[Rushtalk] The Cripplegate Why I Am Voting for Trump
Carl Spitzer {C Juno}
cwsiv at juno.com
Wed Nov 18 06:42:22 MST 2020
Cripplegate Why I Am Voting for
Trump
________________________________________________________________
Why I Am Voting for Trump
Posted: 29 Oct 2020 01:02 AM PDT
wikipedia
I’m voting for Trump.
That might be a bit like nails on the chalkboard for some of my
friends and ministerial colleagues. I would ask them to hear me
out before dismissing my reasoning. And Christians understand
that this is not an issue we ought to part fellowship over.
I was raised in the bluest region of the bluest state in the
nation. Today, I live and minister in a very blue county. This
isn’t cultural for me.
So, here’s why I’m voting for Trump.
Flawed Rulers
We could start many places, but I will start here: What if a
candidate possesses character flaws? Do we overlook them because
the end justifies the means? Do we compromise biblical
principles and vote for a morally flawed candidate anyways?
When it comes to voting, Scripture does not require Christians
to do either of these. Is that a convenient hermeneutical escape
hatch?
No. Scripture teaches that things are going to be rough between
Genesis 3 and Revelation 20. God’s people have understood
throughout these ages that thorns and thistles will permeate
every corner of life. When it comes to the secular state and the
kingdom of man, we keep proper expectations. Scripture does not
teach, for example, that if political ruler has broken a
particular commandment, that God no longer recognizes the
legitimacy of that government (cf. Rom. 13:1). Daniel, Nehemiah,
and Paul knew something about that.
Scripture does not command believers to vote for a ruler of the
secular state in the same way they would find a local church
pastor. There are passages expressing God’s will for political
rulers. And there are commands for the qualifications of local
church pastors (1 Tim. 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9). There are character
and moral commands for every person (e.g. the Ten Commandments,
Ex. 20:1-17). Every person alive has broken the Ten Commandments
(Eccles. 7:20, Rom. 3:23, Jas. 2:10). Can someone serve in
political or ecclesiastical office, having broken commandments
notwithstanding? If not, no one ever could. However, Scripture
mandates a pattern of observable character qualifications for
pastors and deacons (1 Tim. 3:1-12, Titus 1:6-9). If a pastor or
deacon does not possess the biblical qualifications, they are
unqualified or disqualified from the office, depending on the
circumstances. God gives the church authority to remove
individuals who disqualify themselves (1 Tim. 5:19-20).
What if a political ruler has broken biblical commandments,
prior to, or while, in office? Does that disqualify them from
serving the state? Under Israel’s old covenant theocracy, it
often did. Today, it does not. Does that mean God is pleased if
a ruler violates commands? Of course not. But Scripture does not
mandate that a morally flawed ruler be removed today. Such
things are commanded of professing Christians in the NT local
church (Matt. 18:17), but not of the state. Nor does Scripture
command Christians to disdain flawed rulers (1 Pet. 2:13-17).
And neither does Scripture forbid Christians from voting for
them.
God’s Mandate for Government
So, what biblical principles can God’s people use to guide them
in voting? My basic reasoning comes down to what Scripture
requires of government.
Romans 13:1–Every person is to be in subjection to the governing
authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and
those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever
resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who
have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For
rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil.
Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and
you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of
God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for
it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of
God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.
5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only
because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because
of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God,
devoting themselves to this very thing.
God requires government to restrain evil and collect taxes
justly. If I have the privilege in my country to vote, that’s
what will guide me in voting. Insofar as we can discern the
policy principles of each candidate, voting is about advocating
for the candidate who will restrain as much societal evil as
possible (as Scripture defines evil) and collect taxes as justly
as possible. That’s really it. God isn’t asking me to like a
political ruler I’m voting for. He is asking me to honor them
and be respectful (1 Pet. 2:13-17). But I don’t have to feel
like I want to be best friends forever with a candidate in order
to heartily vote for them. It really is just about whose
policies will most conform to God’s purposes for the state. You
can’t expect much more than that from fallen rulers in the
kingdom of man. So, using that criteria, how do I get to a vote
for Trump?
1. Abortion
Since the 1973 Roe vs. Wade case, about 63 million unborn
children have been legally aborted in the United States of
America. That’s an average of about 1.3 million each year and
3,672 each day for the past 47 years.
I was talking with a pro-choice friend the other day who doesn’t
profess Christ about why abortion is a big deal for Christians.
I explained that one reason Christians care so much about it is
because, being regenerate by God’s grace, they have a new
heightened sense of justice and righteousness (1 Cor. 2:16).
Unborn children are the most helpless, defenseless image-bearers
in the population. Therefore, it is unspeakably unjust to take
their lives.
