lord admonishes us to render under Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to make certain, as citizens, that all governments and rulers work for the good of the nation and its people. It is therefore, so very many believe, the DUTY of every Christian to be involved in politics, to make certain they function for the good, for justice for all, for righteousness, for equality, and to know that God himself created all men and women equal without divine preference or prejudice, and we the people should make certain those intentions and priorities of the creator of our universe, of all things, and of us, are carried out. THAT SURELY INCLUDES OUR FULL INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS!
The Apostle Paul says in I Thessalonians 5:21:
“BUT TEST EVERYTHING; HOLD FAST TO WHAT IS GOOD!”
We should remember that apostolic admonition when we vote. And vote we must, for that is the ultimate act of involvement, political decision making, which is not only our right as citizens and Christians, but our duty as well. It is, in my view, the ultimate betrayal of the privileges we enjoy as citizens and Christians, if for any reason we do not vote. Where there is good to be done, it is our duty to do that good. It is our duty to vote for the very best people who will exercise the power of our governments and do the most good.
Often, the choices we have are limited. The people for whom we can vote may not be to our liking or the policies they espouse may be somewhat different, less perfect than we might require. But hear the words of James Dobson and Family Talk:
“I’M NOT VOTING FOR THE PERSON. I’M VOTING FOR THE PLATFORM!”
That, I do believe, is good advice for we are voting not necessarily for the person. We are however voting for a politician, none of whom is perfect by any means, and we are not voting for a pastor. It should matter not about the personality of the person but the platform, the priorities. The vote we cast should not be on the basis of a like or dislike for an individual, but on past performance, the actual works, deeds, words, of the person to whom we would delegate the power to rule. We should examine carefully, past performance, points of view, the platforms and policies offered, and vote for that person who would do the most good for America and its citizens, WE THE PEOPLE! We should vote for leaders who would protect and preserve America, and our Constitution, and our freedoms, for that is POLITICS.
So, in the words of Franklin Graham, we should first and foremost:
PRAY
Pray that God would give us the right options in potential rulers. Pray that God would give us wisdom to discern and understand how to vote right. Then, from our Lord’s prayer, comes the ultimate result:
THY WILL BE DONE.
And, having done everything that we could do and should do, the will of our Lord will have been accomplished. What a job, what a privilege, what a blessing to be an American citizen and to live in this great country as millions the world over wish to do.
So, as we vote, and our nation reforms its political structure we should say in prayer with all our hearts: