What Christians Should Look for in a Politician

As we engage this political season, both presidential candidates are trying to woo the evangelical vote. In the past, President Trump got the bulk of that vote. The reason is not because he is such a faithful Christian. In fact, he has been heavily criticized by many on both the left and the right for unchristian behavior he has demonstrated in the past.

So how can that justify Christian support? To answer that question, we need something to compare him to. For that, we must also look at his opponent, Vice President Harris. She is actually going after the evangelical vote, as well. In making her case, she touts the fact that she is a long-time member of the Third Baptist Church of San Francisco pastored by the Rev. Amos Brown. That said, she also has a rather long history of not being a faithful Christian. There are also numerous documented cases of her devious and immoral behavior. 

Whom Should a Christian Support?

So just why, then, would most evangelicals throw their support to Trump over Harris? There is actually a very logical reason for that, and it has to do with the policies these two candidates promote. As it turns out, the policies promoted by Trump most closely correspond to the biblical principles Christians believe in, even if he is personally a flawed individual. Some of his policies that evangelicals appreciate include: his emphasis on individual liberty, free enterprise, law and order, traditional values, and support for Israel.

So what is it about Harris’ positions that have most evangelicals running the other way. After all, she is Baptist, and her campaign has even formed a group called “Evangelicals for Harris.” That being the case, there are, obviously evangelicals who support her. Recently, this group began a media campaign describing themselves as genuine believers, and accusing Trump and his evangelical supporters of being hypocrites.

So how are we to distinguish between these two points of view? If both individuals are flawed on a personal level, where are Christians to look to make a decision about whom to support. To get at the answer to this question, it is necessary to take a closer look at the policies the two sides advocate.

The Trump Side

The policies President Trump supports are based on a biblical worldview. It is important to recognize that this observation does not speak to the specific actions or character of Trump himself. There are many people, not just Trump, who believe in the values of a biblical worldview, but who don’t personally live them out faithfully in their individual lives. Rather, we are specifically referring to the values their policy decisions are based upon.

In the case of President Trump, this includes policies that support order in society, the value of human life, the priority of the individual, an objective foundation for law, a clear understanding of gender differences, and the traditional family.

The Harris Side

The policy positions supported by Vice President Harris are based on a naturalistic worldview. While that may seem odd to some since she is a member of a Baptist church, it is important to realize that the underlying theology that her pastor teaches is based on liberation theology, not biblical theology. Essentially, liberation theology promotes Marxist philosophy using biblical vocabulary and imagery. It redefines key biblical terms using Marxist concepts.

Liberation theology has no place for objective moral beliefs. While it claims belief in God, the God that it teaches is not the God of the Bible. The underlying philosophy is based on naturalistic Atheism. For an objective moral foundation to exist, there must be an objectively real moral lawgiver – something Marxism rejects. Thus, for them, morality requires a human source, and the people who follow this approach must make up their own morality. Liberation theology does not believe in the God revealed in the Bible, promotes the priority of the collective over the individual, does not acknowledge an objective foundation for law, is willing to redefine the concept of gender, and supports various versions of nontraditional family structures. With this as a foundational belief structure, Harris is supportive of policies that simply do not align with the biblical theology that evangelicals support.

Biblical Christianity vs. False Christianity

When it comes to who a Christian should support politically, it would very nice if the individuals running for office lived by biblical values. But sadly, sometimes that is just not the case. Sometimes the ones running are just flawed individuals.

That said, we have a particular responsibility under God, when it comes to dealing with every part of life in this world. When God created mankind, He made us to be His stewards (managers) over the world. This not only includes our physical surroundings, but also the spiritual and social environment. A big part of that in the American political system is for us to vote for people who are going to promote the kinds of policies that correspond to how God wants society to operate. Policies based on a naturalistic worldview simply will not take us in that direction. Policies based on a biblical worldview will.

---

Freddy Davis is the president of MarketFaith Ministries. He is the author of numerous books entitled The Truth Mirage, Rules for Christians Radicals, Liberalism vs. Conservatism, and his latest book Shattering the Truth Mirage and has a background as an international missionary, pastor, radio host, worldview trainer, and entrepreneur. Freddy is a graduate of Florida State University with a BS in Communication, and holds MDiv and DMin degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a popular speaker, particularly on the topic of worldview and its practical implications for the Christian life. He lives in Tallahassee, FL, with his wife Deborah.

You may also contact Freddy at Leadership Speakers Bureau to schedule him for speaking or leadership engagements.

To set up an appointment to speak to a Literary Agent:
Email: Alfredo Baguio
Call: (702) 605-4354