It is the eve of November 3rd. I’ve thought many times about what life will look like once the next president has taken office. Whether it be your personal choice or not, one of the candidates will be the 46th president of the United States.
The last year has been a tough one for most. COVID-19 has caused so many to face unexpected health and financial trials. Unrest runs rampant in our streets. Many fear what is to come.
I’ve only ever voted in one election. Though I’ve been alive for several others, it seems that this one is different. You have heard it says, “this is the most important election ever” and while I don’t disagree that this one is important, it’s not the level of importance that feels so different to me.
Disunity has taken root in the lives of many, and christians are not exempt from that. Sadly, I don’t think we have done that great of a job of preventing it much at all.
So, as voting polls close and all ballots are cast and Biden or Trump take the office, what will happen? What will November 4th mean for us?
As I have personally tried to weigh the decision I will make on November 3rd, my heart has really broken to see how many brothers and sisters have split over differing opinions. I understand that there are some pretty weighty things at stake this election – ones that should not be overlooked. But, as followers of Christ, how should we respond to differences of opinions?
After the election is over and there is a president, will unity in the church return? Will brothers and sisters come together under their common faith no matter the president? I’m worried, instead, that satan will continue to stir disunity in our congregations.
So, how should we combat this? Here are a few things that I think christians should be reminded of:
Our Calling Has Not Changed:
No matter the president, God is still sovereign. He has not stepped down off of the throne. There won’t be chaos in Heaven trying to decide what moves to take because they weren’t expecting the outcome. God has not changed. His promises have not changed. Our calling has not and will not change.
As believers, our sole purpose on this earth is to bring glory to Christ in all that we do. Simply put, we are called to know Him and make Him known. That won’t be any different whether Biden or Trump holds the title of “president.”
Knowing this truth, that our calling as followers of Christ hasn’t shifted, should we not rally around the Gospel and seek to tell the lost about Christ even more?
Now more than ever we have seen how futile this world that we live in is. The Gospel, not policies and laws, is the hope of this world. No matter the president and no matter the state of our country – THIS is our calling, to go into all the world and make disciples. (Matthew 28:20)
The government doesn’t have the same calling that we do as christians. We have to be willing to get a little dirty and love those around us. That’s been our purpose from the beginning and it still will be after this election, and for all the ones to come. He makes it pretty clear that we are to love Him and love others – so let’s do that.
His Word is True:
We know that there are absolutes in Scripture that tell us, as christians, very clearly how we are to walk out our faith. But there are also issues that aren’t clearly stated in Scripture. As brothers and sisters I am sure we have all come to ideas that we differ on. Predestination? Post or pre millennialism? The list could go on.
So, in our politics, there are bound to be differences in how we view things. While I wholeheartedly believe there are issues that do very clearly have a structure in Scripture, some do not. I really appreciate the way it was explained by two pastors in a podcast I listened to recently with the idea of whole church issues vs not whole church issues.
Basically, there are things that very much are stated in scripture that christians should agree on. Those are whole church issues. Other issues that are a little less clear are ones that christians can vary on. It’s important to know the difference between the two.
The point is this: as christians, we are to hold Scripture up against our lives, our beliefs, our political leanings and all else. As brothers and sisters in Christ we should be able to encourage each other to do this. If we fall on different sides of a few issues we can ask ourselves – is this something scripture clearly states or not? Can we be unified in Christ with these differences?
The more important question is probably this – are we treasuring Christ’s Word as the supreme guide of all aspects of our lives? If we are believers we can’t draw lines around the parts of our lives we want the Word to impact and which ones it’s not allowed to touch. We must believe that above all else, His Word is true.
He is Still on the Throne
I mentioned this earlier, but I think it’s a vital point to end on.
I’ve heard some people say that they are so fearful of what’s to come if America goes one way or the other on this election. While I, too, have some concerns about what our lives will look like if this or that takes place, I must realize that no matter what happens God is still sovereign.
I often consider the Old Testament times in the Bible and what the people of those days faced. Think of the Israelties in Egypt. We very clearly see their struggle to trust that God was going to do what He had promised. We have way more reason to trust God now than they did, and yet we still doubt.
We can rest assured in this truth – God is King. The Psalms repeat it over and over that the world is His, and all that is in it is under His control. We can find so much comfort in this truth, while also walking out in boldness because we know that this world is not our home. We are only pilgrims passing through.
So, when the election is over and the next president takes office, no matter who it is, let’s fight for unity among christians. We were never promised that life on this earth will be easy. American christians know very little about persecution. I’m not at all wishing for persecution to come, but Scripture is pretty clear that we will face it. If it comes to us through the means of a president and corrupt policies, why should we be surprised?
No matter the outcome, our calling has not changed, His Word is still true, and He is still on the throne. So, go vote on November 3rd. It is extremely important. We should steward our citizenship well and honor Christ by exercising our right to vote. But come home and find peace in the fact that the outcome of the 2020 election does not determine your eternity – Christ does.
Buckle down, brothers and sisters. Now is the time to dig in and know Christ more than ever. We are His ambassadors on this earth. During this season, how well will we represent Him in our calling to unity around the Gospel?
Remember + Rejoice 