Trump or Harris – how do you resolve the dilemma?

I know that this blog is written from a British context and primarily I engage with things affecting the local church here, I do have a lot of readers from other countries including the US.  So, on the eve of the US Presidential election, I think it is worth saying something.

There will be no surprises here because I’ve said similar things about elections here in the past and in many ways, US Christians will face similar dilemmas. 

There are of course age old differences over economic philosophies and attitudes to foreign policy.  Do low taxes work best or do we need more state intervention?  How does the West engage with Russia and Ukraine?  Do we want open borders or protectionism limiting movement of people, goods and services?  What about Israel and the Middle East.

In the US the question of abortion along with other cultural and  ethical issues is a hot political topic in a way that it isn’t in the UK.

But I suspect that there is a greater dilemma as Christians look at the candidates, their character and what they stand for at heart then perhaps was seen in years gone by but had become increasingly live since 2016.

This may leave you thinking “How do I choose when I prefer neither?” You may have heard responses to the effect that the important thing is that you do vote. You may also have been advised to go for the lesser of two evils. The problem of course is that you don’t know which is the lesser evil.

So what should you do?  Well, first of all remember that there is no Biblical injunction requiring you to vote.  Furthermore, it is a little naive at best to suggest that the important thing is that you do vote.  We cannot pretend we only care about this and not who you vote for.  Would we really not care if people voted for Hitler or Stalin?

This means that there is another option open to you. You can refuse the dilemma. You can decline both options.  To be sure, you are still going to end up with a president you don’t particularly want either way.  There is no need to become compromised by approving and giving some form of mandate to one or the other. 

Secondly, trust God’s, sovereignty. This does not mean you will get the best president for America but that President God has decreed is the one who will serve his eternal purposes even when you can’t see them.

Thirdly pray for the candidates, for the winner and the loser. Pray most of all that God will save them.

Fourthly, the winner will be your president.  You cannot get into the “not my president” game.  Respect that office,  obey them as God’s word requires.

Fifth, when they issue decrees and make laws that go against God’s word, put God’s commands first.