Some Pastoral Thoughts on the Election

First off, I need to thank all of you for your prayers for Jeannie and I – as we fought off COVID-19. We’re both getting stronger at home now. As for me – after a little over three weeks in the hospital and rehab, I don’t wish this stuff on anyone – it’s horrific. Jeannie was able to recover at home but is still weak. We give thanks to God Almighty for bringing us through, and now we pray for others to be healed as well.

During this time, I turned off all news – I didn’t want Satan to infiltrate my mind with garbage about the election – the one which Satan prevented both of us from participating in. That, in itself, put me in a very vile and sour mood. I was still confident in the re-election of our president, that I checked in periodically – and became very deflated over the next several days.

I’ve been a Fox News viewer for years – not anymore. Actually, I’ve been going away gradually over time, but after Laura Ingraham urged the president to throw in the towel – that was it. Fox News has become Faux News to me. Ever since Rupert Murdoch turned the network over to his spoiled brat kids, and brought RINO Paul Ryan onto the board of directors – its fate was sealed.

“What’s this have to do with a weekend message pastor?” you ask.

Well, a lot. 

Many people say. don’t mix religion and politics. Well my friend, you can’t separate them. Here’s why…

First off, I don’t subscribe to the “tax exempt” church – which is nothing more than state-sanctioned registration of religion and state-sanctioned restriction of free speech. I’d rather be open to preach God’s Word from the pulpit, than accept tax-free and other favorable financial treatment. 

To me, ministry is not about the money. To most other churches – it is. 

Do you get a tax deduction for your tithes and offerings? Thank then Senator Lyndon Johnson for the Johnson Amendment in 1955. This is also why most pastors will not preach on controversial topics or against any candidate that has policies that go against scripture like they used to – the Johnson Amendment makes it either illegal or can bring adverse actions against a church which does so – if they are registered 501(c)(3)  non-profit organizations.

Talk about Joe Biden’s policies on abortion, or Kamala Harris’ stance on transgenderism or her unrepentant whoring with Willie Brown, which got her into politics – a church can lose their tax exempt status – and you lose your tax deduction.

If we accepted donations from anyone – they would have to know that they could not be deducted from their income taxes – we are not a registered 501(c)(3) non profit – nor do we accept donations in the first place. This allows me to be free to preach God’s Word – and not be subject to man’s law.

Which brings me back to the election.

I haven’t given up hope – and I pray fervently that all corruption is exposed, and that our president is reelected,

If, for some reason, God takes this in another direction however, we do what we did under Barack Obama – we follow God’s Word.

We don’t riot in the streets – we look to Romans 13:1-7:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

This where I also get my views on being tax-exempt – verses 6-7: For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

In other words – we pay what we owe, nothing more, nothing less – and expect nothing in return, except to be able to preach the truth of God’s Word.

But when the church is beholden to man’s quid quo pro – which is what the Johnson Amendment is – it opens the church to satanic attack, such as pastors who won’t take a public stand on issues and call it out specifically where needed.

And – we’re to pray for those in authority, as directed in 1 Timothy 2:1-4:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

There is an exception however – and that’s when following man’s law would be a cause for sin, then we look to Acts 5, looking at verses 27-32, but specifically verse 29 (highlighted):

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them,  saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”  But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.  The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.  God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.  And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

So, if Joe Biden is ratified by the States to become president – we, as Christians, must be first of all, be praying fervently, and watching very carefully at this man, his administration, and the congress as a whole – and hold them all accountable to the standards set by God Almighty – because our founding was based on Judeo-Christian principles – including the Ten Commandments.

Likewise, if president Trump is ratified by the States to become president – we, as Christians must pray for him, and his administration – and watching very carefully at the administration – and the congress as a whole – and hold them all accountable to the very same standards as we would a Biden administration.

We don’t worship a president – we worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We follow the Triune God – God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.

As Christians, we follow what God says in His Word.

To do otherwise is heresy.