Casting Your Vote With A Small Smooth Stone

By Dennis Rowan

Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine........ David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. (1 Samuel 17:40-45)

Do politics and religion mix? Yes, but not very well. Perverted religion when mixed with politics leads to perverted politics. Nonbelievers will always have a worldly view, and research has shown that many Christians are no different. Christians should have a biblical view as opposed to a worldly one.

Problems arise anytime Christians compromise their biblical view and began to accept the world view instead. For example, according to man's law in America it is legal for a woman to have her baby killed just so long as the death blow (or brain suction while being delivered feet first) is just prior to the baby's exit from the vagina. Once a baby moves about four more inches until the baby is completely delivered, then man's law says it is not okay to kill the baby. Sane people, in my opinion would ask, "What's the difference?" While many Christians readily call any deliberate abortion of unborn babies as sinful, there are many who profess to be Christian who adamantly differ. They have the view of the world, and not the biblical view. The abortion issue is just one of many challenges in our culture. For those still reading this piece, I don't need to list them.

The government of the United States of America was established using biblical principles. In fact today, September 17 is the anniversary of the date the U.S. Constitution was approved in 1787. Research by two professors, Donald Lutz and Charles Hyneman revealed that the Bible accounted for 34 percent of the direct quotations of our founding fathers. That included about 15,000 different writings in various publications. Among the 55 men who wrote the constitution most were Christian. With that knowledge (not likely available in our public state run schools) it is easy to believe and understand that our nation was established upon Christian principles. In those days the biblical view greatly influenced those who served in our three branches of government. That solid biblical foundation by godly men established the standards that would set the United States of America apart from the rest of the world for many years after 1787. John Quincy Adams made the following statement that illustrates an important attitude of the founders.

Things are different in the year 2004. As ungodly men ignored the Constitution, misinterpreted laws and made new laws in violation of God's law the bond between principles of civil government and the principles of Christianity began dissolving. So long as godly men ruled using biblical principles, then everything was okay. Everything is not okay today, but Christians are still using the same two-party political system they have used for more than 100 years in efforts to influence the culture. We are attempting to change the culture by electing men and women into office in an ungodly environment. Its like one definition of insanity, "keep doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Specifically, we identify a problem, look to the government, and then vote for a Republican or vote for a Democrat hoping to get positive results. Neither party stands on a platform or has a recent track record that honors God. Same old, same old. Why get in a tizzy over corrupt politicians by thinking you can change them with your vote for the lesser of two evils?

Conventional wisdom says we must stay within the two political parties, and Christians are advised to pick the one that is the least ungodly and vote for them. Mention voting for someone in a third party and immediately we hear, "But they don't have a chance to win!" Serving Jesus Christ is not a lottery game. It's not about winning with our own wisdom and strength. Have we Christians lost our way?

What were the odds for the young shepherd boy David when he charged Goliath, the giant?

What were the odds when Moses and the Israelites were at the Red Sea with Pharaoh's army in hot pursuit?

What were the odds when Daniel was thrown in a den of lions without a weapon?

What were the odds they would survive when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown in the blazing furnace?

There are many other examples in the Bible about those who chose to follow God rather than the conventional wisdom of man. Is God any different today? Can we muster up the courage to be obedient to God's Word? If it were all about winning with his own strength, David would have just stood still and kept his mouth shut, Moses would have let the popular vote of the people turn him back toward Egypt, and Daniel and his three friends would have bowed before the king.

Should Christians vote? Yes. Should we vote based upon our idea as to who has the best chance to win, or should we vote according to how a party platform and a candidate's views and actions match biblical standards? If, for example, the Constitution Party has the correct platform, will you surrender to one of the two giants (Democrat or Republican) and vote for the one with the better odds to meet your immediate personal desires, or will you lay down those desires, opt for godly principle and then let God take care of the results after you have taken your best shot with that small smooth stone in the voting booth?