This article is a partial transcript from a recent episode of The GoodLion Podcast, a product of Calvary Global Network. Listen to the full episode below or subscribe.

The 2020 presidential election has been the capstone of a remarkably bad year, the only cherry fitting for ice cream sundae of horrors that this year has served us. Things have been tense, to put it mildly. Partisan Facebook posts, one-sided conversations, and harsh accusations abound.

For followers of Jesus, this moment presents a very important choice. We can contribute to the noise in a remarkably noisy season, or we can be messengers of peace in a country that desperately needs it.

The purpose of this article is not to outline who I think you should vote for. Instead, what I want to highlight are four ways we can live like Jesus in the midst of a contentious election.

1. Make Prayer Your Top Priority

It is so easy to talk about how important prayer is. We all bring up how much we value the idea of praying. We all say that what we need to do most is pray for our country, but let me ask this: Are you actually doing that? Are you actually consistently praying that God would have his way in America?

Sometimes in praying for our country, we only pray the big picture prayers. We often ask God to have His way in America, but we don’t ask how we can most effectively influence Americans. In an anxious moment, we should consistently pray for God to make us a non-anxious presence in an anxious moment so that others can see that following Jesus is worthwhile. If ultimately we’re going to say that our first allegiance is to God’s kingdom, then our primary action should focus on that kingdom.

Let me not mince words: I do not believe that voting is the most important thing you can do in this election. I believe that praying is the most important thing you can do in this election.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t vote. I’m not saying that you should give up on every other thing that you do, you should do. But if we give up on prayer, we are giving up the most important thing that we can do. We’re giving up the most influential tool we have at our disposal.

Jesus calls us to pray. He asks us to pray for leaders. He asks us to pray for the well-being of wherever we happen to live. Let’s make sure that we’re focused on prayer.

2. Be Gracious When Everyone Else is Being Vicious

How many posts have you seen where somebody has said, “If you don’t vote for the candidate of my choice, you can just unfollow/unfriend me?” More than a few, right? Whenever I see those posts, I can’t help but feel that, “Vote my way, or get out of my life,” is a fragile form of friendship. How sad to have relationships that are entirely built on political agreement.

Well, let’s think about it this way. What message do we communicate when we post, “if you don’t vote a certain way, you can’t be a Christian?” Statements like that add a condition to the Gospel that Jesus never included.

When we hear the gospel shared in church, holding the right political view is never mentioned. When you meet with a friend that doesn’t believe in Jesus and you try to walk them through the process of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, you don’t bring up voting at all.

So why are we going to add voting a certain way to what counts as being a follower of Jesus? I don’t think we can do that. People do things from all different kinds of motivations. I don’t think it’s our job to judge the motives of other believers. I don’t think it should affect the way that we love other people.

Think about all the encounters you see between Jesus and people that were very anti-Jesus. What was he doing? He was listening. He was asking questions. He was sidestepping hot button issues from time to time so that he could focus on the issue that he really cared about: establishing the kingdom of God and inviting everyone to join it.

3. Follow Your Conscience and the Holy Spirit

I believe that Jesus will lead his followers to do different things this election season. There may not be one “Christian” way to vote. Instead, Jesus may lead some of His people to vote a certain way so they can influence their communities and other followers of His to vote another way. I think it’s very possible that as a Christian, you can be led to vote for one candidate or another, or to vote for a third party candidate or to not vote at all.

Maybe this idea sounds shocking to you, particularly if you are accustomed to the idea that Christians are searching for the “right way” to vote. But if we really believe that God’s main goal is not political, then God is guiding us with His kingdom in mind, not just with a political candidate in mind. His plans are bigger than we know, so let’s believe that He can accomplish His purposes even if we don’t all agree on one candidate.

I hope that each of us prayerfully arrive at our convictions. Don’t let news outlets or media sources make your mind up for you; let Jesus show you what to do. And once you receive that from Jesus, you run with that. Really hang on to Romans 14:23 which tells us, “Everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

That means that what you do might put you out of step with other people around you. That’s okay. Followers of Jesus throughout history have always been out of step with society. They have always been the outcasts. If you’re following your conscience and the Holy spirit, you’re doing exactly what God wants you to do. Even if it leads to feeling like an outcast.

4. Prepare Yourself to Take The Humble Seat in Society

God’s kingdom is not about political power. God’s people have been in exile under the fist of oppressive systems, and they’ve been most influential when they’ve been most marginalized.

