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Three Truths Exposed in the Recent US Election
Today is the last Sunday after Pentecost or the last Sunday or Ordinary Time, also known as Christ the King Sunday. Next Sunday begins Advent. Today, however, is a day to recognize the authority of Christ over all dominion, i.e. all principalities and powers, human and otherwise. He is certainly the King whether people realize it or not; one day, however, all will recognize his kingship and bow to him. Believers should consider him King far above any king or ruler. In the United States, we just went through an important election. In considering Christ the King, the recent election has caused many to wonder if Christ truly is the King even in the lives of professing Christians. I believe the recent US election has exposed hard truths about American society with which we must grapple. For the scope here, I will point to three hard truths the recent US election has exposed in American society.
Idolatry
First,
idolatry has certainly been exposed through the recent US election, although
such was likely seen by many even prior to the event. While many elections
protrude hints of idolatry in American society, the most recent presidential
election seemingly shed greater light on it than previous elections.[1] Leading up to that first
Tuesday in November, the social media feeds, television commercials, and radio
programming was inundated with ads paid for by campaigns attempting to
criticize the opposite candidate. Often, these ads would not necessarily highlight
the benefits of electing the advertising candidate but rather the negative
aspects of the opposing person.
In my younger
years, the Republican party seemed to hold a corner on the religious market in
politics, i.e. it was assumed that Christians would vote for the Republican
candidates.[2]
In more recent years, however, both Democrats and Republicans (and often third
parties) have claimed the Christian voting base. I would even suggest that the
claim is equal across the aisle. What we have been given then is the assumption
that a Christian should vote for one candidate or another on the sole basis of
their party. In fact, it has become common for one party and supporters of one
candidate to convey the idea that if the other is elected, society as we know it
will meet its fate in a dire situation. Many of us even heard and read
statements like, “How can you claim to be a Christian and vote for [insert
candidate here]?” Such statements reveal the unwanted truth that most people in
our society place their hope in someone or something other than God.
The seriousness of the first commandment should be considered by everyone who professes the name of Christ. Hope is not found in a politician no matter who they are. God is jealous (Exod 34:14) and demands consummate worship from his people and, in fact, all people (and will one day receive it from everyone). The fact that in the past two elections, people’s hopes and dreams appeared to be squashed completely because the candidate they did not like was elected reveals the idolatry that exists in our country even among those who claim to be followers of Christ. I do not intend to diminish the importance of having opinions and voting as American citizens; nonetheless, Americans have trusted in a false god: the god of politics and politicians. Elections have become a large game of competitive hockey in which one team boasts that they beat the other while the other practices for the next match by criticizing the opposing party for the next four years. Christians should be completely devoted to the worship of God, his glory, and the spread of his fame through the gospel. Whether people realize it or not, the recent US election has exposed many people’s idolatry in how they reacted to the outcome. Whether overjoyed or painfully despaired, one extreme or the other indicates people who falsely claim Christ as their God but truthfully idolize politicians and political parties.
Hypocrisy
Secondly,
the most recent US election has revealed the underlying truth of hypocrisy in
the church. For the scope here, I submit three primary areas of hypocrisy in
the church, which the recent US election has exposed: 1) hypocrisy on abortion,
2) hypocrisy on big government, and 3) hypocrisy on morality of candidates.
I
dare suggest that abortion is the single-most important issue facing our
generation. The scope of this discussion is not abortion; it must, however, be
mentioned. While many argue hypocrisy from the pro-life movement because they
claim to be opposed to abortion yet neglect elements such as education, it
should be realized that the other issues are not life issues but quality of
life; one cannot have quality of life if life is not protected first. The
hypocrisy on abortion, however, does not come from the left but from the right.
Many claim to be pro-life and yet do little to nothing in the way of abolishing
the heinous act. In fact, most Supreme Court justices when Roe vs. Wade was
ruled were Republicans. Even now, it is common for politicians to claim a
pro-life stance but fail to act on legislation that abolishes it. Many
professing Christians hold to voting for a particular party because of their
so-called pro-life stance when that party does nothing but regulate abortion
rather than abolish it, which is why there exists a growing movement of
abolitionists who separate themselves from the pro-life movement, which has
become, in essence, an industry in itself. The recent election has exposed the
hypocrisy of people who claim to be pro-life and yet continue to vote for
candidates that have done and likely will do nothing on the issue of abortion.
Another
area of hypocrisy is found in the concept of big government. Republicans tend
to claim a small government philosophy when they are essentially another side
of the same coin. The reality is that debt has massively increased under the
leadership of both parties, the deficit has increased, and government programs
continue to rise to the point of controlling the American society. When enough
people work for or gain their livelihood from some form of government, people
will likely not vote themselves out of a job. For the Republican party to claim
a small government mentality, two out of three of the biggest government
decisions I have known in my lifetime have come from Republican leadership: the
Patriot Act and legalizing civil forfeiture in the name of the war on drugs.[3] Those who pay attention
realize that the Republican party is almost equally as big-government-minded as
the Democrat party; yet, many professing Christians claim to vote for one party
or the other because of their small-government philosophy.
A third area of hypocrisy is the morality of candidates. Such hypocrisy is seen by all parties. In fact, both parties pointed to the opposing candidate as an immoral person while looking past the failures of their candidate. It has been said that Americans have had to vote for the lesser of two evils. The fact is that until Christ returns, people will always vote for the lesser of two evils. Moral failures are a part of human existence. If Christians desire to love like Christ, however, forgiveness is in order. It is also necessary to consider the failures of all candidates. Hypocrisy was revealed in the recent election not only by Christians pointing to the immortality of one candidate while looking past the other’s but also by failing to forgive as Christ forgives. May God gives us eyes like Christ, as we see people whom he loves and treat them as such. Everyone fails; how one responds to the failures of others, however, is telling about the spiritual condition of that person.
An
Imperfect System
A third item exposed through the recent US election is the imperfection of the electoral system. In suggesting this, I do not intend to diminish the greatness that is the United States, for the US system of government is far greater than others around the world. Anything apart from Christ and his kingdom, however, may only be imperfect no matter how good it is. Christians need to be okay with such a truth because until the church is with Christ after life on earth, his kingdom is seen only partially. The pitfalls of the US electoral system were revealed in the confusion after the election. Often, people have the idea that the United States Constitution is an infallible document. That title only belongs to holy Scripture. Even the documents of the United States’ founding fathers are replete with human errors. The system in which the US operates is good but imperfect, something with which believers must be okay, for God’s people should operate with the understanding that no matter how good something is, if it is of this world, it is temporary and may not be perfect, as only God’s kingdom is. The recent US election has shed light on this truth.
Christ
is King, although Evidence in the American Church Suggests Otherwise
If
Christ is truly King of his people in the United States, believers must bear
fruit that reveals such. The idolatry and hypocrisy of Christians (on all sides
of the political aisle) suggest opposite of Christ the King. The recent US
election has exposed these three truths highlighted here among others related
to the American Christian subculture. Whether your candidate won or not, how
you respond is telling of where lies your faith. Those who are exceedingly and
disproportionately overjoyed and those who are equally in despair should
examine that in which their hope lies. Such reactions are indicative of
idolatry. God commands his people to worship and fear only him, for he alone is
worthy of his people’s worship and fear. No matter a political situation, may
Christians in the United States boldly declare that their hope is not in a
political party, system, or candidate but only in Jesus Christ alone.