I put abortion at the top of the list because taking the life of
the most helpless, defenseless image-bearers is unquestionably
the greatest evil as it pertains to the election. Some might
counter, “Well, rape is a greater evil than abortion.” It
certainly is an unspeakable evil. But neither candidate is in
favor of legalizing rape that I know of. And the sin of pride
isn’t either, since it doesn’t explicitly have 63 million deaths
in its wake.
Trump is not in favor of abortion. He is one of the more
pro-life presidents we have had, being the first ever to speak
at the March for Life in January of this year. At the rally, he
said, “We are here for a very simple reason: to defend the right
of every child, born and unborn, to fulfill their God-given
potential,” “Together we are the voice for the voiceless,” and,
“As the Bible tells us, each person is wonderfully made.” Some
argue, “Yeah, but he doesn’t really believe the Bible.” Whether
or not he does, as it pertains to voting and God’s purposes for
the state, that perspective, which is backed by action, is one
that far more conforms to God’s purposes for government than
Biden/Harris.
Does a candidate’s support of the unborn mean that they can do
no wrong? Of course not. But it does mean that, as it pertains
to God’s command for the state, a pro-life president stands a
great deal for restraining this greatest of evils among us.
Biden is unapologetically in full support of abortion. This is a
candidate whose policies give a hearty pass to keep on with
aborting about one million unborn children per year, without
regard to late or early term. Biblically informed, one’s
conscience simply cannot support that. Until Trump’s policies
change and give a pass to murdering about one million helpless,
defenseless people per year, I’m voting for him.
2. Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality
CRT/I is America’s newest religion. But it is a religion unlike
any other. To the undiscerning eye, it poses as a set of
principles that might be helpful to understand the unjust
suffering of individuals of varying ethnic, socio-economic, and
sexual background. However, CRT/I is a wretched trojan horse
that parasitically takes over any and every ideology,
deconstructs, and leaves an unrecognizable carcass of what once
was in its wake.
The purpose here is not to give an exhaustive summary of CRT/I.
In short, it is a system which intentionally abandons all
objectivity, logic, and reason. It is filled with, and rooted,
in racism and partiality. Largely, it teaches that the chief sin
among humanity relates to melanin content, socio-economic class,
gender, and heterosexuality. Heterosexual middle-class white
males are inherently considered the greatest perpetrators of
society by default. Salvation in CRT/I involves being as far
away from heterosexual middle-class whiteness and maleness as
possible. Thus, the CRT/I gospel is a set of utterly impossible
righteousness; whose yoke is devastating and burden is crushing.
This is a system which propagates hate, partiality, and
prejudice (as we have seen, ironically). CRT/I will be the most
detrimental ideology to an equal society where human flourishing
is promoted as much as possible in a fallen world. Christians
will have to choose the religion of CRT/I or Christianity, but
they may not choose both. Objectively and biblically, CRT/I is,
therefore, a great evil; is anti-Christ and anti-gospel; has
done, and will do, great damage to human love and flourishing,
and therefore, must be opposed by God’s people.
Biden and Harris embrace CRT/I ideology. Harris has openly
praised the BLM organization, which is fundamentally CRT/I.
Trump, however, as openly opposed it, evidenced by a recent
executive order preventing CRT/I from use in diversity training.
3. Marxism
CRT/I is a fruit of Marxist ideologies. But Marxism goes further
than CRT/I. How someone could support it after an honest look at
history is a mystery. It’s fashionable to favor Marxism when we
are attending elite higher education systems, sipping a seven
dollar fufu drink, not standing in bread lines or being carted
off by the Gulag, and able to state opinions freely without
being hauled off to Camp 22. We can naively entertain sapling
Marxist ideologies when we still are considered persons who have
a bit of personhood. But make no mistake, Marxism entertained
will not remain on the periphery. It is utterly destructive to
any idea of personhood, much less image-bearing. Its history is
full of cruelty and needless death. History holds up exhibits A,
B, C, and X, Y, Z as if to scream to all humanity, “Don’t return
to your vomit” (Prov. 26:11). It’s amazing we’re at a place
where this is even a discussion.
Biden/Harris have not come out and confessed openly to embracing
Marxism and Communism. However, their policies and views are
welcoming to it. Harris supports the BLM organization, whose
founder and doctrine are Marxist. And, the push for greater
governmental reach, along with cries of “healthcare” and
“climate injustice” has implications of communistic ideologies.
Historically and ideologically, a love for humanity and human
flourishing cannot permit me to support such ideologies, even in
sapling form.
