Post-Election Observations

Across America, most election returns are in, and despite a few recounts or undecided races, the winds of political change blew in a huge Republican wave soundly trouncing the Democrats in the House of Representatives and becoming a significant factor in the Senate. Other political races have changed the political topography for years to come. Flips in governorships and state houses mean that conservative influence will hold sway in statewide redistricting and national policy-making for the foreseeable future.

The switch to Republican House control changes leadership on the floor and in committees meaning that the origin, flow and even debate of legislation has shifted from the President and his party. The socialistic trends in growing government healthcare, taxation and numerous other issues have been highly thwarted or even halted. International observers must be shocked by the turnaround in only two years—a shift from Western European socialism back to American individual entrepreneurialism.

Speaking of that swift transition, the founding fathers wrote a genius theme into their baby Constitution of 1787. Its checks and balances were necessitated, as they felt, by correctly observing that man was inherently sinful, power was naturally corrupting and absolute power was absolutely corrupting. The full House faces election every two years while the Senate races are staggered every six years. In our Republic, which the Constitution created, voters elect representatives.

That America is a republic is reflected in every pledge of allegiance “to the flag and to the Republic for which it stands...” It was my privilege recently to preach in the church formerly pastored by Francis Bellamy, who composed the Pledge of Allegiance in 1892. As I observed the commemorative plaque on the wall of the First Baptist Church in Little Falls, NY, I thought of the unique republican form of government our founders gave us.

This year of 2010 was one of those full House election years as well as one for a number of other crucial races. A Christian who did not vote was either ignorant of Christ’s political instruction or overtly sinning in disobedience. In New Testament times, Israel was tragically burdened by pagan Roman rule. A blasphemously self-deified, God-like Caesar had his image on the coinage. Christ viewed that likeness in an entrapment effort by his enemies and shocked them by commanding, “Render…to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25).

The obvious separation of Church and state—but the legitimacy of both—was thereby established for the New Testament Christian era. Few realize that in America, Caesar is not an individual or even a body of men but a document—the U.S. Constitution, and this stunning document assigns electoral responsibility to its citizens. Who better to obey Christ than believers who hold dual citizenship in both the Kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of representative government? Sometimes this choice can bring chaos and suffering, and sometimes it brings blessing and progress since God’s designated sovereignty includes political choice.

A whole new slate of politicians needs our prayers as Paul enjoins in I Tim. 2:1 & 2. “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” And even those who lost need our prayers for their grace in defeat and their continuing influence, whether little or much.

“All...in authority” includes all in influence—winners and losers. Those attempting to extricate us from the governmental excesses need prayer for wisdom even as those who plunged us into the chaos need prayer for their repentance. Elections should do more than merely switch party personnel. Unless guided by spiritual and biblical principles, political exchanges may mean that we have merely swapped rascals.

Several elections ago, I viewed a seeming endless forest of campaign signs stuck in several lawns touting candidates for various offices. In the distance, I saw one with indistinct lettering. Approaching close enough to read it, I was encouraged to find the homeowner had implanted a small election-like sign simply reading, “John 3:16.” Amid all the political advertising, it bore the solution to it all. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

In the election aftermath, with its exuberant victors and wounded warriors, let us not forget that personal salvation and even national deliverance comes from a free expression of redemption in Jesus Christ, and “if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36).

Dave Virkler