As we hear all of the claims of “taking our country back,” Christians can find confidence that we don’t need to take back anything. The world is already God’s. God will work everything out in his timing. God’s goals have not and cannot be stopped by any particular election result. Your real King has no chance of being voted out. And if the election result leaves you feeling like you lost or leaves you feeling like your voice wasn’t heard, remember that that has been the standard political position for the church throughout human history.

Hebrews 11:36-37 describes a number of faithful followers of Jesus by saying that, “Some faced jeers and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning. They were sodden too. They were killed by the sword they went about in sheepskins and goatskins destitute, persecuted and mistreated.”

But in verse 38, it says, “The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. They were all commended for their faith yet. None of them received what had been promised.”

When we think about following Jesus, we should rather live on the outskirts with Jesus than establish political power without Him. While we have the incredible privilege to influence our nation through voting, it’s worth remembering that God has consistently used people without political influence to demonstrate the kind of life he offers. Jesus is the ultimate power; He’s already welcomed us onto His side, and He is in the process of establishing His kingdom.

This is a crazy moment in history. It is a scary season. It is moment where I completely understand why so many people are freaking out. But that freak out is the perfect opportunity to remind people the presence of God provides peace and healing, even while chaos like this is going on.

This is our chance to show people that following Jesus genuinely makes things different. Let’s be committed to showing people that following Jesus brings peace and hope and makes you generous and gracious. We don’t need to join the thousands of shouting voices. Instead, we can act as heralds of a greater kingdom to come.

Psalm 146:3-4 says, “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.” God’s desire is not to create a community around a man running for office. God’s desire is to create a family around a man who gave His life for ours. Christians can stand firm in unity built on Jesus regardless of what we do with our ballots. That’s the kind of unity our country needs, and only Christians can offer that.

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The GoodLion podcast is a show by Aaron Salvato and Brian Higgins, the founders of CGN’s GoodLion Podcast Network. Each episode, their goal is to ask hard questions, push past easy answers and always look to Jesus, the God who is not safe but is very good. Visit GoodLion.io.

“Thanksgiving: A Time to Feel; a Time to Heal”– CalvaryChapel.com
“The good news is that we don’t have to choose either/or. With the Bible as one’s authority and guide, we can acknowledge the ugliness, injustice and pain of the past—including present-day implications for countless natives—and yet, still redeem present-day Thanksgiving in the context of the Gospel.”

“A Glimpse at the Intersectional Left’s Political Endgame”– Intelligencer – New York Magazine
“Every now and again, it’s worth thinking about what the intersectional left’s ultimate endgame really is — They seem not to genuinely believe in liberalism, liberal democracy, or persuasion… Rather, the ultimate aim seems to be running the entire country by fiat to purge it of racism (and every other intersectional “-ism” and “phobia”, while they’re at it). And they demand “disciplinary tools” by unelected bodies to enforce “a radical reorientation of our consciousness.”

“That ‘Junk’ DNA… Is Full of Information!”– Advanced Science News!
“These regions of DNA may then be regarded as structurally important elements in forming the correct shape and separation of condensed coding sequences in the genome, regardless of any other possible function that those non-coding sequences have: in essence, this would be an “explanation” for the persistence in genomes of sequences to which no “function” (in terms of evolutionarily-selected activity), can be ascribed (or, at least, no substantial function).”

“Check Out All Available Podcasts!”– CalvaryChapel.com
“Did you know we have a collection of podcasts available on CalvaryChapel.com? Our vision is to cover topics in theology, culture, ministry etc. that pertain to the Christian faith and make these resources available to you! We pray that these resources will be a blessing and encouragement. Click the link below to learn more about each podcast!”

“Adam and Eve Are Possible: A Second Bite at the Genetic Apple”– BreakPoint
“An oft-repeated claim by skeptics is that geneticists have disproved the possibility of Adam and Eve. Because existing human genetic diversity is so great, there can be no original couple from whom all people are descended. Or, that’s what we’re told.”

“Jesus is King & Kanye West”– GoodLion Podcast Network
“For 27 minutes I watched as each barber, who usually only watches his language when children are in the shop, seemed to be locked in on every word. Their interest peaked with each bar (line in a song), to the verge of almost raising their hands to worship. When the album ended there wasn’t disdain or disgust, but they hit repeat and even turned the volume louder the second time through. Dialogue then broke out in the shop, and not the usual chatter about sports or conspiracy theories like who really shot TuPac; but these conversations were about church, faith and Jesus.”

