By Dr. Larry Ollison, Larry Ollison Ministries -
We are a product of our choices. The world we are living in today was framed by the decisions we made yesterday and the world we will live in tomorrow is being framed by the decisions we make today. Our decisions in life not only determine our future, but the destiny of generations to come.
Unfortunately, many decisions are made on perceived realities, or perceived fear or emotions. Only decisions that are based on truth and agree with the Word of God will bring future peace and prosperity. When decisions are continuously a result of tradition, prejudice, or emotion, in time they will bring frustration and failure.
In America, we live in a republic that elects its leaders through a democratic process, and these elected leaders determine the laws that we live by. Sadly, many politicians are elected to office because of their personality, race, or influence instead of their qualifications and abilities.
Some may say the truth is relative and changes with our national culture. That is not true. Truth is a constant solid line that never varies. The truth is not affected by place of birth, color of skin, money, or the constantly changing culture within a nation. Truth is based upon the Word of God. Jesus said that He was the way and the truth (John 14:6) and that only knowing the truth would set us free (John 8:32). Without the truth, there is continual bondage and confusion.
This brings us to the question: how do I know who to vote for?
When I’m standing in the voting booth, how will I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that I am voting for the right candidate? Actually, this is the wrong question. What you really should be asking is this. What platform agrees with the truth and upholds biblical principles? And then, you vote for that platform regardless of who the candidate is. If a candidate is unkempt, and has physical attributes that are annoying, or even has a personality that you don’t like, but the platform he is standing on upholds biblical principles, that’s your person. Too often the lure and hype of a well-spoken and well-liked candidate has brought ungodly, devastating laws to our nation.
In our nation we have two major parties. At each presidential election cycle, each party meticulously puts together a party platform stating what they believe and what they will attempt to achieve if their candidate is elected. The choice is yours. Which party platform you will elect?
I am not going to make this choice for you. Actually, I cannot choose for you. However, I am going to give you biblical truth on five current issues.
1) Israel – Israel is special to God. Out of all the earth, He separated Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (whose name was changed to Israel) to be His chosen nation. The law was given through the nation of Israel (Moses). The first family of Christianity came through Israel. The Holy Bible (Old and New Testaments) was written by Israelites.
The ancient prophecy that said Israel would be disbursed and return to their homeland (Deuteronomy 30:3) has miraculously come to pass. The nations of the earth have been instructed in the Bible to bless Israel. If they bless Israel, they will be blessed and if they curse Israel, they will be cursed (Genesis 12:3). The curse that came upon the Canaanites, the Egyptians, the Babylonians, and the Nazis has proven this true. In the past, America has been greatly blessed because we have blessed Israel.
The United States of America was the first country to recognize the return of Israel to its homeland and acknowledge them as a nation on May 15, 1948. As the major supporter of the only democracy in the Middle East (Israel), the United States has been blessed like no other nation in history. The freedom and prosperity is unparalleled. However, for this to continue, we must continue to support Israel as a nation and as a people. Anti-Semitism is not an option.
When voting, instead of listening to the words of the candidate, read the platform he is standing upon. A Christian should never vote for a political platform that denies aid to Israel or to a platform that supports the enemies of Israel (i.e., Iran, Palestinians, etc.).
First and foremost, find the platform that supports Israel, and whoever is standing on that platform is your candidate.
2) Abortion – According to the Bible, life begins at conception. God told Jeremiah that while he was yet in his mother’s womb that He knew him (Jeremiah 1:5). John the Baptist leaped for joy while in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:44). It is a medical fact that unborn children have brain activity and feel pain. God takes it very seriously when any culture kills their children.
The heathens in the Bible were condemned because they slaughtered their babies. In the United States of America over 60 million children have been murdered while in their mother’s womb since Roe v. Wade in 1973. Some may say, “But it wasn’t against the law.” While it is true that it was not against the law of our nation during this time to slaughter these 60 million babies, it was against the law of God.
We must always remember that just because something is legal does not make it right. It was perfectly legal by the law of the land for Hitler to kill six million Jews during World War II. Just because it was legal and not against any law of the land did not make it morally right or biblically right.
