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After reading articles and having conversations with Christians that are overwrought about the potential dangers or opportunities of the upcoming election I am becoming weary. Time and time again I hear how terrible it will be if a certain candidates are elected or not elected, ballot measures are defeated or not defeated and issues are brought to the forefront or not brought to the forefront. Can a believer in Christ really be in total reliance upon Him and at the same time have such anxiety over the political process?

After leafing through a piece of material that was particularly melodramatic a few evenings ago, I began to develop an outline in my mind. I wondered why so much time and effort had been spent in printing brochures, developing massive public relations campaigns and organizing people of faith to advance a political agenda, when I was seeing little of the same passion in reaching the lost for Christ. Here are a few of my hastily written thoughts on the subject:

Never, never rely upon politics. Always, always preach the gospel.

• God’s word never returns void. Political talking points always return void.
• The gospel appeals to men’s souls, which are ever-present. Political ideas appeal to logic, which is rarely present.
• Witnesses deal with individuals. Politicians address the masses.
• Salvation is absolute and complete. Legislation is compromised consensus.
• The Bible stands the test of time. Men’s ideas fade and change.
• Ministries rely on the power of God. Political movements rely on the momentum and initiative of men.
• Truth cuts to the heart. Political speech lingers on the surface.

There is no hope for our nation or our neighbors in political leadership or legislation. We must never place our trust in the movements of our day! Christ is the hope of mankind and no person, no society, no creature will be changed for good without Him. As we have been left in trust with the gospel, let us labor most fervently to proclaim it. Our political zeal should be miniscule in comparison to our zeal for the ministry of the word. May God help us all to fulfill our part of His great commission.

Advocates of “Christian” political activism in the United States spend a lot of time telling us how the deck is stacked against them. They are correct. A secular society is never friendly to Biblical viewpoints, and rarely even sympathetic to the concerns of Bible-believers. Consistent and vigorous evangelism is a far more effective means of social change. A continuously growing population of righteous and faithful Christians will have dramatic effects on any local community. While I always advocate the communication of Biblical truth on public and political policy, I prefer to spend the majority of my time and money on evangelism and discipleship.

For every ounce of hostility to Christianity we find in America, there is a pound in the UK. One of today’s daily Telegraph editorials considers belief in the Bible dangerous, comparing it readily with radical Islam, and insisting those that affirm it be excluded from the political process. Make no mistake, similar opinions now find a home in America too. I consider them to be the fault of “Christian” political activism rather than the enemy of it. A particular segment of Christianity has become so unalterably preoccupied with political change, their witnessing and discipling responsibilities have been almost totally ignored! Consequently, conservative activism has grown while Biblical Christianity has declined. Am I wrong?

This is not a political blog, and I am not planning on making it a political blog. My conviction is that believer’s should spend more time preaching the gospel, and less time promoting political change. Still, I can’t help but be confused and disappointed when prominent Christians lower their personal standards to support a politician who has, in their amateur opinion, “a better chance of winning”.

As for me and my house, we will vote based on conviction. Conviction that the murder of unborn children is wrong in any state, at any time. Conviction that marriage is between one man and one woman, for life. And…conviction that men of God should ask “what is best?” in the voting booth, rather than “what if she wins?”.

It was with these thoughts in mind that I came across this entry on the conservative Hot Air blog. Two minutes and fifteen seconds of straight answers from a former two-term Governor. If a man cannot be elected in the United States of America by speaking with this level of eloquence, understanding and conviction; our country has bigger problems than we had first imagined. So, before we jump to the conclusion that we must compromise in order to “gain power”, we ought to become educated on what (and whom) God has given us the opportunity to support. Those still inclined to bet one of the “horses in the lead” can consider themselves forewarned.

Dan and Karis Seely were appointed to Cameroon, Africa with Baptist Mid-Missions in 2005. After spending time with them at Candidate Seminar that year, and later while on deputation, we have grown to appreciate them very much. Today we follow their ministry via the internet. Once in a while Dan hits a home run with his blog commentaries, as he did with an October 19 entry on Mike Huckabee.