“Get Ready for Spring 2020 Semester!”– CalvaryChapel.com
“Here you will find links to some of the best Calvary Chapel Affiliated Institutions involved in the field of Education. From earning an accredited Bachelor of Arts in Theology with Calvary Chapel Bible College of Europe to getting practical assistance in establishing a private Christian school, the ministries listed here provide broad avenues of training and education to help you fulfill God’s plan for your life and ministry.”

“The Gift of Prophecy”– Back to Basics
“Can those who are not in a teaching position receive this gift? Of course. As we have already stated, any believer can potentially manifest any one of the gifts of the Spirit. Prophecy can come through someone simply quoting a Scripture or by passing on a phrase or an idea that God has impressed on his or her mind.”

The Link is a collection of content from around the web, discussing topics in culture, theology, ministry and current events. CalvaryChapel.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with every message or perspective in the diverse pieces posted on The Link. By providing The Link, we hope to help you stay informed of important events and conversations taking place in the world that are relevant to the Christian faith.

On Thursday, October 10, in what was billed as CNN’s Equality Town Hall, then-presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke suggested churches and other nonprofit organizations ought to lose their tax-exempt status if they opposed same-sex marriage. Though O’Rourke has withdrawn his candidacy, his statement broached a subject that’s been garnering increasing attention: Should the tax-exempt status of religious groups be revoked? Atheists have long called for it. Adding fuel to the flame of debate is the Equality Act, which many traditional religious groups oppose.

In arguing the 2015 Obergefell decision legalizing same-sex marriage, Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli, Jr., conceded in questioning before the Supreme Court that colleges and universities that oppose same-sex marriage could lose their tax-exempt status. “It is going to be an issue,” he acknowledged. Judging the winds of political change as now favorable, Beto O’Rourke made the revoking of tax-exempt status for churches and other religious organizations a part of his campaign.

If the Equality Act passes, the contest between the sexual revolution and religious liberty that’s run since the 60s will be over. The sexual revolution will have won, and religious liberty will be a thing of the past in the United States.

This won’t be the first time Christians are marginalized in the society in which they live. Historically speaking, the freedoms believers have enjoyed in the United States for the past couple hundred years is an anomaly. Even during the centuries in Europe when Church and State were joined hip and thigh, it was only a preferred sect that was accepted. Other groups were persona non grata. Religious liberty was something only enjoyed by those who towed the party (denominational) line.

Excuse me for getting personal, but a challenge we must address is this: If churches lose their tax-exempt status, will you continue to give? It’s best to ponder this question now.

Let’s be honest. Some give because of the tax break it yields. If that break were to disappear, they’d no longer give. Others give with dual motives. They know they ought to give to support the work of the church but also because of the handy deduction it provides. These may continue to give if that tax advantage were to go away, but not as much or as often. Still, others give with little thought to the deduction it affords. They may claim it on their returns; they may not. It’s a moot point to them. They give as an act of worship and will continue to do so whatever the IRS does.

Pondering what we’ll do if the tax-exempt status of our church is revoked due to its faithfulness to a Biblical morality of sex is an important consideration because it helps sort out the motive of our current giving. Knowing why we give now is important. We ought to give as an act of worship and obedience, obedience shaped by love for the One Who gave all for us. That we are able to write off donations to nonprofit organizations is a plus. It ought not to factor into when, where or how much we give.

_{CalvaryChapel.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with every message or perspective in the diverse web links shared. By including these links, we hope to help you stay informed of important events and conversations taking place in the world that are relevant to the Christian faith.}

By way of introduction, let me say some may find what follows offensive. What I have penned here isn’t meant to be provocative for its own sake. It’s blunt, yes. But the subject matter really can’t be made “nice.” There’s a reality embedded here that needs to be stated clearly, even with the awareness, some will be put off by the straight-forward way it’s stated. This is my opinion.

Over 20 years ago, I was in a discussion with someone about an upcoming election. Then, as now, there was the feeling among many that the election was a turning point, a defining moment, when the future of our nation would be decided. That same sentiment has been expressed at every election since. It’s an appropriate sentiment, because every election IS a turning point. It’s the way the founders of our great republic designed it. It’s in our electoral process that the American people have the opportunity to install those candidates into office, whom they believe best embody their position on the important issues of the day.

Our future as a nation is determined in the voting booth. Every time we go to the polls.