4. Emphasis on Law Enforcement and Military
Many on the left, especially BLM, have called for a defunding of
police. Harris recently said, “I actually believe that ‘Black
Lives Matter’ has been the most significant agent for change
within the criminal justice system.” The Biden/Harris movement
has taken a soft stance against lawlessness and rioting these
past several months. Harris supported a fund to bail out
imprisoned protestors. “Woe to those who call evil good, and
good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for
darkness” (Isa. 5:20).
Scripture mandates government to restrain evil by bearing the
sword against it (Rom. 13:4, 1 Pet. 2:14). Things like local law
enforcement and national defense/military would fall under this
mandate. Evil, as God defines, is to be punished swiftly and
justly. From governing authorities, no leniency is to be
demonstrated towards those who do evil. Let’s not confuse the
differing commands for government and individual Christians.
Individuals may exercise mercy towards evil on a personal level
(Matt. 5:43-47, Rom. 12:17-21), but the state is commanded to do
otherwise. God’s requirement for the government towards evil is
sword-bearing (Rom. 13:4). “A wise king winnows the wicked, and
drives the threshing wheel over them” (Prov. 20:26). Governing
rulers who take a soft stance against the punishment of
lawlessness only fuel greater evil (Eccles. 8:11). Therefore, a
softer stance towards evil as evidenced by the Biden/Harris
campaign cannot be said to be loving towards a society nor
helpful towards promoting human flourishing; quite the
opposite.
5. Friendliness Towards Christianity and Religious Freedom
Neither candidate is an icon for biblical Christianity. However,
Trump has demonstrated over the last four years a greater
external friendliness towards Christianity and religious freedom
than Biden/Harris. He was in favor of churches opening several
months ago when many local leaders were not. Opposing CRT/I is
inherently favorable to freedom of religion, including
Christianity. Nothing Trump has done demonstrates any
restriction of the First Amendment.
6. The Just Collection of Taxes
In addition to swiftly bearing the sword against evil, governing
authorities are commanded to justly collect taxes (Rom. 13:6).
It is an article for another time, but my opinion is that the
Biden/Harris campaign, along with other democratic policies,
lean towards unjust collection of taxes. Some consider them a
form of sanctioned theft and coveting. Are Trump’s and the
Republican’s tax policies perfect? No. But, in my opinion, they
conform closer to righteousness than Biden/Harris.
This is a brief rundown, and certainly more could be said in
this discussion. And this is not a single-issue vote scenario
for me.
There has been a tennis match in recent days as to who’s sins
are worse, Biden’s or Trump’s? Like the rest of us, Trump and
Biden need the Person and finished work of Christ for right
standing with God. Now, one might be more offended by Trump’s
sins of pride, bragging, and reviling while in office than they
are Biden’s flag-flying of (or openness to) abortion, CRT/I,
Marxism, taxes, and the homosexual agenda. Taking personal
offense may be a personal issue. But, biblically speaking,
though personal pride, bragging, and reviling are sins, they are
not more severe sins than, say, abortion. Let’s not confuse our
preference or conscience with the objective standard of God’s
word. One of the sins Biden supports, among others, has left
about 63 million dead American babies in its wake. The same
can’t be said for Trump.
Why are some professing Christians adamantly against Trump?
There are more issues to discuss than what I’ve listed above. My
position is not infallible nor the final say. Maybe it’s a
conscience issue for some. Or, maybe some confuse God’s purposes
for Israel’s theocracy with NT believers living in a secular
state. Maybe others confuse the purpose and authority we are
delegated in the church with that of the state. But perhaps for
others, I fear that some of my fellow professing Christians are
presuming to be super spiritual when it comes to voting. Perhaps
we ought to beware of a spiritual elitism that exceeds the
requirements of God’s word in this matter. When it comes to
voting, perhaps some of us are trying to be more biblical than
the Bible and godlier than God. It almost smells of virtue
signaling.
We are not voting for a spiritual paragon. We are not voting for
a church doctrinal statement, though we are voting in light of
it. A vote for a political candidate is not the equivalent of
saying, “I heartily approve of this person’s character and their
life history.” Nor is it saying, “This president and nation are
messianic, savior-like, and as great and lasting as the kingdom
of God.” Jesus is the one and only Savior (John 14:6). And his
kingdom is the one and only everlasting kingdom (Ps. 145:13).
Instead, I believe it is simply saying, “God’s purposes for the
state are to restrain as much external evil as possible and
justly collect taxes. Therefore, I am voting for the candidate
who seems to most conform to that, knowing that I am not voting
for an icon of biblical Christianity.”
Accordingly, perhaps my brother-in-law was on to something when
he posed the thought experiment to me: “Who would we vote for
during the time of Judges, Samson or the Philistines?”
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