With this in mind, a Christian must choose a party platform that does not accept abortion as a fundamental practice of life, but instead is against it. So choose a platform, regardless of the candidate, that is pro-life.
3) Marriage – In the beginning God created male and female. There are only two sexual categories. For the 6,000 years of recorded history, it has never been a problem determining whether a baby was a male or a female.
Recently, a famous actress in Hollywood had a baby and the reporter asked her if it was a boy or a girl. Her response was shocking and somewhat puzzling. She said, “We’ve decided to wait and let the child make the decision themselves.” It’s amazing, but the reporter kept a straight face and continued with the interview. It’s tempting to feel like Taylor in the movie, Planet of the Apes and scream out, “The world has gone mad!” To a degree, it has. But as Christians, Hollywood is not the source of truth. Again, the Word of God is truth.
When Jesus was approached by the Pharisees who were trying to trick Him into making a statement against the law so they would have evidence to discredit Him, they asked Him a question about divorce. However, in His answer, He made a powerful statement in Mark 10:6. He said, “But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’”
While Christians must love and not condemn, we still have an obligation to speak the truth and to stand on the side of truth. We must never exchange the truth for a lie in this matter (Romans 1:25). So as a Christian voter, find a platform that believes that marriage is between male and female. Sexual anarchy is not God’s plan for mankind. Not knowing if you are tall or short, black or white, male or female is a mental issue and not a political issue.
4) Immigration – When my children were living at home, at night I would always lock the doors. It was not for the purpose of locking my family in, but it was for the purpose of keeping others from coming in. It was just common sense.
With terrorism on the rise, it’s only common sense to somehow restrict the flow of people who are not in the family from coming in our national house. If they apply properly, we will adopt them and they will be part of the family with all the rights and privileges of those born in the house. But it is always questionable when someone is trying to break and enter without permission.
Our nation is no different than your home, only on a larger scale. Our nation has boundaries and laws that govern us and we must obey and enforce the laws. We are a nation of immigrants. My ancestors were Swedish. In my circle of friends, almost every nationality in the world is represented. You must not endorse a party that is against immigration, but you should endorse a party platform that is for legal immigration.
Our nation is a nation of laws and without obedience to the law, there is chaos and confusion (Romans 13:1-7). While protests should always be allowed, we must never allow the protests to become violent and injure life and property of others who are not protesting. Citizenship is a privilege of those born in our nation and to those who earn the right of citizenship. As Christians, we should support a platform that not only protects its citizens, but upholds the current immigration laws.
5) The Supreme Court – Our nation’s government is divided into three branches that are equal in power. They are the executive (President), legislative (Congress), and judicial (Supreme Court). The Supreme Court makes decisions about the laws of the land that stand for generations. Sixty million murdered children in the United States are the result of a Supreme Court decision.
The President is the one who appoints the Supreme Court justices. Should any justices retire or be forced to step down during the next presidential term, it could change the delicate balance of power between liberals and conservatives. The next president will be able to dramatically lean the Supreme Court toward the liberal or conservative agenda. Regardless of who is president, they will be forced by their party to select Supreme Court candidates who agree with the party platform.
Once again, we must understand how extremely important it is to not vote for a president or any candidate based upon their personality or popularity, but we must vote for the platform that holds biblical and moral values that will once again bring our nation to a place of greatness.
So when you step into the voting booth, you are responsible for your vote. You will not be judged personally on the outcome, but you will be responsible for your individual vote.
The first democratic decision in the Bible was when Moses sent out twelve spies into the Promised Land. Ten came back with a negative report and said that the Israelites could not go in because the enemy was too great. Two of the spies (Joshua and Caleb) voted to go in and take the land because that is what God had commanded. The majority won and the Hebrews wandered in the wilderness for forty years. When the forty years ended, the ten spies who voted wrongly were dead, but the two who voted on the side of truth (even though they lost the election) moved into the Promised Land.
Likewise, you must vote for truth and in doing so, you will be blessed regardless of the outcome. Above all, remember this. Don’t vote for the personality. Vote for the platform.
Republican Platform: gop.com/platform/
Democratic Platform: democrats.org/where-we-stand/party-platform/