In that same conversation 20 years ago, I expressed my belief that a candidate’s position on abortion was the most critical factor in determining whether or not to vote for him/her. The person I was speaking with disparaged my “single-issue” perspective. He said that abortion was just one of many important issues and that to vote for a candidate on that position alone was short-sighted. Since I’d always seen abortion as much larger than “one of many important political issues,” I was taken aback by this retort and failed to respond. Both wisdom and tact demanded that I reply in a measured and reasonable manner. And to that point, I had not formulated an eloquent response.

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Lawrence White, a Lutheran minister, address this issue. He perfectly articulated why ending abortion ought to rise as the single-issue that defines what we look for in candidates who stand for election. Contrary to what a recent president said, it’s NOT “the economy, stupid.” It’s not national defense, as important as that issue is. It’s not immigration or terrorism. Neither does global climate change nor Iran provide the challenge most determinative of our future. The single issue that rises above all these is the murder of millions of innocent pre-born children. Just as Abel’s blood cried out of the ground to God, so buckets of it scream for justice from the abortion clinics across America.

A nation that slaughters its most innocent and vulnerable, its powerless and defenseless, in the name of convenience, doesn’t deserve economic prosperity or safe borders. What it deserves is the wrath of a Holy God Who has pledged Himself to the poor and weak.

I AM a single-issue voter because THIS issue – the life of the unborn, is THE watershed reality of our time.

Once I know a candidate’s position on abortion, I know their position on virtually every other issue. If they are staunchly pro-life, I know they will be politically conservative and classically faithful to the founders on the rest of the issues. If a candidate is pro-abortion, they deny the image of God in humanity and can’t be trusted to be right on ANY issue, regardless of how they campaign. How can you trust a man or woman who is for the murder of infants? Make no mistake, that is exactly what pro-abortion advocates are for. They aren’t for “choice.” They are for the murder of the innocent.

So, I am a single issue voter. I will vote for real pro-life. By real, I mean those whose pro-life position isn’t adopted just because it is part of the party platform. I mean people whose pro-life position is rooted in a consistent worldview that understands the government’s role to protect the innocent and to prosecute the guilty in accordance with what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 13.

Yes, I understand the appeal of the pragmatic view that voting for an unelectable pro-life candidate may take away a vote from another major party candidate, who as a pro-abortion candidate, would be “the lesser of two evils.” As recent elections have demonstrated, a so-called fiscal conservative-social liberal ends up being a fiscal weasel. But, of course, how can someone who is wrong on THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE of the day be right or consistent on ANYTHING ELSE?

I will not “throw my vote away” on any candidate who lacks the moral wisdom and strength to take a stand for what is patently good and right, campaign as pro-life and will use their office to bring an end to the holocaust of abortion.

Regardless of our philosophical viewpoints, I think almost everyone would agree. We live in very interesting times. We are in the midst of one of the most highly contested presidential elections we have ever seen. While some are passionately committed to a particular candidate, others have resigned themselves, determined that no possibilities give us any real hope of changing the downward direction of our nation. Added to this, we have just lost one of our Supreme Court justices, creating an even more complicated scenario for American politics. It seems our natural reaction to these things is despair. This hopelessness often produces a constant flow of complaint about the present condition and fear for what lies ahead. I am reminded of the words of Charles Spurgeon who wrote:

“Ill weeds grow swiftly. Covetousness, discontent, and murmuring are as natural to man as thorns are to the soil. We need not sow thistles and brambles; they come up naturally enough, because they are indigenous to earth: and so, we need not teach men to complain; they complain fast enough without any education. But the precious things of the earth must be cultivated.”

It is natural to complain about the economy, politics, and the moral state of our nation. But the Bible places an expectation upon the child of God.

That we would go beyond the natural and do things that will actually bring about positive change in the world we live in.

“You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.” Exodus 22:28

Under the Old Testament law, God made it illegal for the people to curse their rulers. This was not because the rulers would always prove to be faultless, nor did it mean that they were above the law, or that their actions could not be questioned. In fact, God always puts a higher standard on rulers than He does on the rest of the people. James even warns those who are teachers. They will be under a stricter judgment than others. This law was designed to point out the folly of complaining about those who are in charge. Instead of grousing about our leaders, the laws, or the direction the nation is heading, the Bible gives us far more productive ways to handle poor leadership and a declining culture. God instructs us to pray for our leadership and to infiltrate the culture with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Our nation allows each of us an equal voice in the selection of our leaders. We exercise that voice at the ballot box. Yet, we have a means far more effective than our vote. It is our prayer closet.

As believers, we bear a responsibility to vote but an even greater responsibility to pray for our leadership.

