'For Conscience Sake' - My Vote

I am almost apolitical. I was 35 years old before I cast my vote for individuals seeking elective offices in my state and that was due to the encouragement of one of my best friends. And when I did vote, I ‘killed’ his vote for the person running for the office of governor. Since that time, I have voted more for the man rather than for the party. I am conservative by nature and usually I have voted as a
Republican but not always when I had to make a choice on an individual basis for a certain office. I have never made voting for one’s choice a test of Christian fellowship. I have been disappointed in some of my choices of candidates after learning of their lack of moral fortitude and unwise decisions.

I have tried to obey the laws of the land as taught in God’s Word; yet, as an imperfect human, I have often failed in my efforts. Also, I pray for those who are in authority on every level of our government (local, county, state and national). The Lord God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, ordained the civil government but that does not mean He is always pleased with rulers who are evil. (See Romans 13:1-8; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; 1 Peter 2:13-15). I fervently believe that God still rules in the affairs/governments of men as taught in the book of Daniel 4:25; 5:21.

When it comes to foreign and economical affairs, I am a layman. I do possess certain convictions regarding these matters that might be different when compared with the convictions of some of my fellow citizens. But my vote for the highest office in our country this time will be based primarily on my convictions regarding some moral issues, namely, abortion and same sex marriage.

The present President endorses and encourages both. As a Christian and a gospel preacher, I cannot vote for a person, regardless of the office he seeks, who would support either of these issues. I believe that life begins at conception and it is not within the realm of mortal man to go counter to what God has taught in His Holy Word in taking the life of the unborn child. God made man and woman to be joined in marriage (See Genesis, chapter 2). Jesus Christ gave credence to this account as found in Matthew 19:4-6. The apostle Paul wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Romans 1:18-32, that sexual relationship, women with women and men with men was both shameful and unnatural. Sodomy is condemned both in the Old and New Testaments (See Leviticus 20:13; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:9-11; 2 Peter 2:4-9; Jude 7). I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet (my father was a mill worker), but the time is coming, unless there is a drastic change in the moral condition of our nation, that preachers of the Word of God will be accused of ‘hate crimes’ when we teach what the Bible says on these subjects. It has happened in other countries and it is probably being considered among some officials in our nation.

I now quote in part the words of the great reformer, Martin Luther, when he was being tried at the Diet of Worms, Germany in 1521: “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason … I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen.”