In Israel’s history, God allowed certain kings to reign, because they represented the wickedness of the people. At other times, God expressed His mercy by raising up a leader, who would bring about significant change, that resulted in wide spread revival for the nation. Paul explained the motivation behind praying for our leadership: God desires all men everywhere to be saved. We should be faithfully praying for leaders who would create an environment that allows for the furtherance of the kingdom.

Regardless of who sits on earthly thrones, the responsibility of the church does not change. The church was birthed in very heated political times. Israel sat under Roman dominance, and immorality was rampant throughout the empire. The early church did not look to Caesar as the answer to life’s problems. They looked to the Lord. They did not wait for legislation to make ministry easier or more accepted, nor did they become sidetracked from the mission in hand. Instead, they took seriously the great commission, and believed that no matter what happened in Rome, the world needed to hear about Jesus. Their message was not political but biblical. They believed that the hope for their world was the cross, and they proclaimed it boldly to the farthest reaches of the globe. As things heated up politically, the church became more devoted to prayer and the proclamation of the Gospel to the whole world.

I wonder what would happen if we took half the time we spent complaining about the condition of our nation and invested that in prayer and in seeking effective ways to bring the Gospel message to others.

Introduction

This article is based on the positive response that has come out of our men’s group, month-long “faith and politics” series at our church.

Now normally, we don’t talk politics. But one particular night, as the early birds were sitting around sipping coffee and talking about the events of the day, the topic of politics was brought up. It seemed as though a sort of light went on, and it was obvious that even though we don’t discuss it often, it obviously matters, and everyone obviously has an opinion (or two, or three).

At that moment I thought, “Why not take that space and connect their political preferences consciously to a Christian framework?”

To be perfectly transparent, I’ve really gone back-and-forth in my thinking over the years between “We are too political,” and “We are not political enough.” I confess, I still don’t have it worked out just right. But I do believe that it is possible to arrive at an overall conception and disposition that we Christians ought to have toward the American, political landscape. At the very least, I believe there is a scriptural mandate to do so, “… Take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5b).

While I do believe it is possible to have spiritually ambiguous political views, some are quite obviously related to spiritual truths or lies. Thus, I think it is worthwhile to take a step back and understand the political landscape from a Christian worldview.

What hath Faith to do with Politics?

In Christian theology, it is said that faith’s object-subject is God. But, faith’s purpose is to glorify God. To glorify God with one’s life means to diffuse the knowledge of God into every sphere of life on earth. This means that the arts, the humanities, the sciences, the workplace, recreation, neighborhood, country, and world are all arenas in which God’s glory is to be seen; and it is seen uniquely in-and-through the people who have been called-out by Jesus, the Messiah. And since politics has some effect on all of those things, politics matter to faith.

More specifically, faith aims to call sinners to repentance and to make disciples fit for the kingdom of God. So, the tricky part of the question is: How do we call sinners to repentance and make disciples fit for the kingdom of God, amidst the reality of being citizens in a democratic republic? Before we answer that question, it is important to consider how the church has responded to this basic challenge throughout history.

As it turns out, our spiritual ancestors have had quite an up-and-down experience.

The Road Our People Have Traveled: The Earliest Years

For the early Christians, from the time of Christ until the time of Constantine, this matter of faith and politics was quite simple. They had no official, political voice. They had no vote. They had very little rights. They were a minuscule minority in a vast, totalitarian empire.

They were at best tolerated and at worst persecuted, often cut-out from profits in the business world, became social and religious outcasts, sometimes imprisoned, sometimes tortured, and even executed. And so it is important to consider the relationship between faith and politics, as well as the value of politics itself, in a historically Christian worldview. It is important to remember that all of the writings in the New Testament took place in this context, where Christians had no political power or say.

Yet, the Early Christians believed that even the ruthless, corrupt leaders were under the authority of the Judeo-Christian God. For three hundred years, prayer and personal influence (i.e. alternative lifestyle as indirect political protest) were the only say that Christian faith had in politics.

Listen to what the apostle Paul wrote to the young pastor Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:1-7: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”

Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Interestingly, while we may think that their hands were politically tied (How did they survive in a world without a vote?!), that’s not how the apostles’ viewed the situation. Listen to what Paul said to Timothy just before the passage I quoted above on prayer: “This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19a having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected…” Paul, along with the rest of the authors of the Bible, believed that the source of our present warfare is NOT what you can see on the surface, but the spiritual realities that lie behind them. The political drama, while real, is not the source of true conflict, but rather a medium of it. Hence, prayer deals with political problems at their source.